The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side is the tale of a Hollywood actress who moves to an elegant country house in St Mary Mead, England.
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Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side – ITV1, 4 January 2011
Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie) and her friend (Joanna Lumley) are close neighbours and take a keen interest in the glamourous lifestyle of the newcomer.
In a twisting plot of high passion, betrayal, love affairs and lost children, a murder at the garden party turns out to be beyond anything the police could have suspected. Thanks to a helping hand from the injured Marple armed with a telephone and a wad of celebrity magazines, all is solved from the comfort of a country cottage armchair.
Joanna Lumley said of her role in the programme:
“I can’t think of anything more thrilling than to play Dolly Bantry twice, although the strangest thing about returning to Dolly for the second time is a different Miss Marple, it was Geraldine McEwan the first time and now it’s Julia McKenzie. And everything’s different; the look, the writers, the costumes and locations.
“There are lots of lovely quirks and differences which nobody minds because, rather like James Bond, different actors can play the part of Miss Marple and each one is the best there can be. I think everybody will have their favourites but, for me, there’s only one Dolly Bantry – that’s me!
“But as far as playing Dolly with two different Miss Marples goes, it’s all about the text. If one was playing the same piece with two different actresses, that might be difficult but this is a completely different story with a completely different dynamic through it.
“Like all acting, you do your level best to keep the character true and always to listen and reflect who you’re working with: their energy is your energy and vice versa. I mean, we’re dealing with top notch acting from both McKenzie and McEwan. Do you think you have to have a ‘Mc’ in your na
me to play Miss Marple? Do you think she’s secretly Miss McMarple?!”
Lindsay Duncan shines as the leading lady, Marina Gregg. The country house and cocktail party is enough to make anyone hanker for a weekend in the English countryside – whatever the risk of a poisoned Singapore Sling!
Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side will air on ITV1 on 4th January 2011 at 9pm.
Cast
- Julia Mckenzie as Miss Marple
- Samuel Barnett (Desperate Romantics, History Boys) as Sergeant Tiddler
- Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Lost in Austen) as Inspector Hewitt
- Brennan Brown (Orange cinema commercials) as Hailey Preston
- Michele Dotrice (Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em) as Mrs Hubbard
- Lindsay Duncan (Margaret, Criminal Justice) as Marina Gregg
- Nigel Harman (Hotel Babylon, EastEnders) as Jason Rudd
- Martin Jarvis (Taking the Flack, Numb3rs) as Vincent Hogg
- Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) as Dolly Bantry
- Caroline Quentin (Blue Murder, Life of Riley) as Heather Badcock
- Charlotte Riley (Wuthering Heights, The Take) as Margot Bence
- Victoria Smurfitt (Trial & Retribution) as Ella Blunt
- Neil Stuke (Monday, Monday) as Dr Haydock
- Hannah Waddingham (Spamalot) as Lola Brewster
- Will Young as Casey Croft
Crew
- Executive Producers: Michele Buck, Damien Timmer, Mary Durkun, Rebecca Eaton
- Chairman Agatha Christie Ltd: Mathew Prichard
- Director: Tom Shankland
- Producer: Karen Thrussell
- Writer: Kevin Elyot
- Production Designer: Jeff Tessler
- Line Producer: Matthew Hamilton
- Costume Designer: Sheena Napier
- Hair and Make Up Designer: Pam Haddock
- Casting Director: Susie Parriss
- Art Director: Miranda Cull
The costumes on this production were fabulous,as were the actors.lindsay duncan was brilliant as marina,better than liz taylor!
My DVR stopped recording “The Mirror Cracked.” Please tell me who killed the villager and also the secretary/assistant.
If you watch an episode of The Avengers called the Hidden Tiger it is used as the headquarters of P.U.R.R although they use mainly the gatehouse.
Thank you! That’s been driving me mad trying to find that out. I can’t find many good pictures of the house though.
Please can you me tell the location of the house used for this programme.
Thank you
North Mymms Park, Hertfordshire – just off the M25
Dig out a copy of The Avengers episode, The Hidden Tiger, as it is used as the headquarters of P.U.R.R where they use the gate house.