But since we’re never given an onscreen payoff, it’s just a guess. How about Inspector Slack’s suitcase of magic tricks? I’m guessing that Inspector Slack is preparing an act for some charity function or holiday pantomime.

Even so, when actors attempt accents, they should stick with one for the duration of a given film and not demonstrate their voice acting range. He was born in Ohio, then raised in upstate New York, Germany, Chicago, Brazil, and Australia. This might be due to Todd Boyce’s (the actor playing Walter) own upbringing. Middle-of-the-road Mid-Atlantic like a TV reporter? Well, sure. that Gina met, fell madly in love with, and married after about a three-week courtship. What about Walter Hudd’s accent? He’s supposed to be from Iowa an American G.I. By the movie’s end, they agree to relocate to the United States and … leave the horse behind?

But suddenly, Walter buys Gina a horse with … money from some unknown source. We don’t see Gina pining over horse paintings or wearing clothing suitable for horses. The only explanations I can come up with are padding, the director’s friends needed jobs, or to prove that Alex Restarick is an avant-garde theatrical type.Ĭould it be Walter Hudd’s mysterious purchase of a horse for his wife, Gina? At no point are we given a reason why Walter buys the horse. Was it the mysteriously added scene where Miss Marple and her old friend Ruth van Rydock watch a bizarre performance of modern dance set to a modernistic, challenging, virtually atonal score? The three dancers wear what looks like body paint (one rather Satanic) and roll around on the stage with enthusiasm. It was flat, flat, flat flat like the surface of the pond at the climax but without the sparkle. Up till now, all the Joan Hickson Miss Marple films have been good to excellent. It was obvious! And not just because I read the book!

It never came to life, allowing me plenty of time to ask why this murder was so hard to solve. There’s also the weird addition of modern dance, Walter’s horse, and a survivor of murder who died in the book. It was far more dramatic than the novel - necessary for a film - but badly thought out. Minor characters get removed, Inspector Slack replaces Inspector Curry, a name change here or there.

Joan hickson they do it with mirrors