RANDOM JOTTINGS

A blog about music, sports, theatre and rants

Long time blogger just moved to wordpress. Love music, theatre, movies, sport (tennis and cricket) and cooking. Two great daughters, two great granddaughters.

Marple or Miss Marple?

Marp_4That Geraldine McEwan is to make no more Marple (whatever happened to the Miss?) episodes is the big news story of the day it would appear (OK Peter Hain has just resigned tee hee so perhaps not), but great debate has arisen about the next actress to play her with rumours of the Christie estate going for a ‘younger’ version.  The mind boggles. 

The only thing that would reconcile me to a future Miss Marple series, where I hope the storylines will not be mucked about, identity of the murderer will not be changed and characters from other Christie novels do not appear (Tommy and Tuppence anyone?), is the fact that the names of two wonderful Dames, ie Atkins and Dench are being mentioned.

Judi Dench as Miss Marple – now how stunning would that be?

Here is a link below to an article today which you might find interesting:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article3241131.ece?Submitted=true

I still think Joan Hickson is the only one though.

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11 responses to “Marple or Miss Marple?”

  1. Margaret Powling Avatar
    Margaret Powling

    Thanks for the welcome message, and no, I don’t have a blog. My time is taking up (well, when I’m not reading blogs, tee-hee!) with article writing and looking after our home, garden, cooking, reading, photography, etc.

    Reply
  2. elaine Avatar
    elaine

    Margaret – welcome and please do call again. I love meeting new visitors! do you have a blog?

    Reply
  3. Margaret Powling Avatar
    Margaret Powling

    This is my first visit to your weblog – linked from Cornflower’s comments – but I had to say that I agree with you re the only Miss Marple is Joan Hickson. What truly splendid performances she gave, just the right balance of gentility and determination to solve a mystery!
    However, good as Dame Judi is, she’s always herself in a part, you always know it’s Dame Judi, whereas I think Prunella Scales could manage it … think of how differently she has portrayed characters in so many parts, e.g. playing Sybil in Fawlty Towers and H M The Queen in A Question of Attribution.
    Oh, yes, Geraldine James, would be good, too! GMcE is not only Mrs Proudie to me, but also Lucia (in Mapp & Lucia)! Wonderful in both of these but hopeless as Miss Marple.

    Reply
  4. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    Judi Dench would be brilliant!!

    Reply
  5. Nicola Slade Avatar
    Nicola Slade

    Joan Hickson rules, never bettered and Geraldine McEwen is Mrs Proudie to us (Barchester Chronicles).
    I wish they’d do Miss Silver, Patricia Wentworth’s governess sleuth; lovely period pieces set in the 30s-50s, needs an actress who can do small and mousey, from 45+ upwards.
    I cast everything I write and am still yearning for Colin Firth and Julian Clary to be in a film version of my first book, Scuba Dancing, while Geraldine James definitely has to star in the new one-Murder Most Welcome- out in May.

    Reply
  6. Ann Darnton Avatar
    Ann Darnton

    Joan Hickson is definitely the iconic Miss Marple. I watched the fist of the McEwan and gave up the ghost there and then.

    Reply
  7. Simon Avatar
    Simon

    JUDI! Gosh. Really… I am now in a tussel between two Dames. Agatha and Judi both deserve to be treated well…
    Can’t imagine Dame Eileen Atkins doing it – she’s been qite dismissive of popular programming, and I think she’d like to limit the amount she does…

    Reply
  8. sogalitno Avatar
    sogalitno

    Any reason being given for her retirement? I couldn’t find any on any article in Google. Are TPTB asking her to step down?
    From the subsequent byplay it seems that is what is being thrust forth… I wonder if there was a coup?
    I love GmE – in Mulberry and Mapp et. but felt that she was VERY hampered by the dreadful reworkings and sometimes ludicrous scripts… The early ones were not too bad (although by Moving Finger things seem to get a little… lurid – well after the changed ending to Body in the Library I guess it was kinda downhill…)
    JH has been my fav and those productions I can Rewatch til the cows come home and still do and recite lengths of dialogue – and love them still.
    oh well.
    I adore Dame Judi and think she would be great (as she is in anything) I also think Geraldine James would be a better Younger choice – We don’t see ENOUGH of her in the States.

    Reply
  9. Martin Edwards Avatar
    Martin Edwards

    I agree that Joan Hickson was the definitive Marple. I’ve been surprised by some of the actors suggested for the role – Sue Johnston, for instance, (good as she is) really isn’t my idea of Jane Marple. And much as I love Christie, I also agree that it would be good to see more tv time devoted to fresh detectives!

    Reply
  10. Cornflower Avatar
    Cornflower

    Joan Hickson was perfect, but wouldn’t Judi Dench be wonderful!!

    Reply
  11. Maureen Avatar
    Maureen

    Much as I love Geraldine McEwan and the two Dames, Joan Hickson is the definitive Miss Marple for me. I’m sure there is a multitude of literary characters dying for the chance to appear on TV, why must they keep on re-writing old favourites? Wouldn’t it be lovely to see something original?

    Reply

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