Miss Marple: A Murder Is Announced
Miss Marple: A Murder Is Announced
| 28 February 1985 (USA)
Miss Marple: A Murder Is Announced Trailers

An unusual announcement in the newspaper leads the curious villagers to Miss Blacklock's home, where they become witnesses to a murder.

Reviews
Karry Best movie of this year hands down!
Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
Ricardo Daly The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.
Staci Frederick Blistering performances.
gridoon2018 I saved "A Murder Is Announced" for last in my Joan Hickson - Miss Marple viewing marathon, because I've read more than once that it's the best of the series. Personally I wouldn't go THAT far - I'd still rank "The Body In The Library" above it and "Nemesis" about equal - but it is certainly one of the better entries in the series. Not so much for the plot, which is filled with twists ("I'm Pip"!), false identities, coincidences (the killer just happens to be visiting Miss Murgatroyd EXACTLY when she's remembering crucial information about the night of the first murder), but the identity of the killer won't impress any longtime Agatha Christie fans who have learned to be suspicious of repeated unsuccessful murder attempts. And not so much for the direction either, which is at times inspired (the "lights out" moments are really well done) but mostly just functional. No, it's the characters that make "A Murder Is Announced" stand out among most Hickson-Marple films: just about everyone, from the sarcastic, witty Samantha Bond & Simon Shepherd to the tough Paola Dionisotti and from the slightly nutty Mary Kerridge to the calm, smooth-voiced John Castle, they're all strongly drawn and vividly acted. (***)
Iain-215 Superb adaptation of one of the best Miss Marple novels. Joan Hickson is probably most people's idea of the perfect Miss Marple and she really does shine here. Whilst some of the BBC adaptations can seem a little slow these days (this one was originally shown over three nights) this one fairly flies by! The grainy, nostalgic feel seems particularly appropriate here and Hickson is given a superb supporting cast. Almost all are brilliant but special mention must go to Ursula Howells who brings the hugely complex Miss Blacklock to brilliant life. Simon Shephard and Samantha Bond are very effective as the supposed siblings, Joan Sims and Paola Dionisotti make a sympathetic Hinch and Murgatroyd and Sylvia Syms a sharp tongued Mrs Easterbrook. There's also a delightful cameo from Joyce Castle as the frail, gentle Mrs Goedler.I can't really heap enough praise on this. The McEwen version is worth a look too but this really does knock spots off it.
giddj002 This is, in my opinion, Christie's best Miss Marple book. The plot is ingenious, carefully woven and highly intricate. The ending is pure brilliance, and you will kick yourself because you didn't guess the identity earlier.This BBC adaptation is also superb. It has a suitable running length, enough time for the viewer to absorb the information given to them, and Joan Hickson excels as Miss Marple. Her apparent scattiness hides her true genius to the rest of the cast, and Joan Hickson is perfect at playing Miss Marple in this way; far better than Margaret Rutherford and Geraldine McEwan's dreadful attempts . The supporting cast are also very good, featuring Ursulla Howles, Paola Dionisotti, Joan Sims, Sylvia Syms, Kevin Whately and Simon Shepard (of 'Peak Practice' Fame).Having read the book very recently, and then watched this adaptation over Christmas on UKTV Gold, I can say that the plot is faithful to the original tome. I can highly recommend it.
out_to_lunch2001 I loved this adaptation! The acting is very good all the way thro' with fantastic performances from Ursula Howells (Miss Blacklock), Renee Asherton (Miss Bunner) and, of course, Joan Hickson - who *is* (in my opinion) Miss Jane Marple - just the way that Dame Agatha described her in the books.Having read the book several times, I'm pleased and relieved that it wasn't "butchered" as some TV adapations can be, it remained faithful to Dame Agatha's book.All in all, a very good adapation with, in places, humourous touches.