4:50 from Paddington is one of Agatha Christie's more famous novels, though not necessarily one of her best. As mentioned in a number of reviews, the 1961 film Murder, She Says - based on the novel and what was basically the Margaret Rutherford mysteries - featured a young(ish) Joan Hickson as a cook. She would go on to play Miss Marple 23 years later and make the role her own, but the film version of this only serves to remind us of some of the flaws in this adaptation and the novel.
The story begins very excitingly, with Miss Marple's friend Mrs McGillicuddy (Mona Bruce) travelling down by train to visit her one evening, only to witness the murder of a young woman being strangled in the train travelling alongside when the blind comes undone. She and Miss Marple both go to the police to inform them of the crime, but as the Inspector at home turns out to be Inspector Slack (David Horowitz) there is little chance of being believed, especially when they can find no trace of a body on the train. Reasoning that even British Rail and the police would be able to tell a corpse from among the usual stiff enert passengers, they trace the route of the journey and discover that it passes not far from the grounds of Crackenthorpe House, which would make a very handy place to dump a body. To discover if this is the case she calls on Lucy Eyelesbarrow (Jill Meagher), a independent professional woman who likes to take on interesting jobs, and asks her to apply for a job at Crackenthorpe House as a housekeeper in order for her to go over and case the joint for a body - though she doesn't put it quite like that!
So far, so good. But once a body is found this mystery becomes very ordinary indeed. And it isn't helped by some rather dull casting among the suspects. The house is occupied by old Luther Crackenthorpe (Maurice Denham) and his daughter Emma (Joanna David), while the sons who turn up for a visit merely to oblige a family inheritance every year are Harold (Bernard Brown), Alfred (Robert East) and Cedric (John Hallam), along with Luther's son in law Bryan Eastley (David Beames) and his young son Alexander (Christopher Haley). Also there in the background is Luther's medic Dr Quimper, played by Andrew Burt, who seems to of moved up from vetting animals on Emmerdale Farm to treating people. Maybe if he'd of shouted "Who's up for their temperature being taken?" it would of livened up the cast, but part of the problem here is also highlighted in the 1961 film, and that is the Crackenthorpe clan are just not a very exciting bunch. Some of that criticism has to be levelled at the book, but even then you'd think that the cast would do more than just go through the motions. The 1961 film has much the same problem, but at least it had James Robertson Justice in the part of Luther. He was a perfect fit for the role, but while he growled and added some personality to his part, Maurice Denham merely grumbles and is a pale shadow by comparison. Bernard Brown is so anaemic as Harold that when he is later found murdered they could of had him stuffed and propped up in the corner of the room and I doubt anyone would of noticed! Robert East fairs little better as Alfred, while the only actor among the sons with any charisma is John Hallam, but he is badly miscast as the bohemian artist Cedric. His arrival sees him become a love rival with Bryan Eastley for the attentions of Lucy Eyelesbarrow, but instead he comes across as a hungry wolf looking for a nibble and the chemistry between him and Jill Meagher is non existant, as demonstrated by the kiss they share in the kitchen. He also looks a little decrepid when next to young Lucy, but he does at least add a spot of personality. Of the rest, Jill Meagher is a decent enough lead as Lucy, but lacks real passion for the romantic moments, and looks far more comfortable in scenes hunting for clues or playing with Bryan's son Alexander. And although David Beames, Joanna David and Andrew Burt are fine enough in their roles, their performances hardly set the mystery alight. The best performance comes (surprisingly) from Jean Boht in a small role as dance instructor Madame Joliet when the police try and discover the identity of the dead girl. As well as giving her role some much needed oomph and humour ("What a bloody shambles" she declares when trying to conduct a ballet with a flu ridden dance troupe), she also provides some emotional depth as she reminisces about the dead girl and her fruitless efforts to make it big as a dancer. "Dear God, what an epitaph. One rehersal and I was forgotten," she sums up sadly.
As well as the dull performances, it is not helped by the novel it's adapted from. But when you are short of exciting moments, it seems inexplicable to remove one of the more dramatic moments in the novel where the family are stricken down with food poisoning, leading to another death. The scene is kept in the 1961 film, but bizarrely not here, which doesn't help it's cause. And yet, despite all it's flaws, this adaptation does have two standout moments that are remarkably effective and stay long in the memory. One is the actual murder at the beginning, where Mrs McGillicuddy witnesses the murder on the train. The build up and incidental music is wonderfully effective and gives you hope for what is to come, but sadly the mystery never really builds on from there. The other memorable scene is when Lucy discovers where the body is hidden. Yet again the musical score plays so crucial a part in building up an atmosphere of dread, not least because Lucy is alone when she makes her discovery, and the whole scene is genuinely creepy. It's a superb scene, but it makes it even more infuriating that the rest of this adaptation could not follow on from such high standards.
Overall, it's not a bad mystery. Inspector Slack is back, though this time David Horowitz doesn't really add much to the role other than just grumble a lot. He's aided - and hindered - by Chief Inspector Duckham (David Waller), who some viewers will recognize from the marvellous detective series Cribb, and who insists that Slack assign Miss Marple to the case, despite how ridiculous that sounds. Joan Hickson is sadly not as involved in the plot as Miss Marple, but she is there to provide the trap for the killer when it comes at the end. Summing up it's a somewhat stodgy mystery that starts off very promisingly and has a couple of memorable stand out moments, but is let down by it's uninspired casting. It's a decent mystery, but a trifle dull at times.
The story begins very excitingly, with Miss Marple's friend Mrs McGillicuddy (Mona Bruce) travelling down by train to visit her one evening, only to witness the murder of a young woman being strangled in the train travelling alongside when the blind comes undone. She and Miss Marple both go to the police to inform them of the crime, but as the Inspector at home turns out to be Inspector Slack (David Horowitz) there is little chance of being believed, especially when they can find no trace of a body on the train. Reasoning that even British Rail and the police would be able to tell a corpse from among the usual stiff enert passengers, they trace the route of the journey and discover that it passes not far from the grounds of Crackenthorpe House, which would make a very handy place to dump a body. To discover if this is the case she calls on Lucy Eyelesbarrow (Jill Meagher), a independent professional woman who likes to take on interesting jobs, and asks her to apply for a job at Crackenthorpe House as a housekeeper in order for her to go over and case the joint for a body - though she doesn't put it quite like that!
So far, so good. But once a body is found this mystery becomes very ordinary indeed. And it isn't helped by some rather dull casting among the suspects. The house is occupied by old Luther Crackenthorpe (Maurice Denham) and his daughter Emma (Joanna David), while the sons who turn up for a visit merely to oblige a family inheritance every year are Harold (Bernard Brown), Alfred (Robert East) and Cedric (John Hallam), along with Luther's son in law Bryan Eastley (David Beames) and his young son Alexander (Christopher Haley). Also there in the background is Luther's medic Dr Quimper, played by Andrew Burt, who seems to of moved up from vetting animals on Emmerdale Farm to treating people. Maybe if he'd of shouted "Who's up for their temperature being taken?" it would of livened up the cast, but part of the problem here is also highlighted in the 1961 film, and that is the Crackenthorpe clan are just not a very exciting bunch. Some of that criticism has to be levelled at the book, but even then you'd think that the cast would do more than just go through the motions. The 1961 film has much the same problem, but at least it had James Robertson Justice in the part of Luther. He was a perfect fit for the role, but while he growled and added some personality to his part, Maurice Denham merely grumbles and is a pale shadow by comparison. Bernard Brown is so anaemic as Harold that when he is later found murdered they could of had him stuffed and propped up in the corner of the room and I doubt anyone would of noticed! Robert East fairs little better as Alfred, while the only actor among the sons with any charisma is John Hallam, but he is badly miscast as the bohemian artist Cedric. His arrival sees him become a love rival with Bryan Eastley for the attentions of Lucy Eyelesbarrow, but instead he comes across as a hungry wolf looking for a nibble and the chemistry between him and Jill Meagher is non existant, as demonstrated by the kiss they share in the kitchen. He also looks a little decrepid when next to young Lucy, but he does at least add a spot of personality. Of the rest, Jill Meagher is a decent enough lead as Lucy, but lacks real passion for the romantic moments, and looks far more comfortable in scenes hunting for clues or playing with Bryan's son Alexander. And although David Beames, Joanna David and Andrew Burt are fine enough in their roles, their performances hardly set the mystery alight. The best performance comes (surprisingly) from Jean Boht in a small role as dance instructor Madame Joliet when the police try and discover the identity of the dead girl. As well as giving her role some much needed oomph and humour ("What a bloody shambles" she declares when trying to conduct a ballet with a flu ridden dance troupe), she also provides some emotional depth as she reminisces about the dead girl and her fruitless efforts to make it big as a dancer. "Dear God, what an epitaph. One rehersal and I was forgotten," she sums up sadly.
As well as the dull performances, it is not helped by the novel it's adapted from. But when you are short of exciting moments, it seems inexplicable to remove one of the more dramatic moments in the novel where the family are stricken down with food poisoning, leading to another death. The scene is kept in the 1961 film, but bizarrely not here, which doesn't help it's cause. And yet, despite all it's flaws, this adaptation does have two standout moments that are remarkably effective and stay long in the memory. One is the actual murder at the beginning, where Mrs McGillicuddy witnesses the murder on the train. The build up and incidental music is wonderfully effective and gives you hope for what is to come, but sadly the mystery never really builds on from there. The other memorable scene is when Lucy discovers where the body is hidden. Yet again the musical score plays so crucial a part in building up an atmosphere of dread, not least because Lucy is alone when she makes her discovery, and the whole scene is genuinely creepy. It's a superb scene, but it makes it even more infuriating that the rest of this adaptation could not follow on from such high standards.
Overall, it's not a bad mystery. Inspector Slack is back, though this time David Horowitz doesn't really add much to the role other than just grumble a lot. He's aided - and hindered - by Chief Inspector Duckham (David Waller), who some viewers will recognize from the marvellous detective series Cribb, and who insists that Slack assign Miss Marple to the case, despite how ridiculous that sounds. Joan Hickson is sadly not as involved in the plot as Miss Marple, but she is there to provide the trap for the killer when it comes at the end. Summing up it's a somewhat stodgy mystery that starts off very promisingly and has a couple of memorable stand out moments, but is let down by it's uninspired casting. It's a decent mystery, but a trifle dull at times.