Arabesque: Le pacte de l'écrivain

Along with South By Southwest(the best of the TV movies), A Story to Die For is one of the better TV movies based off the TV show, which I am a fan of. There are one or two parts in the middle half that drag slightly, but A Story To Die For is strikingly filmed with interesting locations and photography, and the music is excellent. The script is fine as is the direction, and the story is gripping and intense, with an ending that even I never expected. The acting is also strong, Angela Lansbury is superb as Jessica, while Richard Crenna is brilliant here, very likable and the chemistry between him and Lansbury is magic. Overall, a wonderful TV movie. 9/10 Bethany Cox

A great movie starring one of the best actors of all time: Richard Crenna.I would suggest this movie to anyone who likes great actors!Crenna Also was "Luke McCoy" on the "real McCoys(1957)", and starred in "Rambo" movies.I hope everyone else enjoyed this movie as much as I did!

(Amazon Prime has the four "Murder She Wrote" movies now. Do a search for "Murder She Wrote--New".)

This second MSW movie is about a speakers conference, where writers and others are attending to learn about performing and making money at speaking engagements. The movie was not as good as the first one, but still classic Jessica Fletcher. A nasty ex-KGB director/writer is killed and his manuscript is stolen. Quite a few suspects, but I did guess who the killer was without trying.

At the end of the film, Jessica gives a long speech about why murderers should never be allowed to get away with murder, and why no one should resort to murder. Interesting, since with many MSW TV episodes, the viewer may feel the killer should get away with the killing. I guess this explains why all the MSH stories never lets anyone get an out-of-jail-free card.

I am a huge Murder, She Wrote fan (and Ellery Queen, Agatha Christie, and John Dickson Carr fan, including adaptations) but for the longest time I had never seen the MSW movies, except for Celtic Riddle (I had read that book before it became a movie actually.) I was feening them like an addict. I looked everywhere, couldn't find them. Finally, Hallmark aired the three movies a few years ago.

I'm over the moon. Really, if this were part of the regular series I'd be saying this was my favorite episode block ever. We have Jessica at a writer's conference, people calling her on all her investigating and the publicity it's brought her books, questioning her motives. It's beautiful. While it still hovers just below painting a picture of a complex character it gives us a lot to like. 

And the story is classic MSW. In fact, altogether I'd say this is back to basics. Great plot, more than just cardboard cutouts for characters, and a sleek production. While there wasn't a high body count, the main murder was bloody (considering it's MSW we're talking about.) Also, ASTDF features some of the best acting in supporting roles MSW had seen in a long time (after the late 90s cringe- inducing performances from young "up and comers.") And, this might be Angela's finest portrayal of Jessica Fletcher yet. Maybe because she's aged, but she seems more vulnerable than ever before (save Thursday's Child). 

I only wish somehow Seth could've been involved, as with all the movies we don't even get a single mention of Cabot Cove (IIRC). 

If you haven't seen it, and you're a fan, make every effort to do so. You won't be disappointed. 

Angela, I love you. Jessica, I can't wait till they remake you and your world for a new audience -- which I'm sure they will.

This full length Murder She Wrote TV film has Jessica Fletcher at a writer's conference organized by Richard Crenna and while JB Fletcher is a noted celebrity the big fish at the conference is former KGB agent Duncan Regehr who has written one successful novel. Now Regehr is promising a tell all expose of his years at the KGB. As you can imagine a lot of people wouldn't want to see that in print.

So Regehr is murdered and at the more leisurely pace that a feature film offers Angela Lansbury solves it.

Regehr is the type that will leave few mourning for him. Still murder is murder. There is a final scene with Lansbury giving a speech and she's asked about the ethics of getting involved with so many real life murder cases. Her speech ought to be required viewing for all, it's that good.