A CARIBBEAN MYSTERY

UK, 2013, 90 minutes, Colour.

Julia McKenzie, Antony Sher, Oliver Gordon Davies, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Charity Wakefield, Robert Webb, Warren Brown, Charles Mesure, MyAnna Buring, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Daniel Rigby.

Directed by Charlie Palmer.

This is a third film, made for television, version of Agatha Christie’s popular A Caribbean Mystery. There was an American version with Helen Hayes as Miss Marple. There was also a Joan Hickson version.

This is a very glossy version, life on an island in the Caribbean, the resort, club atmosphere, parties, the beach – with the touches of voodoo.

The scene is set very early, Miss Marple listening to the ramblings of an old man with one eye (very important for a final clue) who declares that he recognises someone on the island who is a killer. Needless to say, he does not last long. There is also the feigned murder of one of the workers at the resort – and then her actual death. And there is also the murder of a rather happy-go-lucky gold digging American woman.

There are plenty of candidates for the murderer, a birdwatcher flirting with the American woman, his wife observing, the photographer husband of the American woman, rather proper Canon who disapproves of voodoo, a tycoon with his body-building assistant and his female assistant…

Miss Marple is there, observing everything, trying to put everything together – but, finally giving some thought to the effect of the glass eye and unmasking the killer.

The local police are brought in and there are some dialogue lines very critical of colonial attitudes of the British towards those in the West Indies. The police do their work – and Miss Marple doesn’t do a lot of talking with them but she does unravel the mystery at the very end.

There is nice twist also with the character of the tycoon, played by Antony Sher, and his motivations for being on the island.

As with Agatha Christie stories, most audiences will not pick the killer.

1. The popularity of Agatha Christie stories? Miss Marple? The various screen versions?
2. The Caribbean setting, the resort, the interiors, the beach, the cliffs and the sea? The musical score?
3. The discussions about voodoo, the performances at the resort, belief and disbelief, the disapproval of the Canon? The talk about voodoo, the feigned death of the worker at the resort?
4. Setting the tone, Major Palgrave and his chatter, photos, wild stories, seeing the murderer, the issue of his blood pressure, going to his heart, collapse and death? The blood pressure tablets? His having one eye – and Miss Marple using it is the revealing clue?
5. The range of guests at the resort, the managers, Molly and her husband, her inheriting the resort, the devotion of her husband, the work? Molly and her seeming madness, strange behaviour, on the cliff, on the beach, demented? The birdwatcher, flirtation with Lucky, observed by his wife? Lucky, American, questionable background and husbands, her photographer husband, his drinking? The Canon and his being very proper, against voodoo, painting Molly, the attraction? Mr Rafiel, wealthy, dark glasses, sardonic colonialist remarks, befriending Miss Marple, sharing the enquiry? Jackson as his assistant? Esther, assistant, gossiping, inheriting? The servants, their background, suggestions of voodoo, the old lady, with tourists, telling the tales?
6. The Major’s death, the enquiries, the local police, their strong stands, criticism of British colonial attitudes towards them? Their presence, the interrogations, polite towards Miss Marple? Her not explaining situations to them throughout the enquiry?
7. Victoria, taking the money, the blood pressure tablets, the feigned death, the concern of her husband, her real death? The old lady and her husband coming forward to Miss Marple?
8. Lucky’s death, on the beach, over the cliff and the body transported, her wearing Molly’s scarf? Mistaken identity?
9. The clues, suspicions? The impending storm? Tim going out for the candles?
10. His return, the police, his wanting to talk to Molly for five minutes, his being unmasked, the confrontation, the gun, the threats to Molly to kill herself, shooting at Miss Marple, with blanks? The unmasking of his story, Molly in England, under his influence, his disappearance, reappearance with a new name, marrying her, coming to the resort, and the Major recognising that he had previously been a killer?
11. Satisfying Miss Marple mystery in exotic locations?