The Mirror Crack’d *** (1980, Angela Lansbury, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson, Edward Fox, Charles Gray, Wendy Morgan) – Classic Movie Review 1300

Thanks to her wonderfully camp and engaging appearance as a drunken romantic writer in Death on the Nile, Angela Lansbury was promoted to the plum star role of Agatha Christie’s nosy spinster sleuth Miss Jane Marple. And a deliciously tasty meal she makes of it too. Playing Miss Marple here finally led to Lansbury turning into a huge star when an American TV series Murder She Wrote was created round a very similar character, but this time called Jessica Fletcher.

Surprisingly it’s Christie’s intriguing but rather mild plot from her novel The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side that slightly lets The Mirror Crack’d down by being less than thrilling. But the performers are alluring and director Guy Hamilton’s handling is immaculate. The high point is the black-and-white spoof film within a film Murder at Midnight with Dinah Sheridan, Anthony Steel, Hildegarde Neil, Allan Cuthberston, John Bennett, Nigel Stock and others.

Also having a great time in this 1980 Agatha Christie whodunit are Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak as bitchy competitive movie stars, and the 50s flavour is further enhanced by the casting of Tony Curtis and Rock Hudson, who however seem less happy. On the other hand, Edward Fox (as Inspector Craddock), Charles Gray (as Bates, the Butler) and Wendy Morgan (as Cherry) are happiness itself, leading the home team to victory.

Tony Curtis explained: ‘All four stars are parodies of their film-biz types and good sports about it. The mystery’s solution is oddly borrowed from the real-life tragedy of [American film star ] Gene Tierney, whose daughter (by Oleg Cassini) was born retarded because a fan with German measles broke through a barricade and kissed Tierney during her pregnancy.’ 

Tierney’s daughter was born deaf, partially blind with cataracts and was severely developmentally disabled. Tierney related that when the woman recounted her story some time later, she just stared at her silently, then turned and walked away. She wrote: ‘After that I didn’t care whether ever again I was anyone’s favourite actress.’

Pierce Brosnan has an unbilled walkon as an actor.

This crime mystery was adapted by Jonathan Hales and Barry Sandler. Scenes were filmed at Twickenham Film Studios, Twickenham, London, UK, and on location in Kent.

The title is part of a line from The Lady of Shalott by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson: ‘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.’

St Clere Estate, in Heaverham, Kent, was used as the home of Marina Rudd (Elizabeth Taylor) and her husband Jason (Rock Hudson). Ye Olde George Inn, a Bridge on Church Street in Shoreham and  the village of Smarden and St Michaels Church doubling as part of the village of St Mary Mead. The Thatched House cottage in Smarden is used as Miss Marple’s cottage.

Julia McKenzie

It was remade by the BBC as the TV movie Miss Marple: The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side with Joan Hickson in 1992 and was remade again for TV in 2010 with Julia McKenzie.

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(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1300

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