Miss Marple: À l'hôtel Bertram

From 1984 thru 1992, the delightful British actress Joan Hickson took on the role of Agatha Christie's amateur detective, the beloved Miss Marple, and made a dozen made-for-TV British movies. Every entry in this golden dozen has its own particular delights, but "At Bertram's Hotel" towers above them all and is by far the best of this 24-hour treat (each film runs a bit under two hours, and each one could easily have been given a theatrical release). The fact that "At Bertram's Hotel" rises above all the others is indeed peculiar, in that it was one of Ms. Christie's final books, and the book is--to put it bluntly--a deadly bore. In contrast, the movie is a luscious, witty, suspenseful treat. Credit is due to Jill Hyem, who wrote the cunning script, shrewdly discarding the flotsam of the novel and embellishing its virtues; Mary McMurray's delectable direction; John Walker's gorgeous burnished cinematography of Production Designer Paul Munting's luxurious sets. And, of course, Joan Hickson's crafty portrayal of the elderly spinster Miss Marple, abetted by a first-rate cast (including Joan Greenwood in one of her last performances). There have been three actresses I know of who have essayed the role of Miss Marple: the full-sized, hilarious Margaret Rutherford in 4 films released in the early 1960s (if you've never seen these jewels or Ms. Rutherford's glorious jowls, check TCM's listings and tape them; you'll cherish them forever); Angela Lansbury in the 1980 theatrical release "The Mirror Cracked," yet another treat co-starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis and the ravishing Kim Novak (I've always considered this film as Ms. Lansbury's dress rehearsal for her forthcoming TV-series as Jessica Fletcher in "Murder, She Wrote"); and then this sunburst of expensively mounted TV productions from 1984-1992. Most critics prefer Miss Hickson's interpretation of the role, feeling she was the perfect embodiment of the Miss Marple of Ms. Christie's creation--a prim, prissy, nosey (but utterly humorless) spinster. To me, all three actresses are equally amazing, each making the role her own (though I do have a soft spot for the rambunctuous, sheer hilarity the indomitable Margaret Rutherford brought to the role). Comparisons aside, "At Bertram's Hotel" is probably the slyest and most enjoyable of ALL the Miss Marple films. Set at an exclusive hotel, the plot twists and turns as, first of all, the doorman is murdered; secondly, the elderly vicar who has resided at the opulent establishment mysteriously vanishes; and, thirdly, what do these have in common with a series of jewel robberies that have been going on for several months? Don't drive yourself crazy trying to figure things out. The sprightly 80-year-old (at the time of filming) Miss Hickson will do the job for you; and watching her in action, in lavish settings peopled with a superb cast of British actors, is a memorable treat the likes of which we'll probably never see again. (Incidentally, Ms. Hickson had a supporting role in the first Margaret Rutherford/Miss Marple outing, the outrageously funny and suspenseful "Murder, She Said." At the time, who would have guessed . ..

Miss Marple checks into lavish London hotel, 'Bertam's,' a place she stayed as a young girl. However, beneath the facade, Bertram's isn't all it appears, it's the setting for deception, intrigue and murder.

It's such a faithful and warm production. When winter breaks and the nights draw in, I can think of nothing nicer than putting on the fire, pouring a brandy, and curling up to watch Bertram's.

I will say that some elements of the story are a little far-fetched and require a stretch of the imagination, such as some of the robberies, but the production is so velvety that I didn't even give them a second thought.

Caroline Blakiston deserves a huge level of applause for bringing the character of Bess Sedgwick to life. When you read the book, she is the standout character, the interest and focus; Caroline makes her seem wealthy, edgy, and wild. To see what I mean, please check Polly Walker's performance in the poor remake. She is a great actress but doesn't bring the character to life. 'Bigamy, trigamy, what's the difference, scotch?'

Bertram's itself looks so believable. When I read the book, this is exactly how I picture it: sleepy, subtly lavish, and full of rich and retired gentlefolk, eccentric in their ways and style, suitably conservative in their appearance.

The main reason that Bess works so well, is that she stands out, she's so stylish, so dynamic, she wears some stunning clothes, that outfit she wears at the end is beautiful. The music as always is spot on, melodic and non obtrusive.

I've commented before on Hickson's superior performances, so I won't bore you with more comments, however, her scenes with Blakiston and Greenwood are tremendous. I was so sad to see Lady Selina leaving the hotel.

The ending is wonderfully done, so exciting, dare I sat it manages to out-do even the final few pages of the book.

10/10.

The direction, acting and total production is wonderfully done in this adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel. The leading actress is superb...from the first scene which juxtaposes the arrival of Miss Marple and Lady Bess Sedgewick arrive at Bertram's Hotel is a joy of contrasts and adept editing. Throughout the film this actress (playing Lady Bess} is mesmerizing! The whole production does a fine job of recapturing the late 1950's England. A fine addition to the Joan Hickson/Miss Marple series!

What a gift to have the Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot series on DVD.

It's a good thing this film is well acted and, for the most part, well photographed. The plot almost ruins the story, since it's ridden with "deus ex machina" devices that Christie must have dreamed up in a desperate attempt to finish the novel for her publishers (unless the fault lies with the screenwriter, of course). I recommend watching strictly for the atmosphere and most of the acting, although the actress in the key role of the spoiled daughter might have benefited from more experience. All in all, watch this one only if you need a break from the estimable Midsomer Murders.

I've been an Anglophile since I was a kid, but only recently had the patience to read Agatha Christie's books (so much detail!!). Bertram's Hotel became one of my favorite because Miss Marple goes to the big city and visits places she knew as a child. We get a bit of Little Jane and what she enjoyed.

The British have always been great at adapting books to film. This Bertram's is an excellent example. It maintains the integrity of a book while condensing it into a short span.

Bertram's Hotel is all that and more. The plot, characters and environment are beautifully done and wonderful to watch. An aging Joan Hickson (one of her later Marples) appropriately plays the aging Miss Marple. A friend replies "She must be 100 years old," or something to that effect.

The mystery is intriguing and I love seeing one of my favorite sleuths still able to see everything for what it really is, while fooling everyone with her elderly appearance. I love the actress who plays Bess Sedgwick. She hits the mark as Christie wrote her and she's fun to watch. I actually cared a great deal about her although some things about her character are not so hot. That pretty much goes for all the characters with one exception. Vadislaus Marinovsky is appropriately arrogant, still in keeping with the book.

This episode of the Miss Marple series with Joan Hickson is absolutely wonderful. I bought the DVD set and watch it often.

ONE WORD OF WARNING: If you're a newbie, do NOT mistake the two series. The new Marple series with Geraldine McEwan is terrible!!