Miss Marple: At Bertram’s Hotel *** (1987, Joan Hickson, Caroline Blakiston, James Cossins, Joan Greenwood, George Baker, Helena Michell) – Classic Movie Review 9,627

The 1987 TV movie Miss Marple: At Bertram’s Hotel again stars Joan Hickson, who tackles her seventh case as the BBC’s Miss Marple, based on Agatha Christie’s 1965 novel. The sleuth finds fake identity, larceny and robbers are on the menu at a London hotel.

Director Mary McMurray’s 1987 TV movie Miss Marple: At Bertram’s Hotel again stars Joan Hickson, who takes on her seventh case as the BBC’s Miss Marple, based on the sharp 1965 novel by Agatha Christie. False identities, larceny and a gang of robbers are on the menu when Miss Marple stays at an upmarket London hotel.

The good cast and excellent production compensate for Jill Hyem’s slightly below-par adaptation of the fine Christie mystery. Miss Marple is taking a holiday in London at Bertram’s Hotel, when a doorman is killed. The imperious adventurer Bess Sedgwick (Caroline Blakiston) is suspected.

Who really dunnit? Where is the clergyman who has vanished? And who is committing those robberies? Miss Marple investigates a useful, enjoyable, and satisfyingly complex case in a Christie novel that is stronger on detail, atmosphere and character than plotting.

George Baker enjoys a good role as Chief Inspector Fred Davy. James Cossins as Colonel Luscombe, Joan Greenwood as Lady Selina Hazy and Preston Lockwood as Canon Pennyfather are all also especially welcome.

Also in the cast are Helena Mitchell as Elvira Blake, Douglas Milvain, Philip Bretherton, Irene Sutcliffe, Brian McGrath, Neville Phillips, Robert Reynolds, Peter Baldwin and Edward Burnham.

It is followed by Miss Marple: Nemesis (1987), directed by David Tucker, the eighth film of the 12 in the series.

It follows The Body in the Library, The Moving Finger, A Murder Is Announced, A Pocketful of Rye. The Murder at the Vicarage, and Sleeping Murder.

Miss Marple: At Bertram’s Hotel runs 110 minutes, is made by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), A+E Networks and 7 Network, is released by BBC, is written by Jill Hyem, based on the novel by Agatha Christie, is shot by John Walker, is produced by Guy Slater (executive producer) and George Gallaccio, is scored by Alan Blaikley (composer: title music) and Ken Howard (composer: incidental music, title music), and is designed by Paul Munting.

It was first broadcast on BBC1 on 25 January 1987 and 1 February 1987.

It was remade with many changes by ITV and broadcast on 23 September 2007 as part of the third series of Marple, starring Geraldine McEwan.

A 1995–1996 BBC radio adaptation starred June Whitfield as Miss Marple.

Bertram’s Hotel is usually believed to have been inspired by Brown’s Hotel, Albemarle Street, in Mayfair, London, where Agatha Christie regularly stayed when visiting the capital. And it was filmed Brown’s Hotel.

At Bertram’s Hotel was first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 15 November 1965 at 16 shillings and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1966 at $4.50.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9,627

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