AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

Crwthod A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

nickrogers1969 The only reason I saw this was for Bette Davis. She was frail as a bird, yet beautiful in her old age. Love that she's wearing big false eyelashes!!! Otherwise this Agatha Christie movie was so DULL! With so many missed opportunities for some entertaining mystery! It was badly filmed and cheap-looking and virtually suspense-free! The murder scene when the people are in the drawing room was botched by the director. No atmosphere at all!!!! Almost no fun dialog that said much about the characters. The only good actors were the woman playing Mildred and John Mills. Helen Hayes was really shaky as ms. Marple. Her American accent came through much too much -and she was supposed to be a great stage actress!!!! Leo McKern was the only one adding some personality to his character. The young actors were terrible but the American guy was at least not wearing underwear under his jeans...!!!! This is certainly NOT one of the classic Agathas and does not deserve to be mentioned!

moonspinner55 Amateur sleuth Miss Marple visits London, is asked by an old friend to drop in on an elderly woman acquaintance whose life may be in danger. Despite Helen Hayes as Jane Marple, and Bette Davis in one of her final performances, this television-made Agatha Christie yarn is colorlessly cast, poorly written and directed, creaking and dreary the entire way through. Our introductions to the square, galumphing characters are impossibly awkward, and Hayes doesn't give her famous character the fresh spin required. Still doing what she did in 1970's "Airport" (and most likely beyond), Hayes slips around corners with 'cute' wide eyes and disagreeable looks, like a perturbed squirrel. Davis, John Mills, and Leo McKern (reunited with Hayes from 1977's "Candleshoe") try somewhat to inject a little bounce into the scenario, but it's a leadweight affair with no particularly inventive denouement.

bkoganbing In what turned out to be Helen Hayes's farewell role, she reprises the role of Agatha Christie's famous spinster sleuth Jane Marple in Murder Is Easy. This also gives Hayes the once in a lifetime opportunity to work with another legend, Bette Davis who is the prospective victim of a poisoning plot.Helen's solicitor is worried about some strange goings on at his stepmother Bette Davis's place and is in fear for her safety. It turns out that the solicitor is the murdered party, shot while everyone else is seemingly accounted for. It's a typical Agatha Christie setup and of course there's the ever helpful Jane Marple to aid the police, in this case in the person of Leo McKern. Two more deaths occur before the mystery is solved.It's a delight to see both Hayes and Davis together and that's what the film is designed primarily to do. But frankly it's one of Agatha Christie's weakest plots. If you cannot figure out who did the crime almost immediately after the deed is done, you have not seen too many of these films. It's really rather obvious. Still for fans of Helen and Bette, it's not to be missed.

MartinHafer I saw this videotape because I am a rabid Bette Davis fan and I am trying to see all her films (I'm actually getting pretty close). However, in hindsight, I really wish I hadn't seen this dreary film. Despite having Miss Davis and Helen Hayes in the lead as Miss Marple, the film had almost no energy and had so many logical flaws it could hardly be considered a mystery at all.Helen Hayes perhaps comes off best in the movie, as she is a competent though less than inspired Miss Marple. Leo McKern as the chief inspector just looks awfully old and immobile (though in one silly scene they make it look like he is running after a suspect). And Bette Davis is pretty depressing to look at, as she was in horrible health at the time the film was made and looked like death warmed over,...but this didn't impair her since her character was supposed to be old and frail. It's too bad, though, that this part was so small and insignificant. John Mills is just okay as Davis' husband--he was a terrific actor and it's a shame his role was so dumb. As for the rest of the cast, they were complete unknowns and deserve to remain that way! Their acting was very amateurish and shrill for the most part.Now despite my complaints about some of the acting, my real problem with the movie was the script. I am not an Agatha Christie reader, though I doubt if the blame for this bilge could be dumped on her but instead on some screen writer. Many of the characters were completely one-dimensional caricatures and seemed so unbelievable (such as the hot-headed American, his histrionic and confusing wife, etc.). Also, again and again, logic seemed to go out the window and characters did the most impossible and stupid things--particularly when two of them died in the most ridiculous ways. First, the doctor (whose role was completely ill-defined and vague) tried to escape by driving through the gate surrounding the mansion. The car SHOULD have been able to plow through it, but instead explodes! Second, the young man who tries to escape by paddling across a small pond. The boat begins to sink (who would keep a leaky boat at the lake--especially one that leaky?) and he drowns even though he appears to be only about 50 feet from shore! And, when this hapless fool is drowning, the young cop tries to save him but first starts to undo his coat and his tie and puts up the most pathetic attempt at rescue I have seen since the Three Stooges films! As for the mystery itself, I really lost interest in who did what or why. By the time the movie was over, I was begging for it to stop. Rotten acting and a terrible script made this an endurance contest!Considering just how BAD this film was, I can imagine that poor Dame Agatha is spinning in her grave like a rotisserie! She deserved better.