MURDER AT THE GALLOP
UK, 1963, 81 minutes, Black and white.
Margaret Rutherford, Stringer Davis, Robert Morley, Flora Robson, Charles Tingwell, Robert Urquhart, James Villiers, Finlay Currie, Duncan Lamont.
Directed by George Pollock.
Murder at the Gallop was the second in the series of Miss Marple thrillers adapted from Agatha Christie novels and directed by George Pollock. This film was based on After the Funeral. Robert Morley features very strongly in this film and brings his comic talent and style. Flora Robson takes over the Arthur Kennedy role from the first film and finally she is unmasked as the villainess. This film gave Margaret Rutherford an opportunity for Miss Marple to say things about Agatha Christie and also for the unusual sight of Margaret Rutherford and Stringer Davis doing the Twist. It was a good successor to the original.
1.Margaret Rutherford and her bumbling style, shrewd? Snoop? Putting things together, remembering parallels? Insinuating herself into circumstances? The threats, the confrontations? Her doing the Twist with Mr Stringer?
2.The murder situation, old Enderby and his death, the cat? The various relatives? The reading of the will and Miss Marple listening in? The suggestion of murder?
3.The family suspect: Hector Enderby, Robert Morley’s style, bumbling, the gentleman, the hunting, the kind host? The proposal to Miss Marple – and the narrow escape? George Crossfield, the art dealer, shady, sinister, his being murdered? Rosamond, the marriage to Michael, her determination? Michael and his double-dealing? Hellman and his being a servant, sinister?
4.Miss Milchrest, her disguising herself as the sister? Audience seeing through this? Her timidity, her finding Miss Marple with the body? Her upset, going to the hotel? Her fears? Miss Marple and the confrontation, revealing herself and her cleverness, exposed?
5.Miss Marple, the art situation, the painting, her taking it, giving it to Mr Stringer to take to London, the truth? Her setting herself up with the false heart attack? The exposure and confrontation with Miss Milchrest?
6.Inspector Craddock, genial, exasperated with Miss Marple? Going along with her? The other police, the doctor?
7.The popular ingredients of a Miss Marple story, Agatha Christie’s style? Agatha Christie’s technique of diverting attention away from the most obvious suspect?
