What a film! Watching 'Sleeping Murder' scared me more than any other Miss Marple film, mainly due to the suspense. The version with Joan Hickson was much, much better than that with Geraldine McEwan, mainly because the director stuck to the plot and didn't add a silly romance between the protagonist and her aide to supposedly warm the hearts of the audience. I thought that the house used was just right, and the gradual tension brought about by new discoveries (some gruesome) added a thrill to the plot. The main actress came across as a genuine damsel in distress and her husband loyal and devoted. One of the few films to make me frightened.
25 Reviews
Faithful, and beautifully shot, with a captivating performance from Geraldine Alexander
TheLittleSongbird13 October 2009
Sleeping Murder is one of my favourite Agatha Christie books, I will warn you though I find it very creepy. As an adaptation, this version is surprisingly faithful, much more faithful than the Geraldine McEwan adaptation; that started off well but was ruined by some unnecessary plot changes. This 1987 adaptation looks wonderful, with some beautiful photography and lovely scenery and costumes without being too fancy. A number of scenes gave me nightmares when I first saw it, especially the ending. The book had real nervous edge and left some really haunting imagery inside your head, and the adaptation did very well in that aspect. The script is good, the pace isn't that slow, the music was haunting and beautiful and the acting was solid. Joan Hickson as usual is terrific in the title role, and Geraldine Alexander, like Sophia Myles in the recent version, was entirely captivating as Gwenda. Frederick Treves despite the shaky Scottish accent is quite effective as Kennedy, but John Moulder-Brown is rather wooden as Giles. All in all, a very effective adaptation of an excellent book. 9/10 Bethany Cox
One of the best
Iain-2155 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
'Sleeping Murder' is one of the best of the BBC Hickson Marple adaptations in my opinion. It looks wonderful and has a top notch cast headed by the excellent Hickson herself as the elderly sleuth. The music is also particularly good and atmospheric - the bit where Gwenda comes across the 'poppies and cornflowers' wallpaper is fantastic with great crashing organ chords.
This is much more faithful in style to the novel than the newer McEwen version. Geraldine Alexander is very appealing as Gwenda (though Sophia Myles is also superb for McEwen), the various suitors for Helen are well done and there's a brilliant cameo performance from Jean Anderson as the bossy Mrs Fane. Frederick Treves hams it up a bit as James Kennedy (his Scottish accent is pretty dreadful) and James Moulder-Brown is a bit wooden as Giles.
Highly recommended and one of the best.
This is much more faithful in style to the novel than the newer McEwen version. Geraldine Alexander is very appealing as Gwenda (though Sophia Myles is also superb for McEwen), the various suitors for Helen are well done and there's a brilliant cameo performance from Jean Anderson as the bossy Mrs Fane. Frederick Treves hams it up a bit as James Kennedy (his Scottish accent is pretty dreadful) and James Moulder-Brown is a bit wooden as Giles.
Highly recommended and one of the best.
Memories are made of this. Poppies and Cornflowers.
Sleepin_Dragon8 October 2015
Giles and his beautiful New Zealander wife Gwenda return to the UK, whilst driving through the sleepy village of Dilmouth, they drive past a house which Gwenda falls in love with, the couple quickly snap it up and move in. Gwenda starts to feel deja vu and memories of the house haunt her, she feels like she's been there before and also believes she witnessed a murder there. Miss Marple is called in to solve the puzzle and protect Gwenda.
Sleeping Murder is one of my favourite Agatha Christie novels, it has some really dark elements to it, it's very captivating with real life and intriguing characters. I think the production team did an excellent job making it, they characters seem like real people, nobody is too over the top, the story is not too way out.
There are several scenes that stand out, firstly the Dutchess of Malfi play, Jacobean drama is particularly heavy, but those words 'cover her faced mind eyes dazzle she died young,' they have such an impact, Gwenda's reaction is wonderfully sincere, the whole staging of the scene is brilliant. The unveiling of the murderer scene is also brilliant, so creepy and sinister.
There is lots of tension, they succeeded in creating a definite sense of unease, the music is really spot on, it fits perfectly. The English countryside looks so beautiful too.
The acting as always is spot on, not a single weak link in the chain. Joan Hickson is as always bang on the money. John Bennett is excellent as Richard Erskine, what a great actor. Freddie Treves is very good as the sinister Doctor Kennedy, John Moulder Brown is charming as Giles, but it's Geraldine Alexander that puts in a truly fabulous and believable performance as Gwenda, her interpretation is somehow better and more sincere then the character in the book. For years I believed she was actually a New Zealander, so she did a good job with the accent.
An excellent production that's a must for any fan of mysteries, may be a little plodding for some, but I think it's spot on, beautifully acted it's such a clever story. 9/10 Miss Marple as the hero!
Sleeping Murder is one of my favourite Agatha Christie novels, it has some really dark elements to it, it's very captivating with real life and intriguing characters. I think the production team did an excellent job making it, they characters seem like real people, nobody is too over the top, the story is not too way out.
There are several scenes that stand out, firstly the Dutchess of Malfi play, Jacobean drama is particularly heavy, but those words 'cover her faced mind eyes dazzle she died young,' they have such an impact, Gwenda's reaction is wonderfully sincere, the whole staging of the scene is brilliant. The unveiling of the murderer scene is also brilliant, so creepy and sinister.
There is lots of tension, they succeeded in creating a definite sense of unease, the music is really spot on, it fits perfectly. The English countryside looks so beautiful too.
The acting as always is spot on, not a single weak link in the chain. Joan Hickson is as always bang on the money. John Bennett is excellent as Richard Erskine, what a great actor. Freddie Treves is very good as the sinister Doctor Kennedy, John Moulder Brown is charming as Giles, but it's Geraldine Alexander that puts in a truly fabulous and believable performance as Gwenda, her interpretation is somehow better and more sincere then the character in the book. For years I believed she was actually a New Zealander, so she did a good job with the accent.
An excellent production that's a must for any fan of mysteries, may be a little plodding for some, but I think it's spot on, beautifully acted it's such a clever story. 9/10 Miss Marple as the hero!
Joan Huckson
SkiesAreBlue22 September 2016
Currently we are enjoying a spate of Joan Hickson's Miss Marple series on our free to air channel. I have watched the other adaptations of Agatha Christie's novel with Geraldine McEwan and while they were fine performances (story lines got a bit muddled) the JH ones are bringing back the original plots and stories. Only one thing is grating me is that the character of Gwenda supposedly from New Zealand is speaking with the most dreadful "Stryne" (Australian) accent. Good grief, the producers only had to go down to Earls Court and pick out a few Kiwis to hear the difference. Also, I get the picture that Gwenda was from a more refined family ( upper middle class) in which her accent would have been more cultured with a hint of "fush & chips" in it. Other than that I'm very much enjoying JH version.
Far better than the recent version
pawebster21 September 2007
The 1980s adaptations starring Joan Hickson are on the slow side by modern standards. This was in fact the last golden age of television before it was ruined by too many channels and the advent of the MTV attention span -- which has sadly affected us all, I fear. This version is lovingly crafted with delightful period details.
Although, in its slowness, this version fails to build up the various suspects as sufficiently menacing, it is a good version which keeps quite faithful to the book. Geraldine Alexander is excellent as Gwenda and to my ears does a super New Zealand accent. John Moulder-Brown is a let-down as her unconvincing animatronic husband, beautifully dressed in the gent's outfitters styles of the period, but far too mannered in his perfect elocution. Joan Hickson does her stuff very well as usual.
It is interesting (if depressing) to compare this with the travesty version starring Geraldine McEwan, where the plot has been mangled -- and garbled -- beyond recognition.
Although, in its slowness, this version fails to build up the various suspects as sufficiently menacing, it is a good version which keeps quite faithful to the book. Geraldine Alexander is excellent as Gwenda and to my ears does a super New Zealand accent. John Moulder-Brown is a let-down as her unconvincing animatronic husband, beautifully dressed in the gent's outfitters styles of the period, but far too mannered in his perfect elocution. Joan Hickson does her stuff very well as usual.
It is interesting (if depressing) to compare this with the travesty version starring Geraldine McEwan, where the plot has been mangled -- and garbled -- beyond recognition.
Opinion of an amateur
Flippitygibbit4 September 2004
'Sleeping Murder' keeps rolling around on afternoon BBC television, and I have been drawn into the story twice so far. I don't like Miss Marple, so perhaps that is why I find this a decent story - I can't compare it to the books, and the world's oldest detective only crops up every now and again to explain the plot to the newlywed couple. I love the idea of Gwenda subconsciously buying a house from her past, and the details she uncovers, such as the pattern of the wallpaper in the cupboard and the steps in the garden. The history in the house, and the subsequent family tree research, had me hooked. The 'whodunnit' wasn't exactly taxing - just look for the most dubious character, battling with a bad case of pantomime villain - but the unravelling of the clues kept me interested (just about - at times this felt like an epic, instead of an installment of a detective series). The setting, period detail, and characters were all evocative of a storybook version of an era gone by. Perfect Sunday afternoon fodder.
A spooky and well-directed adaptation of a great book
znatokdetectiva22 September 2020
I love the film adaptations of Agatha Christie's books starring Joan Hickson. You can't help but love them for their purely English decorum and a certain primness, for their slowness and attention to detail. "Sleeping murder" is somewhat different from such classic films as" The Moving Finger" or "The Murder on Vicarage" because it is one of lady Agatha's most terrifying stories. But at the same time, the film retains its slowness and true English atmosphere.
I must admit that I was somewhat lacking in the disclosure of the characters of Gwenda and especially Giles, who turned out to be a rather gray character. Kennedy, of course, is excellent, played just brilliantly. The film itself is very atmospheric and brilliantly staged. The finale is just great, congratulations to the creators!
In General, it is one of the best film adaptations with Joan Hickson in the title role. 10/10
Well-made but obvious
gridoon20248 October 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Let's see, this is an Agatha Christie murder mystery (which teases you with the supernatural at the start, but of course AC did not believe in the supernatural). There is a major character, who is of the right age to have committed the murder, had the motive and the opportunity, but NEVER gets implicated in the investigation, while several other minor characters are considered as the definitive suspects. Do you by any chance suppose that he or she will turn out to be the real killer? I don't know if Christie's story was so obvious on paper, but on the screen I spotted the killer as soon as he appeared, never changed my mind until the end, and I was actually right - something which happens in only about 10% of the mysteries I watch! Otherwise, this film is well-made, with an engaging performance by the lovely Geraldine Alexander, and a tense climax. Miss Marple herself is not the central character is this one, which works out fine. (**1/2)
fantastic
naughtyrubes19 March 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It showed excitement and surprise all at the same time, and would I watch it again? Yes. Lots of times. My recommendation for this movie is VERY HIGH. Really - watch it. You'll enjoy it. Sit down with your favourite biscuits and drink and get ready to watch the movie, best watched with other people because I always love someone to laugh, smile and look shocked and surprised and puzzled with during movies! I recommend this film until I am red in the face, and let me say that Miss Marple is a very sweet and clever young lady! I am so happy to be recommending this movie to many people out there and then when you have watched it tell all your friends about it.
Very muddled yet entertaining
valerie-5313 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I understand that the novel was written in the 1940s, so the events in the novel's past take place some 20 years prior, that is to say in the early 1920s. This adaptation's producers decided to have the story set in the 1950s instead, with the novel's past taking place "some years before the war", and that immediately creates a lot of discrepancies. For example, how were the newlyweds Gwenda and Giles able to afford the huge house and the servants, in the 1950s, without being super rich or landed gentry? The 1930s and the 1950s were two entirely different epochs in that respect. Practically no average middle class family was able to employ a housekeeper and a gardener towards the end of the 1950s, even part-time, not to mention the soaring real estate prices and the financial devastation brought on by WWII. And Giles, the young husband, is not "old money", he obviously has to work for a living, because we are told he is going to be "a gentleman of leisure" for the next two months - which sort of hints at him being on a leave or on vacation. Gwenda is not mentioned as having inherited a fortune either.
Another problem with this adaptation (and it is an issue with all of the Joan Hickson adaptations of Miss Marple) is that the great reveal, the explanation of the "how" and the "why" by Miss Marple, is usually very hurried and is almost an afterthought (as opposed to the Poirot films).
Here, for instance, we are told that poor Helen was not man-crazy but merely wanted to get away from her possessive brother. Well, in that case why did she not marry the lawyer chap in India? She would have been as far away from her brother as possible. Why on earth would she have moved to Dillmouth with her husband (Gwenda's father), which is situated so close to where Dr. Kennedy lives? Why did Dr. Kennedy, if he was so obsessed with his sister, let her get engaged and be on her way to her fiancé in India to begin with? Why did he not murder her then? And what is the deal with those garden steps exactly? Did Dr. Kennedy bury his sister's body there, under the old steps, and then had them covered by bushes? But how would he have achieved this with Gwenda's father still living in the house for some time after Helen had disappeared, and wouldn't the old gardener have known about this? Very little in this plot makes any sense at all, including, of course, the ability of a three-year old to remember so well the house in which she only spent one year of her life. But that could be not so much the fault of the producers as of the author of the story.
All in all, an enjoyable and entertaining appearance of Miss Marple, as usual, but the story itself does not bear any scrutiny, I'm afraid.
Another problem with this adaptation (and it is an issue with all of the Joan Hickson adaptations of Miss Marple) is that the great reveal, the explanation of the "how" and the "why" by Miss Marple, is usually very hurried and is almost an afterthought (as opposed to the Poirot films).
Here, for instance, we are told that poor Helen was not man-crazy but merely wanted to get away from her possessive brother. Well, in that case why did she not marry the lawyer chap in India? She would have been as far away from her brother as possible. Why on earth would she have moved to Dillmouth with her husband (Gwenda's father), which is situated so close to where Dr. Kennedy lives? Why did Dr. Kennedy, if he was so obsessed with his sister, let her get engaged and be on her way to her fiancé in India to begin with? Why did he not murder her then? And what is the deal with those garden steps exactly? Did Dr. Kennedy bury his sister's body there, under the old steps, and then had them covered by bushes? But how would he have achieved this with Gwenda's father still living in the house for some time after Helen had disappeared, and wouldn't the old gardener have known about this? Very little in this plot makes any sense at all, including, of course, the ability of a three-year old to remember so well the house in which she only spent one year of her life. But that could be not so much the fault of the producers as of the author of the story.
All in all, an enjoyable and entertaining appearance of Miss Marple, as usual, but the story itself does not bear any scrutiny, I'm afraid.
Quite a mysterious and Gothic old house
Dr_Coulardeau30 January 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Here Agatha Christie nearly becomes Gothic. A young couple comes back to England and buys a house on a fancy from the wife. And it so happens it is the house where she lived when very young before being sent to New Zealand where she spent her whole life. But it is also the house where her stepmother was assassinated just before she left. She is having strange recollections that are rather disturbing. So she decides to find out about her past in spite of the advice given to her by several people, including Miss Marple that the past should not be meddled with. And sure enough that will cost one more life and the capture of a criminal (once again at the cost of some staging). This story is special because these old Tudor houses are known to be built on strange layouts due to the practice in the past to have secret corridors and secret hiding places for religious difficult times that lasted up to the end of the 18th century, if not even later. But no matter how hard Agatha Christie hints at such a possibility in this Hillside house she manages to keep us away from the secret passage to some all the more secret dungeon with or without skeletons. But a body there is for sure, even if we do not see it.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID
Not the best Miss Marple
Dawnfrancis5 January 2003
This is a little different from the normal Miss Marple and suffers a little because of it, I feel. We see less than usual of Jane Marple as the story concentrates on the newlyweds, so that although enjoyable in itself, this is not the best Miss Marple mystery.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Lechuguilla12 February 2005
Mysteries of the past should be left alone; otherwise, they may awaken danger. Using that well-known idiom, Dame Agatha pens another whodunit, wherein a young married woman's infatuation with an old, stately English house translates into buried secrets and impending murder.
Having already read Christie's novel and concluded that this story was not quite as good as some of her other works, I watched the BBC adaptation of "Sleeping Murder", not expecting a lot. The film, like the book, gets off to a slow, tedious start. The plot gets better as it plods along. Toward the end, Director John Davies injects some needed suspense. The screenplay is a bit talky. Acting is adequate. I especially like Joan Hickson as Jane Marple who delightfully meddles in the business of a newlywed couple, and who naturally is a step, or several steps, ahead of everyone else in solving the crime.
The story is not dependent on majestic scenery or unusual visual perspective, so that cinematography is fairly unimportant. But sets are important here, and so the filmmakers have given adequate attention to production design and costumes. Overall, they have done a good job with a Christie story that is relatively weak, and thus rendered a film that is reasonably entertaining.
Having already read Christie's novel and concluded that this story was not quite as good as some of her other works, I watched the BBC adaptation of "Sleeping Murder", not expecting a lot. The film, like the book, gets off to a slow, tedious start. The plot gets better as it plods along. Toward the end, Director John Davies injects some needed suspense. The screenplay is a bit talky. Acting is adequate. I especially like Joan Hickson as Jane Marple who delightfully meddles in the business of a newlywed couple, and who naturally is a step, or several steps, ahead of everyone else in solving the crime.
The story is not dependent on majestic scenery or unusual visual perspective, so that cinematography is fairly unimportant. But sets are important here, and so the filmmakers have given adequate attention to production design and costumes. Overall, they have done a good job with a Christie story that is relatively weak, and thus rendered a film that is reasonably entertaining.
"Long and wordy but well acted mystery."
jamesraeburn200330 December 2004
Warning: Spoilers
POSSIBLE SPOILERS
A young man called Giles Reed (Moulder-Brown) returns home with his New Zealand raised wife, Gwenda (Alexander). They buy a house in the small seaside town of Dartmouth in Devon and a number of strange things happen. Gwenda feels that she has been in the house before and she sees a strange apparition on the staircase of a man strangling a pretty blonde woman. The couple contact Miss Marple (Hickson) and after some investigation, they discover that when Gwenda's father sent her from India to live in New Zealand, they stopped off in England for a while and lived in the house that they have just bought. They also discover that Gwenda's father was committed to an asylum because he was obsessed with the fact that he may of strangled Gwenda's step mother and he committed suicide while inside. Giles and Gwenda are convinced that a murder did occur in the house, but the step mother had several affairs and any one of her lovers could have done it. Despite Miss Marple's advice not to dig up the past, they start their own investigation to find the real killer and clear her father's name even though it all happened twenty-years before.
SLEEPING MURDER is a long and wordy adaptation of Christie's whodunit, but none of the talk is irrelevant to the film's plot twists and it is superbly acted throughout. Director John Davies does very able work and the settings are well chosen to suit the film's sinister mood. A few flashbacks would of helped things along.
A young man called Giles Reed (Moulder-Brown) returns home with his New Zealand raised wife, Gwenda (Alexander). They buy a house in the small seaside town of Dartmouth in Devon and a number of strange things happen. Gwenda feels that she has been in the house before and she sees a strange apparition on the staircase of a man strangling a pretty blonde woman. The couple contact Miss Marple (Hickson) and after some investigation, they discover that when Gwenda's father sent her from India to live in New Zealand, they stopped off in England for a while and lived in the house that they have just bought. They also discover that Gwenda's father was committed to an asylum because he was obsessed with the fact that he may of strangled Gwenda's step mother and he committed suicide while inside. Giles and Gwenda are convinced that a murder did occur in the house, but the step mother had several affairs and any one of her lovers could have done it. Despite Miss Marple's advice not to dig up the past, they start their own investigation to find the real killer and clear her father's name even though it all happened twenty-years before.
SLEEPING MURDER is a long and wordy adaptation of Christie's whodunit, but none of the talk is irrelevant to the film's plot twists and it is superbly acted throughout. Director John Davies does very able work and the settings are well chosen to suit the film's sinister mood. A few flashbacks would of helped things along.
Truly Spine Chilling
kall66954 February 2020
Prepare: A few scenes, particular the last one, are tense and very scary. A sad tale of obsessive love. Joan Hickson, is again, particularly wonderful. I like the Gwenda in this version- much more relatable than in the McEwan version. And the villain is particularly chilling. Get out your popcorn!
Distinctively Colourful
Warin_West-El17 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
If you've viewed the Joan Hickson Miss Marple episodes in the order they were released, then you've watched as the opening changed from black and white to washed out colours to fully coloured.
This particular episode emphasizes this colour transition. The first scene features a couple driving a bright red automobile. Then they stop the car amid a lush green background. This is NOT by accident. Later on, the cinematographer washes the scenes in baby blues. This episode is a truly masterful display of colours.
Alas, the story itself is not nearly as colourful. It's slow and somewhat byzantine. Furthermore, Miss Marple is merely an accessory to the story, which is focused primarily on a young couple haunted by secrets from the past.
I particularly did not enjoy the climax, which I found to be stilted and obvious. Any time a phone conversation ends with "I'll be home in an hour." And a young woman is left alone waiting in a large house, you can be certain an attempt is about to be made on her life.
Sadly, at that point the mystery devolved into a run of the mill "slasher" type climax. Which resolved itself with a deus ex machina finish that I found to be too contrived to be credible.
IMHO, here's the best moment of the entire mystery . . .
GWENDA: Why didn't we think of that?
MISS MARPLE: Because you believed what he told you. It's very dangerous to believe people. I haven't for years.
Geraldine Alexander and John Moulder-Brown make a splendidly handsome couple. But they cannot save this dreadfully slow story. Be Advised: This not one of the better Miss Marple episodes. But it IS cinematically colourful.
This particular episode emphasizes this colour transition. The first scene features a couple driving a bright red automobile. Then they stop the car amid a lush green background. This is NOT by accident. Later on, the cinematographer washes the scenes in baby blues. This episode is a truly masterful display of colours.
Alas, the story itself is not nearly as colourful. It's slow and somewhat byzantine. Furthermore, Miss Marple is merely an accessory to the story, which is focused primarily on a young couple haunted by secrets from the past.
I particularly did not enjoy the climax, which I found to be stilted and obvious. Any time a phone conversation ends with "I'll be home in an hour." And a young woman is left alone waiting in a large house, you can be certain an attempt is about to be made on her life.
Sadly, at that point the mystery devolved into a run of the mill "slasher" type climax. Which resolved itself with a deus ex machina finish that I found to be too contrived to be credible.
IMHO, here's the best moment of the entire mystery . . .
GWENDA: Why didn't we think of that?
MISS MARPLE: Because you believed what he told you. It's very dangerous to believe people. I haven't for years.
Geraldine Alexander and John Moulder-Brown make a splendidly handsome couple. But they cannot save this dreadfully slow story. Be Advised: This not one of the better Miss Marple episodes. But it IS cinematically colourful.
A Sleeper hit with emotional depth
gingerninjasz24 June 2023
Although A Murder is Announced is easily the best of the Miss Marples, I have to say Sleeping Murder is my favourite. It's one I remember vividly as a kid, and it's beautiful countryside setting masks what turns out to be a hidden and sinister murder. It seems to divide some people, but I think this is due to the fact that it is unlike many of the usual Marple mysteries. Instead of a selection of characters presented and then a murder taking place, this involves the subject of memory and trying to discover if a crime has been committed from scratch.
The story begins with newly married couple Giles and Gwendoline Reed (John Moulder-Brown and Geraldine Alexander) looking for a place in the country when Gwenda spots a house that for some reason just appeals to her. As they explore the property, she becomes more convinced that it is her perfect home, even seemingly knowing where certain rooms are. But as they happily descend the stairs Gwenda suddenly gets a feeling of foreboding looking down, though she can't explain why. It doesn't stop the couple buying the house and planning to redecorate. But the familiarities persist, including opening up a cupboard to discover poppies and cornflower wallpaper inside - just as she had wanted. When Giles goes down to London to visit his uncle Raymond and Aunt Joan (plus great aunt Jane Marple), Gwenda is left alone in the house but feels so apprehensive that when he rings to invite her down she accepts. Unfortunately for her, Raymond and his wife Joan's idea of cheering up their guests is taking them to see The Duchess of Malfi at the theatre, leading to a memorable scene where Gwenda has the screaming hab dabs.
It is this that triggers why Gwenda is so fearful of the house, as she relays to Miss Marple of images of a woman lying dead in the hallway by the stairs and a man "with monkey's paws" stood over her, quoting the line from The Duchess of Malfi that gave Gwenda her screaming fits. Only problem is that Gwenda is a New Zealander and has never been in England before, so how can she recall so much of the house? She even knows the dead woman's name is Helen, but doesn't even know a Helen. Is she going mad? It is here that Miss Marple proves so practical. After inquiring about Gwenda's past, of being raised abroad by her aunt after the death of both her mother and father, that she suggests that maybe they had actually lived in England before going to New Zealand. Not only does this prove true, but it turns out that her father had remarried after the death of Gwenda's mother, to a woman called Helen Kennedy. With this little bit of information Gwenda and Giles decide that they have to find out more, such as if her father did indeed live in their new home, and what happened to Helen. It is here that Miss Marple warns them against raking up the past, but there is little chance of them listening to this - otherwise we wouldn't have a story!
This is how it differs to so many other Marple mysteries. Because we know so little, only what Gwenda can remember from when she was a child, any bit of information they come across is as much of a revelation to them as it is to us. We are basically playing detective with the couple. And some revelations are particularly hard to stomach for Gwenda, such as the revelation by Helen's brother Dr Kennedy (Frederick Treves) that her father ended up in an asylum because he kept believing he had strangled Helen, despite there being no body. One particularly effective scene is when Gwenda visits the asylum and speaks to the doctor there (John Ringham), who at one point says "Of course I expect you already know that your father committed suicide." Only she didn't, and the expression on her face tells it all. For Gwenda, this is not just about unearthing a possible murder as an emotional journey of discovery into her past and of her father, and at times the revelations are painful. She doesn't know what she will uncover because she has been told so little of her past, and it is this aspect that I find so fascinating - and at times touching - in this adaptation. For all she knows her father may of been a murderer, but she knows she has to press on regardless, for Helen's sake.
It marries these tender moments beautifully as the couple decide to delve into Helen's background and character, and discover that she had a number of suitors before her disappearance. They range from former fiance Walter Fane, dodgy wideboy Jackie Afflick and married colonel Richard Erskine. All are visited upon (with numerous excuses for being there), along with her father's housemaid at that time Edith Paget (Jean Heywood) in a bid to try and work out just what happened all those years ago, and the flashbacks add colour to the mystery. I particularly enjoyed Jean Heywood's performance of Paget, while Eryl Maynard adds colour as the maid Lily Kimble, who spots their notice in the newspaper and wonders to her husband (an amusingly taciturn turn by Ken Kitson) if she should come forward with what she remembers of the day Helen disappeared. Has she never seen the other Marple adaptations? Does she not know that nothing good ever seem to happen to domestics in Agatha Christie stories? As to the other suitors, Terrence Hardiman gives a lovely performance as the dull but seemingly decent Walter Fane, but it's John Bennett that stands out the most for me as Colonel Erskine. There's a scene when Gwenda contrives to return to his house when his jealous wife is out (a chilling Geraldine Newman) on the pretext of a lost ear ring so she can talk to him about Helen that is beautifully played. Bennett is outstanding as the weary but gracious former lover, reflecting on a romance long ago while trapped in a marriage with a jealous wife, and he and Geraldine Alexander play that scene perfectly. The only odd note is Kenneth Cope (who I loved in Randall & Hopkirk) as Jackie Afflick. There's nothing really wrong with his performance, it's just that he doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the casting.
But it's Geraldine Alexander who is the star turn here. Acting with a New Zealand accent that is surprisingly decent, she has to carry this mystery as Gwenda and she does so magnificently. She has to go through a range of emotions, as she eventually discovers information about her father and stepmother that has been buried away for years, as well as the traumatic memory of witnessing a murder. Her scene during The Duchess of Malfi is electrifying, while the final climax is suitably memorable (especially for me as a child). She is ably supported by John Moulder-Brown, while Frederick Treves is also memorable as Dr Kennedy. This adaptation serves up on so many levels. It's not just a murder mystery, but something far deeper emotionally. The hidden (or sleeping) murder eventually impacts on everyone they question, reopening old wounds that many thought had healed and the solution is deeply sinister. Few Miss Marple adaptations have such emotional subtext as this, which is probably why it has stayed with me ever since.
The story begins with newly married couple Giles and Gwendoline Reed (John Moulder-Brown and Geraldine Alexander) looking for a place in the country when Gwenda spots a house that for some reason just appeals to her. As they explore the property, she becomes more convinced that it is her perfect home, even seemingly knowing where certain rooms are. But as they happily descend the stairs Gwenda suddenly gets a feeling of foreboding looking down, though she can't explain why. It doesn't stop the couple buying the house and planning to redecorate. But the familiarities persist, including opening up a cupboard to discover poppies and cornflower wallpaper inside - just as she had wanted. When Giles goes down to London to visit his uncle Raymond and Aunt Joan (plus great aunt Jane Marple), Gwenda is left alone in the house but feels so apprehensive that when he rings to invite her down she accepts. Unfortunately for her, Raymond and his wife Joan's idea of cheering up their guests is taking them to see The Duchess of Malfi at the theatre, leading to a memorable scene where Gwenda has the screaming hab dabs.
It is this that triggers why Gwenda is so fearful of the house, as she relays to Miss Marple of images of a woman lying dead in the hallway by the stairs and a man "with monkey's paws" stood over her, quoting the line from The Duchess of Malfi that gave Gwenda her screaming fits. Only problem is that Gwenda is a New Zealander and has never been in England before, so how can she recall so much of the house? She even knows the dead woman's name is Helen, but doesn't even know a Helen. Is she going mad? It is here that Miss Marple proves so practical. After inquiring about Gwenda's past, of being raised abroad by her aunt after the death of both her mother and father, that she suggests that maybe they had actually lived in England before going to New Zealand. Not only does this prove true, but it turns out that her father had remarried after the death of Gwenda's mother, to a woman called Helen Kennedy. With this little bit of information Gwenda and Giles decide that they have to find out more, such as if her father did indeed live in their new home, and what happened to Helen. It is here that Miss Marple warns them against raking up the past, but there is little chance of them listening to this - otherwise we wouldn't have a story!
This is how it differs to so many other Marple mysteries. Because we know so little, only what Gwenda can remember from when she was a child, any bit of information they come across is as much of a revelation to them as it is to us. We are basically playing detective with the couple. And some revelations are particularly hard to stomach for Gwenda, such as the revelation by Helen's brother Dr Kennedy (Frederick Treves) that her father ended up in an asylum because he kept believing he had strangled Helen, despite there being no body. One particularly effective scene is when Gwenda visits the asylum and speaks to the doctor there (John Ringham), who at one point says "Of course I expect you already know that your father committed suicide." Only she didn't, and the expression on her face tells it all. For Gwenda, this is not just about unearthing a possible murder as an emotional journey of discovery into her past and of her father, and at times the revelations are painful. She doesn't know what she will uncover because she has been told so little of her past, and it is this aspect that I find so fascinating - and at times touching - in this adaptation. For all she knows her father may of been a murderer, but she knows she has to press on regardless, for Helen's sake.
It marries these tender moments beautifully as the couple decide to delve into Helen's background and character, and discover that she had a number of suitors before her disappearance. They range from former fiance Walter Fane, dodgy wideboy Jackie Afflick and married colonel Richard Erskine. All are visited upon (with numerous excuses for being there), along with her father's housemaid at that time Edith Paget (Jean Heywood) in a bid to try and work out just what happened all those years ago, and the flashbacks add colour to the mystery. I particularly enjoyed Jean Heywood's performance of Paget, while Eryl Maynard adds colour as the maid Lily Kimble, who spots their notice in the newspaper and wonders to her husband (an amusingly taciturn turn by Ken Kitson) if she should come forward with what she remembers of the day Helen disappeared. Has she never seen the other Marple adaptations? Does she not know that nothing good ever seem to happen to domestics in Agatha Christie stories? As to the other suitors, Terrence Hardiman gives a lovely performance as the dull but seemingly decent Walter Fane, but it's John Bennett that stands out the most for me as Colonel Erskine. There's a scene when Gwenda contrives to return to his house when his jealous wife is out (a chilling Geraldine Newman) on the pretext of a lost ear ring so she can talk to him about Helen that is beautifully played. Bennett is outstanding as the weary but gracious former lover, reflecting on a romance long ago while trapped in a marriage with a jealous wife, and he and Geraldine Alexander play that scene perfectly. The only odd note is Kenneth Cope (who I loved in Randall & Hopkirk) as Jackie Afflick. There's nothing really wrong with his performance, it's just that he doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the casting.
But it's Geraldine Alexander who is the star turn here. Acting with a New Zealand accent that is surprisingly decent, she has to carry this mystery as Gwenda and she does so magnificently. She has to go through a range of emotions, as she eventually discovers information about her father and stepmother that has been buried away for years, as well as the traumatic memory of witnessing a murder. Her scene during The Duchess of Malfi is electrifying, while the final climax is suitably memorable (especially for me as a child). She is ably supported by John Moulder-Brown, while Frederick Treves is also memorable as Dr Kennedy. This adaptation serves up on so many levels. It's not just a murder mystery, but something far deeper emotionally. The hidden (or sleeping) murder eventually impacts on everyone they question, reopening old wounds that many thought had healed and the solution is deeply sinister. Few Miss Marple adaptations have such emotional subtext as this, which is probably why it has stayed with me ever since.
Won't You Have Some Tea?
rmax30482312 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I've been trying to figure out why Miss Marple's mysteries tend to be sluggish while Hercule Poirot's are more engaging. Of course, Poirot himself is a more interesting and quirky character, what with his vanity, his gastronomic delicacy, his mustache wax. Poor Miss Marple has only her knitting, and not much of that.
That aside, it occurs to me that Miss Marple is more often a passive but keen observer, giving advice. She doesn't do much. And the mystery is dependent on history. With Poirot -- and even in some of Agatha Christie's stories in which there is no obvious protagonist -- the conundrum is not so much "why" but "how"? How, for instance, can an inaccessible house wind up with ten dead people in it and no murderer to be found anywhere? "Sleeping Murder" boasts some fetching scenery. It's talky and dull but at least the talk goes on in some beautiful English gardens. You have never seen so many flowers, or so little action taking place among them.
A blond, fair newly married young woman from New Zealand runs across a vacant house in Devonshire and talks her husband into buying it, but she soon begins to have flashbacks involving the house as it was a generation ago -- a hidden door behind the wallpaper, buried steps leading to the sea, a dead body at the bottom of the stairs.
It takes the entire movie to unravel all the narrative threads, which I won't bother to describe because they take the plot into the byzantine. The thing could have been written by Dickens in a wanton mood. People stroll around in those gardens, everyone seems to know or have heard of everyone else, each contributes a bit to the story, characters come and go, and when the Big Reveal appears at the climax it comes as a complete surprise to those who have been driven to a mad frenzy like me. Miss Marple explains everything to the young couple. When Miss Marple began to lay out the threads, my clock read 24 minutes past the hour. She was finished at 25 minutes past the hour. Don't miss that final minute.
That aside, it occurs to me that Miss Marple is more often a passive but keen observer, giving advice. She doesn't do much. And the mystery is dependent on history. With Poirot -- and even in some of Agatha Christie's stories in which there is no obvious protagonist -- the conundrum is not so much "why" but "how"? How, for instance, can an inaccessible house wind up with ten dead people in it and no murderer to be found anywhere? "Sleeping Murder" boasts some fetching scenery. It's talky and dull but at least the talk goes on in some beautiful English gardens. You have never seen so many flowers, or so little action taking place among them.
A blond, fair newly married young woman from New Zealand runs across a vacant house in Devonshire and talks her husband into buying it, but she soon begins to have flashbacks involving the house as it was a generation ago -- a hidden door behind the wallpaper, buried steps leading to the sea, a dead body at the bottom of the stairs.
It takes the entire movie to unravel all the narrative threads, which I won't bother to describe because they take the plot into the byzantine. The thing could have been written by Dickens in a wanton mood. People stroll around in those gardens, everyone seems to know or have heard of everyone else, each contributes a bit to the story, characters come and go, and when the Big Reveal appears at the climax it comes as a complete surprise to those who have been driven to a mad frenzy like me. Miss Marple explains everything to the young couple. When Miss Marple began to lay out the threads, my clock read 24 minutes past the hour. She was finished at 25 minutes past the hour. Don't miss that final minute.
Surprisingly spritely with a nicely circling Miss Marple even if the mystery is a little obvious (suggestive spoiler)
bob the moo14 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
My girlfriend put this film on while I got on with some ironing and I was surprised to find that it was one I hadn't seen before – I had assumed that I had seen almost all of them but yet here I was. The plot is rather clumsy by way of setup as it involves a huge amount of coincidence to get everyone where they need to be; whether it be Gwenda ending up in that house from the other side of the globe or the chance meeting (and involvement) with Miss Marple herself, it is built on coincidence. It took about thirty minutes to get passed this but it manages to do it by laying on the rather supernatural suspense before Marple of course comes in with logic to set us off.
From here the film is an enjoyable little tale that brings in characters and motives and investigates them all. The limited history and routes of investigation help make the plot quite easy to follow and as such I was surprised to find that it was one of the more accessible of the BBC Marple's that I've seen. It probably "helps" that it is perhaps a little too obvious who the killer is and what their motives would have been. This wasn't a massive problem for me but I'm so used to being so far behind Marple that it was an odd feeling to be ahead of her for once! The whole film also has quite a light feel to it in stark contrast to the rather prime setting of the English village; the sea-side setting may be part of it but having a "foreigner" in the lead role of the investigation is probably a bigger influence. I don't think Gwenda was a great character but she was quite engaging and her threads allowed Marple to do more observing while we the viewers have it more spelt out for us via her. Miss Marple herself isn't in it that much but her presence is well felt and her read between the lines and tap the grapevine investigation style came over quite well. Of course I would have liked it to have been a little smarter in terms of the development and the resolution but it was quite enjoyable and it didn't hurt to be led through it rather than feeling like you had to work at it – it wasn't quite CSI, but Sleeping Murder certainly felt a lot "gentler" in terms of complexity than the normal Marple's.
Hickson is on typically good form even if the material is a bit more obvious than normal; she plays her character well – wise but not "knowing" with it. Alexander didn't convince me at first but she did work as a "normal" person following the leads with a certain amount of intrigue and innocence, she is the actor on the screen most and she did it pretty well. Treves overplays his Scottish doctor a little bit but is fine generally while Moulder-Brown is light and enjoyable.
Overall Sleeping Murder isn't a great example of the BBC Marple mainly because it is rather lively, brisk and easily understood – which is not always the case with them. Although I was a little disappointed by how accessible and easy it all was in the end, I did enjoy watching it and found it to easily hold my attention and interest me without being so complex that I stopped paying attention.
From here the film is an enjoyable little tale that brings in characters and motives and investigates them all. The limited history and routes of investigation help make the plot quite easy to follow and as such I was surprised to find that it was one of the more accessible of the BBC Marple's that I've seen. It probably "helps" that it is perhaps a little too obvious who the killer is and what their motives would have been. This wasn't a massive problem for me but I'm so used to being so far behind Marple that it was an odd feeling to be ahead of her for once! The whole film also has quite a light feel to it in stark contrast to the rather prime setting of the English village; the sea-side setting may be part of it but having a "foreigner" in the lead role of the investigation is probably a bigger influence. I don't think Gwenda was a great character but she was quite engaging and her threads allowed Marple to do more observing while we the viewers have it more spelt out for us via her. Miss Marple herself isn't in it that much but her presence is well felt and her read between the lines and tap the grapevine investigation style came over quite well. Of course I would have liked it to have been a little smarter in terms of the development and the resolution but it was quite enjoyable and it didn't hurt to be led through it rather than feeling like you had to work at it – it wasn't quite CSI, but Sleeping Murder certainly felt a lot "gentler" in terms of complexity than the normal Marple's.
Hickson is on typically good form even if the material is a bit more obvious than normal; she plays her character well – wise but not "knowing" with it. Alexander didn't convince me at first but she did work as a "normal" person following the leads with a certain amount of intrigue and innocence, she is the actor on the screen most and she did it pretty well. Treves overplays his Scottish doctor a little bit but is fine generally while Moulder-Brown is light and enjoyable.
Overall Sleeping Murder isn't a great example of the BBC Marple mainly because it is rather lively, brisk and easily understood – which is not always the case with them. Although I was a little disappointed by how accessible and easy it all was in the end, I did enjoy watching it and found it to easily hold my attention and interest me without being so complex that I stopped paying attention.
"Very dangerous to believe people; I haven't for years"
Bernie444429 January 2024
This film is an excellent adaptation of Agatha Christie's book. The actors were well chosen. Géraldine Alexander and John Moulder-Brown are a convincing newlywed couple. The couple gets to solve the lion's share of the mystery with guidance from Miss Marple, who warned them not to pursue the mystery. The location is beautiful and requires a vision of the sea. As with most Marple mysteries, no one did it. We are not sure that there was an "it" to do.
So, get out your tea cakes and sit back watching that new-fangled invention that the Americans like (the TV) and be swept away to the Sleeping Murder.
So, get out your tea cakes and sit back watching that new-fangled invention that the Americans like (the TV) and be swept away to the Sleeping Murder.
Dull & Confusing
WylieJJordan14 September 2020
The 'adaptation' of the Christie novel is slow and heavy with the addition of extraneous and confusing characters. I read the novel decades ago and had to order a new Kindle copy to figure out the ending. Nowhere near the quality of the Hercule Poirot stories, I recommend give this thing a pass.
Competent ...but oh, that accent!!
glenn-29921 February 2024
According to the story, Geraldine Alexander's character, Gwenda, was raised in New Zealand from the time that she was a small girl. Why then does she have an outrageous Australian accent throughout the film? That's the equivalent of saying that a character is Irish and then having them wandering around saying "Jings and crivens! Och aye away the noo!". It may seem like a trivial point but every time she opened her mouth and another Dame Edna Everage inspired comment came out it made me cringe. New Zealanders sound NOTHING like Australians so either she's a limited actress or she thought 'what the hell, they're only 4,000km away from each other, it doesn't matter. It does.
Having said that, this is a competent but largely uninspired retelling of a slightly unusual Christie in that not only do we not find out who the murderer is until the end, we're not even 100% sure there is one. Joan Hickson is an excellent Marple and the supporting cast, Alexander apart, are fine, especially the under-rated John Bennett.
Having said that, this is a competent but largely uninspired retelling of a slightly unusual Christie in that not only do we not find out who the murderer is until the end, we're not even 100% sure there is one. Joan Hickson is an excellent Marple and the supporting cast, Alexander apart, are fine, especially the under-rated John Bennett.
Creaking Christie
glyntreharne-110 May 2003
A slow ponderous tale, the last full-length Miss Marple to be published. It had in fact been written during the forties and Christie had intended it to be published after her death. It has the usual surprise twists and turns that we have come to expect from Dame Agatha, but this substandard television production lacks pace and the invasive music ruins any sense of atmosphere. The acting is equally uninspiring, however, John Moulder-Brown appears to be perfectly cast as the vacuous male lead.
House as Witness
tedg17 September 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Spoilers herein.
These Marple films are driving me crazy! The books are so clever, so experimental and adventurous. These film versions are so ignorant of how the books are put together it leaves me breathless. In this case, the idea is that the house (including the grounds) is itself a witness, a character.
The competing realities in this mystery are all triggered by that space. There are films that use architecture as characters, and do it well. But not here. What a waste.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
These Marple films are driving me crazy! The books are so clever, so experimental and adventurous. These film versions are so ignorant of how the books are put together it leaves me breathless. In this case, the idea is that the house (including the grounds) is itself a witness, a character.
The competing realities in this mystery are all triggered by that space. There are films that use architecture as characters, and do it well. But not here. What a waste.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
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