SLEEPING MURDER

UK, 1987, 102 minutes, Colour.

Joan Hickson, Geraldine Alexander, John Moulder-Brown, Frederick Treves, Jean Anderson, Terrence Hardiman, John Bennett, Jack Watson.

Directed by John Davies.

Agatha Christie’s novels were enormously popular in the 20^th century, many film and television series made. And, they continue into the 21^st-century, new Poirot films, continued streaming screening of Miss Marple stories and those of Poirot.

While Angela Lansbury and Margaret Rutherford did portray Miss Marple, the main screen presentations were by Joan Hickson, Geraldine McEwan, Julia Mackenzie. It is interesting that the stories with the latter two Miss Marples was somewhat updated, the films with Joan Hickson had the post-war atmosphere, the late 1940s, the 1950s, life in the village, costumes and decor, vehicles, religious observance, traditional values…

This Miss Marple story is somewhat different. Usually there is a police Inspector who dislikes the interference of Miss Marple but then has to work with her to solve the crime. In this film, the crime happened 20 years earlier, the disappearance of a young woman, allegedly going off with a male and not heard of afterwards. As a young couple, who have spent some time in New Zealand, drive along a country road, the wife sees a mansion and feels that it is just right for them. Which leads to some sense of déjà vu, re-experiencing some horror from the past.

As the mystery unfolds, the couple do the detective work themselves along with Miss Marple. There are several possibilities for murder, three men in the village who are investigated, and the half brother of the disappeared woman, the local doctor. Then, just as a witness is to help solve the case, she is murdered and, at last, the police do intervene.

It is interesting that in this particular story, the murderer is in plain sight.

1. The popularity of Agatha stories? Miss Marple? The various actresses? Joan Hickson?
2. The Joan Hickson movies, closer to the novels, the post-war settings, the English village, costumes and decor,, manners and proprieties? The musical score?
3. The title, advice about the past, let sleeping dogs and murders lie? The dangers of uncovering the past?
4. Miss Marple, the connection with her novelist nephew, his friends and their house? The reputation? Investigations, questions, going to shops, getting information? Confidante of the couple?
5. A different Miss Marple story, the couple doing the investigations, her help, police arriving only after the murder towards the end?
6. Giles and Gwenda, newly married, New Zealand, her background, India, gradual revelation of time in England? The secrecy about events and her father? Driving, her seeing the house, attracted, the tour with the agent, a scream at the top of the stairs? Foreboding? Redecorating, wanting the door and later discovering it was there, wanting steps and discovering the previous steps? The wallpaper, the flower patterns? Her becoming edgy, the invitation to London?
7. Miss Marple, her nephew, his critical wife, going to the theatre, The Duchess of Malfi, Gwenda screaming, the words, the later repeating? The embarrassment, her worrying whether she was going mad?
8. The advertisement for information, the doctor, his invitation, half brother to the missing woman, his being a doctor in the town, clients, many years, his visits, the letters from Helen, loss of contact? His benign interest and help?
9. The uncovering of the real situation, Gwenda, her father in India, widowed, the voyage home, the encounter with Helen, marrying her, a year, suspicious behaviour, the story of her running off with someone, disappearing? The effect on the father, mental deterioration, institution, suicide? The visit to the institution to find out more?
10. The men friends, the lawyer in the town, engagement, his being in India, the break off, the return, working in the town for 20 years? Morning tea with his mother, her views on Helen?
11. The salesman, criticisms of him as loud, tracking him down, the couple pretending to hire a bus, the discussions about Helen, his being sorry for her, his flashy car and the reports of flashy cars?
12. The Colonell and his wife, in Northumberland, the visit, the wife suspicions, Gwenda going back for the hearing, the conversation with the Colonel and hearing the truth?
13. The servants, Miss Marple in the interviews, the flashbacks to what happened on the night, the maid at the pictures, her covering, Helen’s voice and not being afraid?
14. The maid, her husband, seeing the ad, writing the letter to the doctor, coming to give testimony, her motivations, some money? In the fields, strangled?
15. Help of the gardener, his memories of the past?
16. Waiting for the maid, Giles and Gwenda and the doctor, her being discovered murdered, the police inspector?
17. Miss Marple, her theories, the writing on the notes and checking out the authenticity, talking with the servants? Calling the inspector aside, the plan?
18. The mysterious arrival, the threat to Gwenda, the hose, the doctor and his unmasking? His motivations, possessiveness, controlling Helen, the story of the tennis net cut, her foot injury, the reputation of the other men coming from the doctor, also the story is about her father, his actually fostering the delusions of the father?
19. Satisfactory murder mystery, the past, detection and investigation, unmasking?