I Watch Films: The Mirror Crack'd
This is a 1980 film, set in 1953, based on a 1962 Agatha Cristie novel. The movies come to St Mary Mead. Unfortunately someone is poisoned; on the case is Miss Marple (Angela Lansbury) and her nephew inspector Craddock of Scotland Yard (Edward Fox).
The American film makers are excellently cast. Marina Gregg (Elizabeth Taylor) is the aging star who is trying to make a comeback after suffering tragedy and a breakdown; Lola Brewster (Kim Novak) the desperately self-absorbed younger actress who plots to take over the film. The two have a great catty conversation at the reception at the village fete (Gregg: “There’s only two things I don’t like about you – your face.”) Greg’s husband Jason Rudd (Rock Hudson) is the director and gives a humorous explanation of the difference between a director and a producer (the producer on the film is Brewster’s husband, Tony Curtis) to the vicar.
Vicar : Oh, Mr. Rudd. I understand that you are a fillum producer.Meanwhile Miss Marple doesn’t do a great deal of investigating as she isn’t actually a police officer and also because a dog sprains her ankle so she misses the murder and stays at home with her foot up for most of the film. Clearly Inspector Craddock thinks she is the assistant and he is bouncing ideas off her.
Jason Rudd : Oh, no, sir. A director.
Vicar : Is there any difference?
Jason Rudd : Yes, sir. The, uh, producer supplies all the money; the director spends it. Then the producer yells that the director is spending too much money; the director doesn't pay any attention, and goes right on spending. The director gets all the credit; the producer gets an ulcer. You see, it's all very simple; excuse me.
Obviously she solves the case.
There’s also a parlour scene from a non-existent black and white murder mystery film at the start that is interrupted when the vicar’s projector breaks down; Miss Marple explains who did it to the audience before the vicar can fix it. It's good.
Watch This: For a cool and stylish murder mystery
Don’t Watch This: If a quiet and calm English country village crossed with cut throat film business doesn’t quite gel for you
Also: For some reason the version I watched seemed to have cut out the word “bitch” and also “retarded” (referring to a child born with mental disabilities in period language) yet kept in one occurrence of the word “bastard” (and not about someone of illegitimate birth).
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