FORTE AGENT 8 CRACK CRACKED

Though the production values are more in line with a well done 'made-for-TV' production, I enjoyed this film a lot.

FORTE AGENT 8 CRACK CRACKED

The Mirror Cracked (1980) Elizabeth Taylor's last good movie to date. Interesting but certainly not the best of Christie, lacking the usual amount of taut suspense one expects in any murder mystery. Other than that, the only member of the supporting cast that really stands out is EDWARD FOX as Inspector Craddock, Miss Marple's nephew, who finds himself doing most of the legwork when Miss Marple becomes ill. Fans of Christie will most likely come away from this one recalling the catfight remarks between Taylor (getting a little hefty here) and Novak (still streamlined enough). Though slow in developing its storyline, it's interesting to note that an incident that occurred to movie star Gene Tierney is incorporated into the plot as an important clue. When a local girl is murdered, it's up to Miss Marple to solve the real-life mystery. To the disappointed audience, she tells the rest of the plot which she has figured out. Also involved, of course, is ANGELA LANSBURY, as the famous sleuth, Miss Marple, who has a funny bit at the film's start where she attends a screening of a murder mystery where the film breaks down. The choicest bits of dialog go to ELIZABETH TAYLOR and KIM NOVAK as catty rivals who find themselves co-starring in a new film to be produced by Novak's husband, TONY CURTIS and directed by Taylor's husband, ROCK HUDSON. Mary Mead where most of the action takes place. THE MIRROR CRACK'D gives some fine stars at the tail end of their careers something worthwhile to chew on-a good script and some gorgeous Bririth scenery substituting for the little town of St. By the way, perhaps this was mentioned by one of the posters - this story is based on a real-life incident that happened to Gene Tierney. It's great to see all these old stars in the same film.

The scene between Taylor and Edward Fox is especially good, and I've never been sure if Taylor falling on top of Hudson on the bed was supposed to be funny or not - in the movie theater, it got a laugh. It's up to Miss Marple to unravel the mystery as more murders occur. During a party, a local resident is murdered, but the intended victim is assumed to be Taylor. The story concerns a movie star, her husband, her co-star nemesis, etc., coming to St. The script has the Taylor and Novak characters camping it up with bitchy insults which I don't quite remember from the book. The film also has an appearance by Pierce Brosnan in a small, uncredited part. Angela Lansbury plays Miss Marple, and she's perfect in the role. Mary Mead, the film stars lots of big names from that era: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Kim Novak - a veritable who's who of '50s megastars. Set in the '50s in Miss Marple's village of St. This one is more campy and less opulent than 'Murder on the Orient Express,' for instance, but for what it is, it's pretty good. The Mirror Crack'd is one of the many Agatha Christie stories made into an all-star film. On the whole, it is a movie worth seeing, and as I've said, see it for Angela. The film is overlong and has pacing problems, and the final solution was weak compared to how it could have been.

However, the character of Heather Badcock is changed quite considerably here, and why she was changed to a naive village girl I still find perplexing. The film is beautifully shot, and the locations and costumes are lovely. The dialogues between Taylor and Novak are wonderfully witty, and often verging on hysterically funny. The supporting cast are fine in their roles, Elizabeth Taylor overdoes Marina Gregg slightly but she plays with gusto, Rock Hudson is suitably subdued as Jason Rudd, and Kim Novak is delightful as Lola. The main merit is the performance of underrated character actress Angela Lansbury she is terrific as Miss Marple, and Edward Fox does a great job as Inspector Craddock. The Hickson version, it is true, is more faithful to the book, despite its liberties, but on its own merits this film is pretty good. I liked this version of The Mirror Crack'd, and I am fond of the Joan Hickson version too.