This was the first of the BBC Miss Marples to feature Joan Hickson. I thoroughly enjoyed it when it was first shown and still do BUT it does seem a little slow now. It was originally shown over three nights and is very steadily paced. Hickson of course is marvellous as Marple and will not offend in any way (unlike the cheekier McEwen) and she has some terrific support. I am particularly fond of Gwen Watford as Dolly Bantry even if she tires of the investigation more quickly than she does in the book. I have to confess to liking the newer ITV cast more in most of the other roles but I do think that Jess Conrad was born to play Raymond Starr! David Horovitch has his first outing as Slack and is still quite fresh here - I did come to wish that the BBC didn't use him quite so much by the end of the series. On the whole, its good stuff and highly recommended.
Review of Miss Marple: The Body in the Library
