Joan Hickson's first appearance in her outstanding portrayal of Miss Marple - and the first BBC adaptation written by Trevor Bowen. It was first broadcast in three 50-minute episodes.
Suspense: For me, the structure of the adaptation is one of its qualities: each episode ends with a cliffhanger, while parts two and three begin with a shot of the body in the darkness of the Library at Gossington Hall. Watch out for the macabre ending to episode two involving a bonfire, a laugh and a native mask. The use of shadows and closeup shots to create sinister effects are a feature of the BBC adaptations and the first film contains some good examples of this. In my opinion, the closing ten minutes are worthy of a Hitchcock thriller or an expressionist film of the 1920s or 30s.
Characterisation: Each member of the cast is suited to their respective roles. Moray Watson's staccato accent makes him an ideal Colonel Bantry; Jess Conrad's appearance is perfect for the role of Raymond Starr; Gwen Watford is brilliant as Dolly Bantry - she is what I would expect a wife of a retired colonel in the 1950s to look like. Members of the cast interact well together: I am thinking here of the opening scene in bed where Dolly browbeats her husband into viewing the dead body in the library. There's also the bond between two elderly friends in the form of Sir Henry Clithering and Miss Marple when the retired professional detective and the amateur sleuth are reunited.
Comparison with ITV version: I do not mind the ITV version, but there's no where near as much thought given to casting and scripting as there was in the BBC version. There is too much overacting, particularly with Simon Callow as Inspector Melchett and Joanna Lumley as Dolly Bantry. There are also some comical elements which seem a bit cheap and contrived.
Overall, the BBC's adaptation of the Body in the Library is highly recommended and is something I will never tire of watching.
Suspense: For me, the structure of the adaptation is one of its qualities: each episode ends with a cliffhanger, while parts two and three begin with a shot of the body in the darkness of the Library at Gossington Hall. Watch out for the macabre ending to episode two involving a bonfire, a laugh and a native mask. The use of shadows and closeup shots to create sinister effects are a feature of the BBC adaptations and the first film contains some good examples of this. In my opinion, the closing ten minutes are worthy of a Hitchcock thriller or an expressionist film of the 1920s or 30s.
Characterisation: Each member of the cast is suited to their respective roles. Moray Watson's staccato accent makes him an ideal Colonel Bantry; Jess Conrad's appearance is perfect for the role of Raymond Starr; Gwen Watford is brilliant as Dolly Bantry - she is what I would expect a wife of a retired colonel in the 1950s to look like. Members of the cast interact well together: I am thinking here of the opening scene in bed where Dolly browbeats her husband into viewing the dead body in the library. There's also the bond between two elderly friends in the form of Sir Henry Clithering and Miss Marple when the retired professional detective and the amateur sleuth are reunited.
Comparison with ITV version: I do not mind the ITV version, but there's no where near as much thought given to casting and scripting as there was in the BBC version. There is too much overacting, particularly with Simon Callow as Inspector Melchett and Joanna Lumley as Dolly Bantry. There are also some comical elements which seem a bit cheap and contrived.
Overall, the BBC's adaptation of the Body in the Library is highly recommended and is something I will never tire of watching.