I might have mentioned once or twice (or twelve thousand) times that I love Agatha Christie. So, it should come as no surprise, when I tell you that I not only reread her books, but I also watch (and rewatch) the movies. I’ve watched practically every Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and Tommy and Tuppence (Partners in Crime) that I can find. So, imagine my surprise when I stumble across another rendition of these classics on Acorn TV starring Geraldine Ewan. Watching those versions of my favorite characters left me with several questions, namely, who is the best Hercule Poirot and Miss Marples?
Let’s start by talking about Hercule Poirot. David Suchet is the perfect Hercule Poirot. I’ve seen other portrayals, including the recent Kenneth
Branagh remake of Murder on the Orient Express. I like Kenneth Branagh. He’s great in Much Ado About Nothing and Wallander. However, he isn’t the Belgian detective. That distinction belongs to David Suchet.
There’ve been many notable actresses who have undertaken the role of Miss Marple. Julia McKenzie does a good job and I like her as an actress. Her portrayal’s good, but she’s not the elderly spinster master crime solver from St. Mary Mead.
I will admit that I haven’t seen Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple (a failing I intend to rectify soon).
Having watched the Geraldine Ewan portrayals, I’m a bit conflicted. Initially, I wasn’t a fan. However, I can’t figure out if the reason was because of the actress’s portrayal or the artistic license the writers/producers took in changing the plots of the books. I expect a certain amount of changes when a book is made into a movie. However, the films with Geraldine Ewan go beyond the normal changes. Nemesis with Geraldine Ewan is so far from the book and all other film versions of the book, that I barely recognized it. In the Geraldine Ewan version of By The Pricking of My Thumb, Miss Marple actually joins forces with Tommy and Tuppence Beresford (Partners in Crime) to solve a murder. I don’t really consider myself a purist but too many changes to the plot ruined the well-balanced set of clues and red herrings, which Christie so masterfully includes in each of her works. Geraldine Ewan is a good actress, and she grew on me, but the plot changes dropped those versions in my personal hierarchy.
Ultimately, Joan Hickson IS Miss Marple. If you’ve never seen her, treat yourself. She is cunning and able to use her eyes and facial expressions to convey a myriad of emotions. I can’t help believing that when Agatha Christie sat down to write Miss Marpel, the face of Joan Hickson was what she imagined the dithering old lady to look like.
Now that I’ve ranked my favorites, does this mean I won’t watch other portrayals? Heck no. If Disney decides to do a version of an Agatha Christie novel featuring Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, I’ll most likely watch. I’m a bit doubtful that Minnie has the range necessary to do the role of Miss Marple justice. However, I’m willing to keep an open mind. After all, it’s still an Agatha Christie Mystery.