GREENSHAW'S FOLLY

UK, 2013, 90 minutes, Colour.

Julia McKenzie, Fiona Shaw, Martin Compston, John Gordon Sinclair, Kimberly Nixon, Bobby Smalldridge, Vic Reeves, Julia Sawahla, Sam Reid, Rufus Jones, Joanna David, Robert Glenister, Judy Parfitt.

Directed by Sarah Harding.

While Greenshaw’s Folly as the title, a short story by Agatha Christie, the screenplay also incorporates material from another short story, The Mark of St Peter.

Agatha Christie fans were not so enthusiastic about this film. While Joan Hickson provided something of a norm for Miss Marple, Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie offered variations.

The title refers to an old building which has some sinister history. It was built by an eccentric scientist who experimented, exploiting orphan children, to find a vaccine for polio. It is now owned by his science expert daughter, Katherine, Fiona Shaw. Her friend Miss Marple rescues a young woman and her son from a violent husband bringing her to Greenshaw’s, finding a number of people in residence, the housekeeper, a butler, a historical researcher, an aspiring actor, nephew of Katherine, and Alfred, the gardener.

The butler is killed. The researcher disappears. And, Katherine is struck by an arrow as she works in the garden.

The plot is quite complex, with quite some twists, but Miss Marple sees through the complications, gets documentation to prove her case, to the increasing frustration of the inspector, John Gordon Sinclair (Gregory’s Girl). There is quite some complication in the motivation, financial greed, as well as the staging of the killing. As with the other films in the series, a good number of British character actors in supporting roles.

1. The popularity of Agatha Christie mysteries? Miss Marple? The three actresses in the television versions?
2. The title, the building, the sinister backgrounds of experiments, polio vaccine, exploitation of orphans? Miss Greenshaw and science, plans, catalogues? Those staying at the folly?
3. The opening, Louise and Archie, the pursuing husband, her fear, Miss Marple’s help, driving to Greenshaw’s? Katherine receiving them? Employing Louise as secretary? Welcoming Archie?
4. The members of the household, the butler, former alcoholic, telling Archie ghost stories, midnight, fall to his death? Miss Creswell, the housekeeper? Nat Fletcher, Katherine’s nephew, getting to know his aunt? The visit from Horace Bindler, his research, his disappearance, later the finding of his body?
5. The happy sequences, Louise settling in, Nat Fletcher and his attentions, Alfred and the bow and arrow, bonding with Archie, playing? Miss Marple’s presence? Katherine’s cheerfulness?
6. The orphanage, the background, Father Brophy, the need for donations, the visits to Katherine and her refusal? His drinking? His friendship with Alfred, Alfred formerly at the orphanage?
7. Nat Fletcher, actor, rehearsing his lines, has ambitions, Miss Marple and Archie going to the play, enjoying it?
8. Miss Creswell, housekeeper, the death of the butler, her extra jobs, her being critical?
9. Katherine, her eyes, explanation to Archie to get the treatment for her office? Miss Marple receiving the phone call, the misinterpretation about the fish, the realisation that Catherine was ringing about the antidote for her eyes? Her death?
10. Louise, fears of her husband, sensing his presence, driving away, rescued by Alfred, Nat trying to do the government thing? The husband arriving in the car, the confrontation, his flight? The revelation that he had tied up the policeman, infiltrating the house, his rages, tied up?
11. Katherine in the garden, her eccentric hat, her cloak, with the weeds, being struck by the arrow, struggling into the house? Miss Creswell and Louise locked in their rooms? Archie, his getting out, the episode with Cicely, her rescue, calling him Edwin, memories of her own brother? Miss Marple talking with her, coming to her senses, her stories of the past and the experiments?
12. Miss Marple, working for the order image, making the scarves, the women auxiliary, her sending a woman to London to Somerset house for documents?
13. The inspector, tolerance of Miss Marple, getting less tolerant, listening to her, his absence from the house and the group confined overnight, finding the policeman tied up?
14. Miss Marple, the explanations, Miss Creswell and her background, the connection, her son, wanting to get Katherine’s fortune, the butler knowing the truth, Bindler and his attempt to blackmail Nat and that killing him? Miss Creswell and her impersonating Katherine with the arrow, Nat later coming and putting the arrow in Katherine’s neck? His alibi, the police question, driving from the play, returning in time for the curtain call?
15. The explanation of the plan to get the inheritance? The irony of Alfred, working as the gardener, at the orphanage, time in jail, being scene stealing the candles, the irony that it was Father Brophy stealing them and Alfred returning them, the revelation about his identity?
16. Louise and Archie, to move on, Alfred inviting them to stay?