The first in a series of four Miss Marple films featuring the incomparable Margaret Rutherford as the elderly spinster with excellent detective abilities from the popular Agatha Christie novels.

The story sticks relatively close to the events in the novel 4:50 from Paddington, with one major exception that may surprise fans of this series who have not read the novels. Christie's Marple was really a sedate, seemingly dithery woman who basically spends most of the books sitting on her backside knitting - in fact, in some of the novels Marple actually gets very little time and is merely on-hand to piece together the clues provided by others and provide the name of the culprit. In this case, screenwriters wisely combined a young character with Miss Marple so she remains front and center in the action. I much prefer these films as opposed to the more traditional renderings from BBC/PBS as Miss Marple is depicted here as such a vital and uniquely active free spirit. Rutherford is simply wonderful with her unforgettable expressions. She plays well off a diversity of people, including the gloriously crusty hypochondriac patriarch James Robertson Justice, the mischievous grandson Ronnie Raymond, the mildly exasperated police inspector Charles Tingwell or the gentle compatriot Stringer Davis.

A delightful series and a testament to a great talent who should never be forgotten.

Waking from a doze in her train seat, Miss Jane Marple awakes in time to witness thru her window a young lady being strangled aboard a passing train. When she cries murder to the police, they suggest she was most likely only dreaming. Undaunted, she sets out to find the truth and to prove that she isn't indeed a dotty old spinster.

Directed by George Pollock, Murder She Said is adapted by David Osborn, David Pursall & Jack Seddon from the best selling book "4:50 From Paddington" (also published as What Mrs. McGillicudy Saw!) written by the legendary Agatha Christie. It stars Margaret Rutherford, Arthur Kennedy, Muriel Pavlow & James Robertson Justice.

Lets forget the book eh, and lets forget that Agatha Christie felt that Margaret Rutherford was wrong for the role of Miss. Jane Marple. How about we just view this delightful English mystery on its filmic terms? Rutherford is just lovely as Marple, putting her own classy stamp on the role, she was an instant hit and went on to make a further three Marple movies. It has all the classic elements for a Christie murder mystery. An odd family at a big foreboding residence {Ackenthorpe Hall} and sure enough there's something afoot here. Enter Rutherford's determined sleuther Miss. Marple as she enrols as housekeeper there and pokes around in search of clues. The suspense is built up, as is the mystery "who done it?" element, but the film never loses its sense of humour. Something that makes Rutherford's incarnation of Marple a joy to be involved with. Her play offs with James Robertson Justice's blustery old grump (Ackenthorpe), and wee Ronnie Raymond's Alexander are true high points in Pollock's movie.

Be it Marple or Poirot you know the formula at the heart of these murder mysteries. There are many adaptations to the screen of Christie's works, and for sure not all of them work. With that, Rutherford's tenure as Miss Marple probably ranks about middle tier in the pantheon. But that is still good enough for a jolly day of viewings, fun viewings that are propelled by the wonderful talent of Margaret Rutherford. 7.5/10