The Mirror Crack'd (1980) - Star of the month... Angela Lansbury

"Out flew the web and floated wide - the mirror crack'd from side to side; 'The curse is come upon me', cried the Lady of Shalott." - Angela Lansbury (as Miss Marple in 'The Mirror Crack'd')

'The Mirror Crack'd' is a 1980 Agatha Christie murder mystery directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple, with Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Kim Novak, Geraldine Chaplin, Edward Fox and Charles Gray.

The film is based on the Agatha Christie novel "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". 

Kim Novak, Rock Hudson & Elizabeth Taylor in the film

Set in 1953, American star Marina Rudd (played by Taylor) and her director husband Jason Rudd (played by Hudson) have visitied the town of St. Mary Meades to make a movie on 'Mary, Queen of Scots & Elizabeth I'. Co-starring with Marina is her rival Lola Brewster (played by Novak), who was cast due to her husband Marty Fenn (played by Curtis) producing the film.

Shortly after arriving, Marina meets a devoted fan, Heather Babcock (played by Maureen Bennett) who is poisoned shortly after meeting her. As Heather drank a cocktail which was made for Marina, it is presumed Marina was the intended murder victim and she becomes paranoid.

It is now up to Miss Marple (played by Lansbury) and her detective nephew Inspector Craddock to solve the mystery before Marina or anyone else is killed.

Watch some clips from the film

Did you know...

• The title of the film is taken from the poem "The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
• Natalie Wood turned down the role of Marina Rudd due to disagreeing with cast billing and the way the character was being portrayed
• The last film appearances of Anthony Steel, Dinah Sheridan and Charles Lloyd Pack
• Angela Lansbury was only 54 when she portrayed the elderly Miss Marple 
• Stars Angela Lansbury, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis were all born in the same year, 1925
• Keep your eye out for an early film appearance by Pierce Brosnan as James
• The movie was filmed at Twickenham Film Studios in Twickenham, London, and on location in Kent
• The poster for the pretend film within a film "Murder at Midnight", features the real actor's names appearing in the sequence
• After this film, Angela Lansbury was meant to star in a second Miss Marple film "Appointment with Murder", but it did not eventuate
• The third Agatha Christie movie in the Brabourne-Goodwin series, following 'Murder onthe Orient Express' (1974) and 'Death on the Nile' (1978)
• Production for this film was delayed as a year as Angela Lansbury was starring in the Broadway production of 'Sweeney Todd'

Award nomination....

• Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Film Saturn award nomination for Best Actress (Angela Lansbury)

Closing remarks

'The Mirror Crack'd' is an entertaining Agatha Christie mystery. Angela Lansbury was very game to take on the role as Miss Marple, especially after the brillant portryal of Miss Marple by the great Margaret Rutherford in four films. Although Lansbury's performance is not bad, I can't help comparing it to Rutherford's fantastic portrayal. That said, we finally see Elizabeth Taylor give one of her better performances of her late career.

Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak are both fantastic in their roles as the bickering rival film stars. This film would have been a perfect film for Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had it been made 15 years earlier.

Remains to be Seen (1953) - Star of the month... Angela Lansbury

'Remains to be Seen' is a 1953 semi-musical comedy thriller murder mystery (or post-murder mystery) directed by Don Weis and starring June Allyson, Van Johnson, Louis Calhern, Angela Lansbury and Dorothy Dandridge. The film's screenplay by Sidney Sheldon was based on the play by Russel Crouse and Howard Lindsay.

Waldo Williams (played by Johnson) is the manager of an apartment building who finds one of the residents Travis Revercombe (played by Stuart Holmes) dead on his couch. The death is put to natural causes, however things are complicated after a carving knife is later put into the already dead corpse. Among the chaos Williams finds himself smitten with Revercombe's estranged niece Jody Revere (played by Allyson).

The film becomes a post-murder mystery of "who stabbed the dead body with a carving knife".

Musical program

The film's musical program includes:

• "Toot Toot Tootsie (Goo'Bye!)" - June Allyson
• "Too Marvellous for Words" - Van Johnson
• "Taking a Chance on Love" - Dorothy Dandridge
• "Too Marvellous for Words" - June Allyson

Sadly, I was unable to find any musical clips on YouTube to share :(

Did you know...

• This was the last of 5 movies June Allyson and Van Johnson made together (last of 6 movies if you include 'Till the Clouds Roll By' (1946), where both stars appeared but not together)

Closing remarks

A very funny black comedy, far exceeding the expectations I originally had. The genres of comedy and thriller does not always tend to work, but in this film it does. A memorable and amusing scene shows June Allyson, who making dinner plans with both Van Johnson and Louis Calhern at the same restaurant switches from table to table much to the waiter's confusion.

June Allyson and Van Johnson have amazing chemistry in this film. Dorothy Dandridge has a memorable Lena Horne-style cameo, where she walks on, sings a song and leaves.  As much as I love Angela Lansbury, I feel her (as an already established star) her talent is wasted in this film, as she has a rather small appearance with very minimal dialogue. On a positive note, there is lovely polynesian decor featured in the deceased's apartment as well as a rousing swing soundtrack that will keep your toes tapping for the duration of the film.

My 3 reasons to watch this film:

• a very unique murder mystery situation
• June Allyson and Van Johnson's chemistry
• Dorothy Dandridge singing "Taking a Chance on Love"

The Mirror Crack'd (1980) - Star of the month... Elizabeth Taylor

"Out flew the web and floated wide - the mirror crack'd from side to side; 'The curse is come upon me', cried the Lady of Shalott." - Angela Lansbury (as Miss Marple in 'The Mirror Crack'd')


'The Mirror Crack'd' is a 1980 Agatha Christie murder mystery directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple, with Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Kim Novak, Geraldine Chaplin, Edward Fox and Charles Gray.

The film is based on the Agatha Christie novel "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". 

Kim Novak, Rock Hudson & Elizabeth Taylor in the film

Set in 1953, American star Marina Rudd (played by Taylor) and her director husband Jason Rudd (played by Hudson) have visitied the town of St. Mary Meades to make a movie on 'Mary, Queen of Scots & Elizabeth I'. Co-starring with Marina is her rival Lola Brewster (played by Novak), who was cast due to her husband Marty Fenn (played by Curtis) producing the film.

Shortly after arriving, Marina meets a devoted fan, Heather Babcock (played by Maureen Bennett) who is poisoned shortly after meeting her. As Heather drank a cocktail which was made for Marina, it is presumed Marina was the intended murder victim and she becomes paranoid.

It is now up to Miss Marple (played by Lansbury) and her detective nephew Inspector Craddock to solve the mystery before Marina or anyone else is killed.



Watch some clips from the film

Did you know...

• The title of the film is taken from the poem "The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
• Natalie Wood turned down the role of Marina Rudd due to disagreeing with cast billing and the way the character was being portrayed
• The last film appearances of Anthony Steel, Dinah Sheridan and Charles Lloyd Pack
• Angela Lansbury was only 54 when she portrayed the elderly Miss Marple 
• Stars Angela Lansbury, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis were all born in the same year, 1925
• Keep your eye out for an early film appearance by Pierce Brosnan as James
• The movie was filmed at Twickenham Film Studios in Twickenham, London, and on location in Kent
• The poster for the pretend film within a film "Murder at Midnight", features the real actor's names appearing in the sequence
• After this film, Angela Lansbury was meant to star in a second Miss Marple film "Appointment with Murder", but it did not eventuate
• The third Agatha Christie movie in the Brabourne-Goodwin series, following 'Murder onthe Orient Express' (1974) and 'Death on the Nile' (1978)
• Production for this film was delayed as a year as Angela Lansbury was starring in the Broadway production of 'Sweeney Todd'

Award nomination....

• Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Film Saturn award nomination for Best Actress (Angela Lansbury)

Closing remarks

'The Mirror Crack'd' is an entertaining Agatha Christie mystery. Angela Lansbury was very game to take on the role as Miss Marple, especially after the brillant portryal of Miss Marple by the great Margaret Rutherford in four films. Although Lansbury's performance is not bad, I can't help comparing it to Rutherford's fantastic portrayal. That said, we finally see Elizabeth Taylor give one of her better performances of her late career.

Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak are both fantastic in their roles as the bickering rival film stars. This film would have been a perfect film for Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had it been made 15 years earlier.

Murder is Easy - Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland

"As long as no one suspects you, murder is easy" - Helen Hayes (as Lavinia Fullerton in 'Murder is Easy')

Olivia de Havilland with co-star Shane Briant

'Murder is Easy' is a 1982 television movie adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel, starring Bill Bixby, Lesley Anne Down, Olivia de Havilland, Jonathan Pryce, Shane Briant and Helen Hayes.

The first edition cover of the novel
'Murder is Easy'

Whilst travelling on a train Lavinia Fullerton (played by Hayes) meets Professor Luke Williams (played by Bixby). Fullerton tells Williams she is on her way to Scotland Yard to provide information on some murders. Shortly after, Miss Fullerton is killed in a hit and run incident. Williams believes Miss Fullerton's death was intended to silence her and decides to continue her crusade. Aided with villager Bridget Conway (played by Down), Williams seeks to uncover who is murdering the villages. 

Closing remarks

Average murder mystery is not one of Christie's best stories or film adaptations. Luke Williams is no Hercule Poirot, but manages to get the job done (although I managed to figure out who the murderer was long before he did).


Olivia de Havilland is perfection in her portrayal of the eccentric Honoria Waynflete, as is Helen Hayes in her very brief appearance.