Entertaining whodunit and the first of George Pollock's teaming with Margaret Rutherford as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple has the elderly, scruffy, diligent, gutsy civilian sleuth investigating the mysterious murder of a woman she saw strangled on a train (going the opposite direction of the train she was traveling). It ties to a family of bickering brothers (and one brother-in-law), several waiting for the eldest to kick the bucket so they can gain the inheritance that is yet to be claimed. In the will of their father, eldest son, Luther (James Justice) doesn't get a dime due to their bitter differences. Luther is a blustery, ornery, loud aging miser that is rather difficult to get along with. Emma doesn't fare well under Luther's agonizing bullying ordering her around, while the inquisitive, scheming, probing, accusatory Cedric (played with a lascivious wretchedness by Thorley Walters, a far cry from his amiable, innocuous characters introduced by Hammer Studios) tries to learn of who might want him and the brothers dead when a poisoning narrowly misses killing them all but one: brother Albert. When brother Harold is found dead by part-time servant, Miss Kidder (Joan Hickson, also associated with the character of Miss Marple later) bicycling home, by a shotgun blast (suicide or murder?), the dwindling numbers worry those still alive. A musical compact with a distinctive tune, a written letter by a supposed French woman named Martine (discovered to be the strangled victim), and reasoning for wanting to get closer to the inheritance all factor into all the developments which leads to Marple's near death by "lethal injection". Arthur Kennedy stars as Luther's physician and Emma's (Murial Pavlow) romantic love interest. He also *assists* detective inspector Craddock (Bud Tigwell). Rounding out the cast is Michael Golden as the snobby grounds-keeper, Stringer Davis as Marple's partner-in-sleuth, and Ronnie Raymond as mischievous, wise-beyond-his-years intellectual grandson of Luther who becomes a particularly amusing sparring partner for Marple.
Luther and Marple's sharp-tongued back-and-forths, litany of greedy suspects looking to gain hold to the inheritance at arm's length if Luther dies, the sneaky antics of a kid among snooty adults who is perhaps smarter than they are (always showing up with just the right words to stir the pot), Walters' provoking using devious methods to target his own family (he has a conversation with Marple during a late thunderstorm where he tells her he plans to keep an eye on her, initiating accusation that the body of Martine wasn't found until she arrived), and Marple's own knowing wisdom and watchful interpretation of the events that transpire as she comes to her conclusions through correct deductive reasoning makes Murder, She Said a hoot to watch unfold. Even how Marple learns of how the body ties to the family is neat to see develop: thrown from a train, moved a little later, then hidden until proper unveiling could take place, the strangler sets up quite a plot to throw the scent away from who he is. The kid of the film playing tricks on not just Marple but anyone that offers him a chance to use his clever wits provides some amusement. Marple admiring his antics with a bit of a grin is a nice nod to how well the kid appeals to her.
Luther and Marple's sharp-tongued back-and-forths, litany of greedy suspects looking to gain hold to the inheritance at arm's length if Luther dies, the sneaky antics of a kid among snooty adults who is perhaps smarter than they are (always showing up with just the right words to stir the pot), Walters' provoking using devious methods to target his own family (he has a conversation with Marple during a late thunderstorm where he tells her he plans to keep an eye on her, initiating accusation that the body of Martine wasn't found until she arrived), and Marple's own knowing wisdom and watchful interpretation of the events that transpire as she comes to her conclusions through correct deductive reasoning makes Murder, She Said a hoot to watch unfold. Even how Marple learns of how the body ties to the family is neat to see develop: thrown from a train, moved a little later, then hidden until proper unveiling could take place, the strangler sets up quite a plot to throw the scent away from who he is. The kid of the film playing tricks on not just Marple but anyone that offers him a chance to use his clever wits provides some amusement. Marple admiring his antics with a bit of a grin is a nice nod to how well the kid appeals to her.