THE BLUE GERANIUM

UK, 2010, 87 minutes, Colour.

Julia McKenzie, Toby Stephens, Kevin McNally, Claire Ashbrook, Sharon Small, Claudie Blakley, Joanna Paige, Ian East, Donald Sinden, Jason Durr, David Calder, Paul Rhys, Patrick Baladi, Caroline Catz.

Directed by David Moore.

The Blue Geranium is one of the Miss Marple television films featuring Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple. It is based on a short story. It reinforces the popularity of Agatha Christie stories and television versions.

As with so many of the stories, one of the most obnoxious characters is murdered. She is spoilt, superstitious, wife of the local millionaire. She is played effectively by Sharon Small. Her husband is played by Toby Stephens. With a setting in a small village, there are inter-relational tangles, two sisters married to 2 brothers, the millionaire and a would-be writer who has a gambling compulsion. His wife is very diligent, was engaged to the millionaire but he was snared by her sister. She keeps attending to her sister. There is an attentive local doctor who, it is revealed, has been supplying the wife with a placebo. There is the local vicar with whom Miss Marple stays, angry with the woman, needing money for his collapsing church. And his niece works at the house but is in love with the doctor. There is also a former maid and the current maid.

As with these television films, there are many veteran character British actors in the supporting cast as well as several veterans – in this case, Donald Sinden, 60 years after his first appearing in films. (There is an amusing scene where Miss Marple wants to interview him at an all-male club, treated with supercilious snobbery by the concierge but the rules altered for her to come in.)

Much of the story is told in flashback, a court case being held in which the millionaire has confessed and is to be executed. Miss Marple gets a brainwave, attempts to halt the proceedings, comes to the court and explains the whole situation, accusing the person who seems least likely but, in fact, is the killer.

1. The popularity of Agatha Christie stories? Miss Marple? The three actresses?
2. This film based on a short story? A narration? Amplified into a feature film, the role of miss Marple?
3. The title, the flowers on the wall, Mary and her aversion to blue? The appearance of the blue flowers, and the later explanation of how the colours could change?
4. The prologue, Mary Pritchard, her tantrums, her death? The other members of the family?
5. Six months later, the court case, George Pritchard to be found guilty? The newspapers? Miss Marple in the garden, the discussion about the wasps, the mixing of the liquids? Her sudden awareness, trying to contact Detective Somerset, his refusing the call? The long friendship with Sir Richard, phoning him, urging him to halt the hearings, going to meet him, the all-male club, the prissy concierge, Sir Richard as trustee and overcoming the regulations, her sitting in the club, the discussion?
6. The action in flashbacks, Miss Marple telling the story, her visit to the town, on the bus with Seward, the conversation, his condition, quoting poetry, his mission? Miss Marple in the town, met by Dermot, Hester, his niece, the comments about the church, the repairs, the need for money? His long service in the town? Hester, her work for the Prichard’s, the doctor and his attention to her?
7. The situation of the Pritchard home, Mary, in bed, her tantrums, relying on superstitions, astrology…? Her to studying for Caroline working for her, the wrong chocolates…? Concern by her husband, trying to placate her, yet making demands on her to come to the golf day, her reliance on the doctor, the favourite medicine, the placebo? And the glimpse of the doctor pocketing items from the house? His friendship with George? The explanation of Philippa, engaged to George, Mary intervening, marrying George, and Philippa and the rebound, marrying his brother, his attempt at writing, his gambling, the deaths, the children?
8. George and the philanthropy, praise of his work, the golf and team, everybody present, the celebration? Miss Marple observing?
9. The children finding Seward’s body, suspicion of murder, suspicion of suicide, the broken tie? His background, the connection with George and the money loans? His wife and her disappearance? The various suspicions? His coming to see his wife, to reconcile with her after his rehabilitation? Somerset, Miss Marple’s interventions, his scepticism, and the irony that it really was suicide?
10. Mary, her tantrums, her death? The previous visit of the veiled woman and her prophecy? The prophecy for her death?
11. The scene in the church, Mary’s denunciation of Dermot, on people wanting money, her rant? Motives for people to kill her? Dermot and his unwise comments?
12. The character of Hazel, coming to the village, her art and portraits? Suspicions of her? Her affair with George? Her studio? The revelation of who she was, removing her wig? The suspect for the death of her husband?
13. The former maid, the affair with George, her being found in the hut, dead, pregnant?
14. Philippa, her devotion to her sister, making for her sister, accusations of gluttony (and Dermot’s pictures of the seven deadly sins)? Her exasperation with her husband?
15. The halting of the case, Miss Marple in court, explaining to the judge? The focus on Philippa, her poisoning her sister, revenge? But not murdering her? The explanation of Dermot feeling ill, having secretly had some of Philippa’s cake mix?
16. George, confessing, to defend the woman he loved? Prepared to die? The link with the seven deadly sins, vanity?
17. Miss Marple turning the tables, Caroline as prominent in the story but the least likely suspect, the clue that Philippa said about the obnoxious black market woman during the war, her greed, killing Mary, posing as the veiled seer, killing the previous maid? Her reaction in court?
18. The Agatha Christie twists, the lease suspects guilty, and a romantic ending, and Miss Marple and her achievement?