Murder at the Gallop

"Agatha Christie should be compulsory reading for the police force."

Wealthy recluse Mr. Enderby (Currie) dies of a fatal heart attack.  His death is witnessed by Miss Marple (Rutherford) and her friend Mr. Stringer (Davis) who believe it is murder.  They eavesdrop on the reading of the will and learn that Mr. Enderby's sister Cora also believes it is murder.  Miss Marple goes to visit the Cora, but finds her dead.

Inspector Craddock (Tingwell) is on the case, but Miss Marple wants to investigate further.  She arranges to stay at Hector Enderby's (Morley) Gallop Hotel and riding school.  The remaining families members are also staying at the hotel: George Crossfield (Urquhart), Rosamund Shane (Douglas) and her husband Michael (Villiers), and Cora's companion Miss Milchrest (Robson), are also staying at the hotel.  Can Miss Marple find the murderer before anyone else is killed?


This was MGM's 2nd Miss Marple film, following Murder She Said in 1961 (they made 2 more Miss Marple films in 1964: Murder Most Foul and Murder Ahoy!).  It was based on Agatha Christie's 1953 novel "After the Funeral."  The novel featured Hercule Poirot as the detective, but MGM turned it into a Miss Marple film with Margaret Rutherford in the title role.

The story is weaker than it's predecessor.  The cast is great, but the movie itself is not that interesting.  I have not read the original novel, but it was adapted again in 2006 for the TV show "Agatha Christie's Poirot".  I assume the problem is not Christie's novel, but in the adaptation.  Rutherford is great, but the film is not.

Once again they embrace humor and slapstick, while sticking to the basics of Christie's story.  They also mention Christie by name (she is Miss Marple's favorite mystery author).

I'm still interested in watching the remaining films in the series, but I did not enjoy this film as much.

Murder at the Gallop (1963) 81 minutes
Director: George Pollock
Starring: Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple
Stringer Davis as Mr. Stringer
Robert Morley as Hector Enderby
Flora Robson as Miss Milchrest
Charles Tingwell as Inspector Craddock
Gordon Harris as Sergeant Bacon
Robert Urquhart as George Crossfield
Katya Douglas as Rosamund Shane
James Villiers as Michael Shane
Noel Howlett as Mr. Trundell
Finlay Currie as Old Enderby