Just yesterday, Australia lost one of its most beloved film and television actors, Charles "Bud" Tingwell (1923-2009). In memory of his fine contribution to the performing arts, I decided to continue watching George Pollock's series of "Miss Marple" films, in which Tingwell portrayed Inspector Craddock. Next on the list was 'Murder at the Gallop (1962),' the second of four films to star Margaret Rutherford as Agatha Christie's Miss Jane Marple. Though, of course, the film truly belongs to its amateur spinster sleuth, Tingwell nonetheless brings a remarkable warmth and sincerity to the role of the good-natured but exasperated Craddock, who's constantly torn between his affection for Marple and his frustration that she's always one step ahead of him. Unlike Sherlock Holmes' Inspector Lestrade, he is not an object of ridicule – representative of incompetent police force – but one of open-mindedness and practicality. Inspector Craddock seems to accept Miss Marple's crime-solving talents with a quietly-amused resignation, however much her conclusions may show up his own investigative proficiency.
The central mystery was loosely adapted from Agatha Christie's novel "After the Funeral" (notably a Poirot story), but the bulk of the plot came from James P. Cavanagh, a writer of television thrillers. In this instalment, Miss Marple determines to investigate the suspicious passing of wealthy Scrooge Mr. Endeby (Finlay Currie), whom she believes was literally "frightened to death" by an impatient heir. With the loyal assistance of Mr. Stringer (Stringer Davis), and the occasional compliance of the increasingly-upstaged Inspector Craddock, Marple attempts to scrutinise everybody who stands to gain from Endeby's will, and, conveniently, they're all temporarily residing at the same place: the Gallows hotel, owned by Endeby's bumbling, horse-obsessed nephew (Robert Morley). The clues are all there for both Marple and the audience to decipher, but multiple red herrings are also thrown into the mix. Our suspicions are only further confused by the fact that that all the potential murderers appear to hate each other, and none are at all surprised nor saddened by the untimely deaths of their relatives.
The central mystery was loosely adapted from Agatha Christie's novel "After the Funeral" (notably a Poirot story), but the bulk of the plot came from James P. Cavanagh, a writer of television thrillers. In this instalment, Miss Marple determines to investigate the suspicious passing of wealthy Scrooge Mr. Endeby (Finlay Currie), whom she believes was literally "frightened to death" by an impatient heir. With the loyal assistance of Mr. Stringer (Stringer Davis), and the occasional compliance of the increasingly-upstaged Inspector Craddock, Marple attempts to scrutinise everybody who stands to gain from Endeby's will, and, conveniently, they're all temporarily residing at the same place: the Gallows hotel, owned by Endeby's bumbling, horse-obsessed nephew (Robert Morley). The clues are all there for both Marple and the audience to decipher, but multiple red herrings are also thrown into the mix. Our suspicions are only further confused by the fact that that all the potential murderers appear to hate each other, and none are at all surprised nor saddened by the untimely deaths of their relatives.