Marple: The Pale Horse Review (S5.E1)

Copyright ITV

Julia McKenzie returns as Miss Marple for her second series firstly in the Pale Horse, which was adapted by Russell Lewis and directed by Andy Hay. It was first broadcast in the UK on 30th August 2010.




Story 

Miss Marple is sent a list of surnames by her old friend Father Gourman (Nicholas Parsons) just before he is brutally killed. In an attempt to find his killer, Jane travels to The Pale Horse Inn in the eerie village of Much Deeping to pick up the trail where Gourman left it. However, all is not well and when murder strikes and a secret band of the occult is at work performing dark magic. Can they really be the cause of all these murders?

The Pale Horse wasn't originally a Miss Marple story, in fact Ariadne Oliver was the main detective in her only stand-alone novel. However, she is not in the film, such a shame. Lewis does keep relatively close to the original story, but does make a few changes, including removing the characters of Major Despard and Rhoda (from the Poirot story Cards on the Table) and Caleb and Maud Dane Calthrop (from The Moving Finger) and adding the characters of Captain and Mrs Cottam and Lydia Harsnett. The Pale Horse is open for business rather than closed and boarded up and Dr Ozbourne becomes Paul Ozbourne and is not a doctor. However, it's still a faithful film and very enjoyable with a good solid plot.

Direction, locations, soundtrack

Andy Hay's direction closely resembles that of the Poirot series, dark and foreboding. This is very fitting as it complements the dark magic and witchcraft tone of the film very well. The Marple series isn't usually so dark although Greenshaw's Folly is an example of the dark tone the series is going towards. Filming locations include Hughenden Manor, Buckinghamshire, Dorney Court (Pale Horse interior) and Kensal Green Cemetery (Tuckerton's funeral scene). The soundtrack isn't available as far as I'm aware.

Cast and characters

Miss Marple is in nearly every scene in this film, and once again Julia McKenzie is perfect. The denouement scene is superb, with Miss Marple taking the helm and really starting to get all 'Poirot' with her angry remarks to the murderer. "because you're a very vain and very stupid young man and for that there is no cure....save one!" McKenzie gives us a powerful performance.

Of the guest cast, Pauline Collins stands out as Therza Grey and JJ Field as Paul Ozbourne, all the cast bring their A-game and there isn't a weak chain.