"THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY" (2004) Review

"THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY" (2004) Review

I might as well say it. Agatha Christie's 1942 novel, "The Body in the Library" has never been a particularly favorite of mine. Nor have I ever been that fond of the 1984 television adaptation that starred Joan Hickson. So, when ITV aired another adaptation of the novel, I was not that eager to watch it. But I did.

"THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY" proved to be a slightly complicated tale that begins with the discovery of a dead body in the library of Gossington Hall, the home of Colonel Arthur and Dolly Bantry. The body turns out to be a peroxide blonde in her late teens with heavy make-up and dressed in a satin gown. The police, led by Colonel Melchett, Chief Constable of the County, first suspects a local St. Mary Mead citizen named Basil Blake, who has clashed with Colonel Bantry in the past. However, Colonel Melchett discovers there is a living, breathing peroxide blonde in Blake's life named Dinah Lee. Superintendent Harper of the Glenshire police becomes a part of the investigation, when he reveals the identity of the corpse as eighteen year-old Ruby Keene, a professional dancer who worked at the Majestic Hotel Resort in Danemouth. Ruby's body is identified by her cousin Josie Turner, another professional dancer at the Majestic.

While both Colonel Melchett and Superintendent Harper investigate Ruby's death, Dolly Bantry recruit her old friend and neighbor, Jane Marple to conduct her own investigation. Both the police and Miss Marple discover that another old friend of the Bantrys - a wealthy guest named Conway Jefferson, had reported Ruby's disappearance. During the last year of World War II, Jefferson's son and daughter were killed during a V-1 attack; leaving him physically handicapped and his son-in-law Mark Gaskell and daughter-in-law Adelaide Jefferson widowed. Since her arrival at the Majestic Hotel, Ruby had grown close to Jefferson. Their relationship led the latter to consider adopting Ruby and leaving her his money, instead of his in-laws. But despite their strong motives, both Mark and Adalaide had alibis during Ruby's murder. Also more suspects and another corpse - a sixteen year-old Girl Guide - appear, making the case even more complicated.

Kevin Elyot's screenplay featured changes from Christie's 1942 novel. Like many "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S MISS MARPLE" movies, "THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY" is set during the 1950s. Certain characters from the novel, including Miss Marple's old friend Sir Henry Clithering, were eliminated. Jefferson's family is killed during World War II by a V2 rocket, instead of in a plane crash. Jefferson's son and Mark Gaskell were RAF pilots. And one of the murderers' identity was changed, leading to an even bigger change that will remained unrevealed by me. But do to Elyot's well-written screenplay and Andy Wilson's colorful direction, the changes did not affect my enjoyment of the movie. And that is correct. I enjoyed "THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY" very much. Mind you, I did not find it perfect. Following the killers' revelation, there was a scene in which the latter were being booked by the police that I found a bit silly and over dramatic. Also, a part of me wished that Miss Marple's exposure of the killers could have occurred in their presence and in the presence of the other suspects. But . . . considering the circumstances and emotions behind the two murders, I could understand why Elyot did not.

"THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY" proved to be one of the most colorful and lively Miss Marple productions I have ever come across. And I find this ironic, considering my feelings for the original novel and the 1984 television movie. First of all, I have to give credit where it is due - namely to director Andy Wilson. Not only did his direction infuse a good deal of energy and style into a story I had previously dismissed as dull. More importantly, he maintained a steady pace that prevented me from falling asleep in front of the television screen. Martin Fuhrer's photography of the British locations in Buckinghamshire and East Essex certainly added to the movie's colorful look. Production designer Jeff Tessler did an excellent job of re-creating the look and color of a seaside British resort in the 1950s. But the one aspect of movie's production that really impressed me were the movie's costumes designed by Phoebe De Gaye. They . . . were . . . beautiful. Especially the women's costumes.

The performances were first rate. "THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY" proved to be Geraldine McEwan's first time at the bat as Miss Jane Marple. Ironically, the 1984 version of this story proved to be the first time Joan Hickson portrayed the elderly sleuth. And like Hickson, McEwan immediately established her own style as the soft-spoken, yet uber-observant Jane Marple, by injecting a bit of eccentric behavior and habits into the mix. Joanna Lumley gave a deliciously vibrant performance as Miss Marple's close friend, Dolly Bantry, who gets caught up in the murder investigation and the glamour of the Majestic Hotel's atmosphere. Ian Richardson struck the right emotional note as the physically disabled Conway Jefferson, who re-focused his feelings upon the doomed Ruby Keene, after years of dealing with the loss of his family. Both Simon Callow and Jack Davenport gave funny performances as the two police officials in charge of the case - the occasionally haughty Colonel Melchett and the sardonic Superintendent Harper. Mary Stockley gave a subtle performance as Ruby's cousin, the no-nonsense Josie Turner, who has to deal with the death of a close relative. Jamie Theakston had a great moment in a scene that featured Mark Gaskell's conversation with Miss Marple about his character's difficulties in dealing with the loss of his wife and friends during the war and his financial difficulties since. Tara Fitzgerald's portrayal of Jefferson's daughter-in-law, Adelaide, struck me as warm and very sympathetic. Ben Miller did a great job in portraying the colorful, yet slightly pathetic personality of Suspect Number One Basil Blake. And James Fox had a small role in "THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY", but he did a very good job in conveying Arthur Bantry's embarrassment over the discovery in his library and the gossip directed at him.

The flaws featured in "THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY" struck me as minimal, in compare to the movie's virtues. More importantly, Andy Wilson's direction and Kevin Elyot's screenplay infused an energy into this adaptation that seemed to be lacking not only in the 1984 movie, but also in Christie's novel. This might prove to be one of my favorite Miss Marple movies to feature the always talented Geraldine McEwan.