NEMESIS/ 1987
UK, 1987, 102 minutes, Colour.
Joan Hickson, Peter Tilbury, Bruce Payne, Patrick Godfrey, Helen Cherry, John Horsley, Margaret Tyzack, Liz Fraser, Peter Copley.
Directed by David Tucker.
This is the first television version of Agatha Christie’s novel, Nemesis. It features Joan Hickson. Another version over a decade later featured Geraldine McEwan and a plot, which resembles the original, but has amplified the plot, associating the dying man with Nazi Germany, his son as a Luftwaffe pilot intern during the war, the family of sisters turning into nuns…
This is more straightforward version, a dying man sending a message to miss Marple to rectify a wrong, his sending out bus tickets for a tour, other members of the tour, unearthing information, clues, and another murder.
The film has a strong cast including veteran Helen Cherry as well is Margaret Issak and Liz Fraser.
It is vintage Joan Hickson Miss Marple.
- The clarity of Agatha Christie novels? Miss Marple? Different screen versions of this story?
- Joan Hickson is Miss Marple, characteristics, personality, investigations?
- The situation, the death of Jason Rafiel, plans, righting of wrongs, his relationship with his son? His ingenuity in employing Miss Marple, fees, the two women bodyguards, the professor?
- Miss Marple, memories of Justin Raphael, her nephew, his separation, travelling with his aunt? Taking up the bus tour? The people on the tour? The destinations? The interconnections?
- The story of Verity Hunt, to marry Michael, her reputation, people speaking well of her, her death? The sisters and their caring for her? The Archdeacon and his memories? Miss temple and her memories?
- The personalities on the tour, to suspicious women, observing, the later meal with Miss Marple, with the gun, their role as bodyguards? The professor, his talent, his also being employed to investigate?
- The encounter with the sisters, their background, their home, Verity in their care? The older sister, married, the hospitality? The younger sister, flighty?, Studious, her research? The hospitality to miss Marple?
- Michael, suspicions in the town, to marry Verity, her death, his leaving, alienation from his father, living rough in London, immediate impressions, the gradual truth about him, doing good? Confronting the lawyers in their offices? The nephew and his search for Michael? Finally coming into his own?
- The story of the girl who disappeared, Miss Marple visiting her mother, the information, the truth about her murder, being buried in Verity’s grave?
- Miss temple, genial, information, the decision to write the letter, the death?
- Miss Marple, going to the sisters for the meal, the poisoned milk, the confrontation with Clay to, closer to and her story, the infatuation with Verity, killing Nora and burying her body, killing Verity and burying her in the garden? Drinking the milk, going to the graveside to die?
- Miss Marple as nemesis?
