Agatha Christie's Marple

Agatha Christie's Marple (or simply Marple) is a British ITV television series loosely based on the books and short stories by British crime novelist Agatha Christie. The title character was played by Geraldine McEwan from the first to third series, until her retirement from the role, and by Julia McKenzie from the fourth series onwards. Following the conclusion of the sixth series, it was announced that the BBC had acquired the rights for the production of Agatha Christie adaptations, suggesting that ITV would be unable to make a seventh series of Marple.^[1][2]

Overview

Each series consists of four feature-length episodes, except series six which only has three episodes. The first six episodes were all adaptations of Miss Marple novels by Christie. Subsequent episodes were derived both from works featuring Miss Marple but also Christie novels that did not feature the character. The title of the series removes the word Miss from Miss Marple, to match the title of the Agatha Christie's Poirot series.^[3]

Plot outline

Agatha Christie's Marple follows the adventures of Miss Jane Marple, an elderly spinster living in the quiet little village of St Mary Mead. During her many visits to friends and relatives in other villages (and sometimes when simply being at home), Miss Marple often stumbles upon or hears about mysterious murders, which she helps solve. Although the police are sometimes reluctant to accept Miss Marple's help, her reputation and unparalleled powers of observation eventually win them over.

During her adventures, Miss Marple is aided by close friends, relatives, or other allies that she meets, which include Tommy and Tuppence - protagonists of another series of Christie novels.

Recurring characters

The only character to appear in every episode is Miss Marple herself, played by Geraldine McEwan until series 3 and by Julia McKenzie from series 4 onwards.^[4][5]

A few other characters appear in more than one episode, although they are not always played by the same actor. Exceptions are Joanna Lumley, who plays Mrs Dolly Bantry in The Body in the Library and The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side, and Stephen Churchett, who appears as the coroner in four episodes.

Dr Haydock appears in three episodes, but is played by three different actors: Robin Soans in The Body in the Library, Robert Powell in The Murder at the Vicarage and Neil Stuke in The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side. Jason Rafiel, an old friend of Marple's, was voiced by Herbert Lom (who made an on-screen appearance as Mr Dufosse in "Murder at the Vicarage") in Nemesis and played by Antony Sher in A Caribbean Mystery.

Adaptations

Christie wrote twelve novels about Miss Marple, all of which have been adapted for the series. They are:

• The Murder at the Vicarage
• The Body in the Library
• The Moving Finger
• A Murder is Announced
• They Do It with Mirrors
• A Pocket Full of Rye
• 4.50 from Paddington
• The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side
• A Caribbean Mystery
• At Bertram's Hotel
• Nemesis
• Sleeping Murder

In addition, a short story featuring Miss Marple, The Blue Geranium was adapted into a full-length episode. Three others were modified by the show - Greenshaw's Folly and The Thumb Mark of St. Peter were combined into one story, whilst elements of The Herb of Death were incorporated into the adaptation of The Secret of Chimneys. It is unlikely that the remaining 18 short stories will be adapted by ITV, since the BBC bought the rights to produce Agatha Christie adaptations.

Awards and nominations

Geraldine McEwan was nominated for a Satellite Award in 2005 for her role as Miss Marple in Series 1.^[6] The first series was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2005.

Worldwide distribution

Agatha Christie's Marple is aired in the United States on PBS on Mystery!, where it is presented as "Agatha Christie's Miss Marple". The series is broadcast to the whole of Canada on CBC and in French on Radio-Canada. In Australia, Agatha Christie's Marple airs on ABC1.

Marple is also being broadcast on ATV World in Hong Kong, on EBS and MegaTV in South Korea and on CCTV-8 in China. In China, however, The Body in the Library and Murder Is Easy haven't been shown due to the involvement of a lesbian and an incestuous relationship respectively. Why Didn't They Ask Evans? has been extensively edited due to the involvement of War-period China.

In Norway, the series has been airing on state broadcaster NRK1 as "Miss Marple". In Sweden, Marple airs on TV4, the biggest commercial TV station. In Poland, the series airs on Ale Kino+. In the Czech Republic it is broadcast under the name "Slečna Marplová" (Czech for 'Miss Marple').

In Brazil, the series airs on HBO Brasil.

Changes to novels

The show has sparked controversy with some viewers for its adaptations of the novels. The first episode, The Body in the Library, changed the identity of one of the killers and introduced lesbianism into the plot; the second episode explored Miss Marple's earlier life; the third episode contained a motive change and the fourth episode cut several characters and added affairs into the story and emphasized a lesbian subplot that was quite discreet in the original novel. The second series also saw some changes. By the Pricking of My Thumbs was originally a Tommy and Tuppence story, while The Sittaford Mystery was also not originally a Miss Marple book and the identity of the killer was changed. The third series has two adaptations that were not originally Miss Marple books: Ordeal by Innocence and Towards Zero. The fourth series continues the trend with Murder Is Easy and Why Didn't They Ask Evans?. The fifth series does the same, with The Secret of Chimneys and The Pale Horse, as does the sixth series with Endless Night.

• The Body in the Library makes some significant changes including a lesbian affair and the identity of one of the killers.
• The Murder at the Vicarage explores Miss Marple's early life.
• 4:50 from Paddington changes the killer's motive.
• A Murder Is Announced changes a couple of the characters and emphasizes a lesbian relationship.
• Sleeping Murder inserts a central romantic relationship and a travelling band of singers named 'The Funnybones'.
• The Moving Finger changes a few main devices.
• By the Pricking of My Thumbs was not originally a Miss Marple book, and changes many plot elements.
• The Sittaford Mystery changes the identity of the killer and inserts Miss Marple into the story.
• At Bertram's Hotel was only very loosely based on the novel, and changes the plot, characters and setting.
• Ordeal by Innocence includes drastic changes to the characters, the least of which is adding Marple into the story.
• Towards Zero was not originally a Miss Marple book.
• Nemesis is only very loosely based on the novel, and experiments with both the suspects and setting.
• A Pocket Full of Rye is a surprisingly faithful adaption of the book, with only minor changes to the way characters are described.
• Murder Is Easy was not originally a Miss Marple book, and changes the murderer's motive.
• They Do It With Mirrors combines a few characters and adds an arson.
• Why Didn't They Ask Evans? was not originally a Miss Marple book, and was completely rewritten.
• The Pale Horse was not originally a Miss Marple book.
• The Secret of Chimneys was not originally a Miss Marple book, changes the killer's identity and uses elements from The Herb of Death.
• The Blue Geranium is greatly embellished from the original short story.
• The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side keeps closely to the original story.
• A Caribbean Mystery keeps closely to the original story; apart from the inclusion of real life novelist Ian Fleming and ornithologist James Bond.
• Greenshaw's Folly is combined with The Thumb Mark of St. Peter; the story is embellished, but keeps to the core of the original.
• Endless Night was not originally a Miss Marple book, but is very similar to The Case of The Caretaker.

DVD releases

The first series of Marple was released in March 2005 in the UK, followed by the second series in July 2006. Series 1 was released in the US (Region 1) in May 2005, followed by the second series in August 2006.

The third series was released in October 2007 in the US, but its UK release was delayed because of ITV's decision to defer airing the final two installments. ITV released the third series on DVD in October 2008, before the broadcast of the final episode, Nemesis in January 2009.

Series 4 was released in the UK in January 2010, before the airing of Why Didn't They Ask Evans? in June 2011. The fourth series was released in Region 1 in August 2009, after the conclusion of the broadcast on PBS Mystery!

Series 5 episodes The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side, The Secret of Chimneys and The Blue Geranium were released in the US (Region 1) in August 2010. The remaining episode of the fifth series, The Pale Horse, was released separately in June 2011, coinciding with its broadcast on PBS Mystery! that year. Series 5 was released in the UK (Region 2) in June 2011. Series 1 to 5 were released in a 20 DVD box-set as "Agatha Christie's Marple - The Collection" in August 2011 in the UK.

Series 6 was released in the UK (Region 2) on 6 January 2014.^[7] Series 1 to 6 were released in a 15 DVD box-set as "Marple: The Collection" on 13 January 2014.^[8]

Location

Marple was filmed in various locations, including London, the villages of Englefield in Berkshire, Chilham in Kent and Turville, in Buckinghamshire and Blewbury in Oxfordshire. Windsor Guildhall in Windsor was featured as the fictional Melchester in Murder at the Vicarage. Knebworth House was used in 4.50 From Paddington and Greenshaw's Folly. Hatfield House was used as Chimneys in The Secret of Chimneys. Hambleden was used as St. Mary Mead and Dorney Court featured in The Body in the Library as Gossington Hall, home of the Bantry's. Fawley Court, Buckinghamshire was used as Stoneygates in They Do It with Mirrors and The Grotto was used as the exterior of the secret folly in Endless Night.^[9] In Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, the Castle Savage scenes were largely filmed at Loseley Park near Guildford. A Caribbean Mystery was filmed in Cape Town, South Africa. The beach scenes were shot at Boulders Beach.^[10] Scenes were filmed in Dorchester for Endless Night.^[11] The exterior of Marina Gregg's house in The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side were filmed at North Mymms Park.

Ratings

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

Series 4

Series 5

Series 6

References

External links

• Agatha Christie's Marple at the Internet Movie Database
• Agatha Christie's Marple at TV.com