The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side

by Courtney Hilden

Miss Marple has recently come back to the screen, and this time the mystery is around the poisoning of Heather Babcock (Caroline Quinten), who was murdered at a party being held by Marina Gregg, a movie star. At first, no one can discern why Babcock was killed, and Gregg insists that she was the target. As Miss Marple investigates, she discovers that lots of characters have motivation for killing Gregg, but she also realizes it's not as simple as that.
Marple almost seems to be playing with the police detectives, giving them enough clues to solve the crime without mentioning how they are pertinent to the story. One of the things that was disappointing about the first series in this new version of Marple was the lack of information on her. She was just a detective that the audience could use to see the crime. Marple here has more of a personality and flaws, including friends and fragility. Marple goes so far as to taunt characters with what she discerns about them, making her much quicker and tougher than the average old woman gumshoe. Some of the other characters were delightful, including Marple's best friend Dolly (Joanna Lumley), a snoop, and Ella Blunt (Victoria Smurfit), Jason Rudd's too-devoted assistant, who both brought surprising style to their characters. The interactions between Marple and Dolly were particular authentic to the relationships between friends. Miss Bence (Charlotte Riley) was also great, coming off as world-weary and totally disinterested. Riley's deadpan delivery adds a touch of humor over all the murder and intrigue.

The film has an incredible sense of enthusiasm. You get the feeling that the creators love the material, the time period, and everything about classic movie stars. The soundtrack of this episode was particularly fun, since it imitated the dramatic incidental music that is associated with old movies. The set designs for the movie of Nefertiti were beautiful and glamorous.
By far the most charming of the new Marple series, and a good time for mystery or classic movie fans.