Agatha Christie's Marple

Where are they?!

Open this door, in the name of the People!

Yes, sir.

- What do you want at this late hour? - Your son!

No!

Mama!

- By order of the Commune... - I take orders from no one.

Mama!

I am your Queen, Marie Antoinette.

We are to take Louis Charles...

Mama!

- You will not lay one finger on him! - For his own safety.

Mama, mama, don't let them take me!

You can't take him.

You can't take him!

Not my boy!

- No! Leave me alone!

Have mercy. Mama!

- Let me go! - Please!

Let go of him or we'll kill the lot of you!

Mama!

You can't do this, please, no!

- No, not my boy! - Take him away!

Not my baby!

(dramatic music reaches crescendo)

God Himself has forsaken me...

Didn't she look lovely on her way to the guillotine?

Oh yes, lovely.

Oh, imagine going to all that trouble just to have your head cut off.

Oh, isn't she gorgeous? It's like a dream, Jane.

My new neighbor, on the silver screen. It's too thrilling.

It is exciting, isn't it?

Poor Arthur must be spinning in his grave.

I couldn't be happier, really, I couldn't.

Oh, Dolly.

Do you think she'll pop round for cups of sugar?

The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side

Hollywood has come to the home counties.

Movie star Marina Gregg has left the palm trees and glitter of Los Angeles

for the leafy lanes and picturesque villages of rural England.

Miss Gregg has taken up residence

with her dashing young English husband, film director Jason Rudd,

at Gossington Hall, St. Mary Mead,

and seems to be loving her new role as lady of the manor.

But it's not all huntin', fishin' and shootin' for Miss Gregg.

She's hard at work on a new film,

after her successful comeback as Marie Antoinette.

This time she's taking on another queen:

the Egyptian beauty Nefertiti.

Yes, Marina Gregg is truly queen of all she surveys.

She's in a very good mood today. She's been out riding with her husband.

- How lovely. - Yes.

She's quite taken to country pursuits.

And what position do you hold, Mr. Preston?

I'm Miss Gregg's exclusive personal assistant.

Your guests, Marina.

Riding makes me feel so alive. I know exactly what you mean.

Arthur, my late husband, always got a little frisky after a canter.

- Do help yourselves. - Thank you, Miss Gregg.

I love your English tea.

- Are you all right, Mrs. Bantry? - Yes, I'm fine, thank you.

Only you're looking at me rather strangely.

Am I? Oh, I'm so frightfully sorry.

It must be the shock of seeing you with your head back on.

We had the very great pleasure of seeing you

in Marie Antoinette the other afternoon.

- We were in shreds, weren't we, Jane. - Yes.

- That's a very special movie for us. - It's when we first met.

I hadn't acted for a while.

And I had the privilege of directing her.

- I tell you, ladies, I was in awe. - My darling...

- Such a gent! - And so young. Gosh.

- Have a scone, Mrs. Bantry. - Yes, please, help yourself.

Let them eat cake!

It must feel quite odd being back in your old home, Mrs. Bantry.

But it's all so different.

I do hope, I really do, that you don't mind

the way we pulled the house around and changed things...?

You must think we're the most terrible intruders.

No, not at all.

I'm thrilled you bought it and I adore living in the lodge.

Your coming here

is one of the most exciting things that's ever happened, isn't it, Jane?

Oh, yes, and we're all so looking forward to the garden party.

- So you have no regrets. - It's a new lease of life, Mr. Rudd.

Since the sale went through, I've been traveling all over the place,

seeing my children and grandchildren.

- You have children? - Yes.

I have two sons, two daughters, and nine grandchildren... So far.

It's great fun being a grandmother.

- I wouldn't know. - All the fun and none of the worry.

It's not too chilly for you, is it, Miss Marple?

No, Mr. Rudd, thank you. It's-it's very pleasant.

I'm sure you'll be very happy here, Miss Gregg.

- Arthur and I had such good times. - And we will too, won't we, Jason?

Home at last... What a wonderful feeling.

How do you think she keeps herself looking so young?

Maybe she eats monkey glands.

Maybe it's that cute young husband.

- How many has she had now? - This is number five.

- It must be very tiring. - Oh, exhausting. One was enough for me.

Dear old Gossington.

I shan't miss it, you know.

You've made the right decision, Dolly.

This is a lovely little house,

perfectly placed to keep an eye on things.

Yoo-hoo! Hi!

Ooh!

Oh!

Stupid...

Oh, dear.

Oh, that was a nasty spill.

That young man was driving like a mad thing.

I hope you haven't hurt yourself.

- I went over on my ankle. - That wretched pothole.

I shall have another word with Councilor Hubbard.

Oh, dear, let me help you.

I'll make you a nice cup of tea. This is you, isn't it?

- Well, yes, but I'm perfectly all right. - No, no, nonsense, you are bit shaken!

I don't take sugar, Miss Badcock.

Oh, you must have sugar. It's good for shock.

I was abroad with the ambulances during the war and sugar always did the trick.

There now, you get that down, you'll be right as rain.

I'm afraid I've put you to a lot of trouble.

Oh, no, it's no trouble, I can assure you.

What is the use if you can't help each other?

That's what I say. There.

Were you, um...

Were you on your way anywhere in particular, Miss Marple?

I was on my way home, actually, from Gossington Hall.

- Gossington Hall? - Yes.

- You know Marina Gregg? - I just met her, as a matter of fact.

Well, I never!

It's so exciting that she's chosen to come and live here, isn't it?

I've always been the most huge fan.

Look what I just bought.

I've been collecting photographs, magazine articles, all sorts about her for years.

When I was a teenager, I used to dream about her.

I'm so excited about the garden party.

Excuse me, sir.

Vinnie, honey...

You're reading your article again?

I just can't help myself, pumpkin.

Oh, you're such a clever boy.

Uh-uh.

Not the hair.

What say we take a spin in the country this weekend?

Oh, Vinnie, I'd adore it.

Isn't England fun?

It's just like being in one of those old-fashioned comedies.

Let's hope Marina gets the joke.

Mwah!

How frightfully galling.

Dr. Haydock's insisted, quite unnecessarily in my opinion,

that I rest it for a day or two. Oh, thank you, Cherry.

- I was so looking forward to it. - To be honest, I rather envy you.

I can't stand village do's...

Stale buns and warm lemonade and tea.

No, I intend making a beeline for the house and having a jolly good snoop.

Hang on, who's this?

- No, no... - All right.

Tea, madam?

Marina!

- Councilor... and Mrs. Hubbard? - That's right.

I'm Ella Blunt, Jason Rudd's assistant.

- Would you care to follow me? - Oh, yes, we'd love to.

- Mrs. Bantry? - Oh, Mr. Preston!

Miss Gregg is greeting a few special guests upstairs.

Yes, yes...

If you'd like to follow me.

- Oh, how exciting! - Yes...

Do take that. Thank you.

Hold your stomach in.

Oh, roped off, that's sensible, isn't it?

Yes, stop people crashing in.

Excuse me? Would you look this way?

Lovely.

Thank you.

Quite flashed into my eyes.

Councilor and Mrs. Hubbard.

How very nice of you to come.

I do hope you enjoy your afternoon.

- Jason... - Let me get you a drink.

Mrs. Dolly Bantry.

Oh, Mrs. Bantry, it is nice of you to come.

I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

- I'm so sorry to hear about Miss Marple. - Oh, she'll be on her feet in no time.

Jason, look who's here.

- Ah, lovely to see you. - Oh, Mr. Rudd.

Can I get you a drink?

Primrose, why aren't you in the studio?

Oh, Miss Blunt asked if I'd help out here, Mr. Preston.

Did she now?

- Doctor Gerard Haydock. - Just what the doctor ordered.

- So thoughtful of you to invite me. - My pleasure, Doctor.

Tell me, what might I have seen you in?

Doctor, may I interest you in a drink?

I thought you'd never ask. A scotch would go down a treat.

Primrose, those drinks won't serve themselves.