The Mirror Crack'd
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DVD details
Actor: Angela Lansbury, Edward Fox, Geraldine Chaplin, Rock Hudson, Tony CurtisDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 105 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-02-27
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
DVD Reviews of The Mirror Crack'd
DVD Review: A Movie to Watch for its Legendary Cast
Summary: 3 Stars
+++++
This movie is based on the 1962 novel entitled "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side" by Dame Agatha Christie who wrote twelve Miss Marple murder mystery novels altogether. (The title of this particular novel comes from a line in a poem called "The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.)
As a brief synopsis, an American movie company has come to a small English village where Miss Marple (Angela Lansbury) lives to shoot a movie. A famous movie actress has come out of long retirement (brought about by the death of her child) to be the lead in this movie. She has to act in this movie with another popular actress whom she despises. A murder soon occurs (call this the first murder). Miss Marple attempts to solve the crime with the aid of her "favorite nephew" Inspector Delbert Craddock (Edward Fox) and her maid Cherry Baker (Wendy Morgan). Eventually another murder occurs (call this the second murder). By the end of the movie a death occurs.
Who are the people associated with this movie? They are as follows:
(1) Ella Zielinsky, the production assistant (Geraldine Chaplin)
(2) Martin Finn, the movie's producer (Tony Curtis)
(3) Jason Rudd, the movie's director (Rock Hudson)
(4) Lola Brewster Finn, popular actress (Kim Novak)
(5) Marina Gregg Rudd, the famous actress who's come out of retirement (Elizabeth Taylor)
(6) Heather Babcock, devoted fan of Marina (Maureen Bennett, her movie debut)
I solved who was responsible for the first murder (actually it was a lucky guess) but had to wait for Miss Marple to tell me the motive for it. Miss Marple tells us the motive saying that she deduced this on something that was said by the murder victim earlier in the movie. I went back to this point in the movie and discovered that nothing that Miss Marple claimed was said was really said!! Instead, it seems to me that the murder occurred (as depicted in this movie) because the murderer assumed something. I had to ask myself, "Is assumption really a good motive for murder?"
As well, Miss Marple mentions nothing about the second murder in her deduction. The viewer can assume who did this murder but Miss Marple never tells us why it occurred. I thought this was a major oversight.
Finally, by the end of the movie, a death occurs. I was not sure whether this was a "compassionate" murder or suicide. The viewer is never told. Again, it's possible to assume what happened and to assume why this death occurred.
If you're like me and find murder mysteries based on assumption frustrating and perhaps unrealistic, then a good reason to see this movie is because of its legendary movie stars in it namely Angela Lansbury, Geraldine Chaplin, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson, Kim Novak, and Elizabeth Taylor. (They were all movie stars of the 1950s and 1960s.) Both Hudson and Taylor do good jobs in their roles. Curtis does a good job as the sassy and unlikable producer. Hudson made four movies after this one before his death from AIDS in 1985. Geraldine Chaplin is the daughter of Charlie Chaplin. Lansbury, Curtis, and Hudson are the same age in this movie, in their mid-fifties. Novak and Taylor were also about the same age, in their late forties. Novak made three movies after this one. (Also look for a young Pierce Brosnan in a thirty-second, non-talking role. This may have been his first movie appearance.)
I think Angela Lansbury does a good job portraying Miss Marple. (She even pulls off a somewhat shocking scene of Miss Marple smoking!) Unfortunately, we don't get to see her much. This movie may have been an audition for Lansbury's leading role in the long running television program "Murder She Wrote." (Also look for Angela Lansbury's fantastic job in the excellent murder mystery "Death on the Nile," 1978.)
Finally, the cinematography and music of this movie are well done. As well, all costumes are authentic looking.
In conclusion, Agatha Christie fans may be frustrated by this movie's murder mystery based on assumptions. However, if you do not care about the murder mystery, it's possible to watch this movie for the legendary movie stars.
(1980; 1 hr 45 min; widescreen; color)
+++++
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