The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie

Where did people get the info about the screenwriter 'cashing in', and her lack of confidence? I haven't seen anything about that in the press (not that I've looked very hard, to be fair).

I would have thought that she'd have been commissioned to write an adaptation, but I don't know that for sure, and I'd be interested to see where people got their information from.

I enjoyed it and thought it was very clever. It did take me a minute to remember who Jessie was though. I now will read the book, which I still have in my bookcase. Just to see how different it is.

I expect Agatha Christie herself would have been baffled.

Yep, we were baffled too.

I’m just pleased it’s over. Mr C enjoyed it, I was just baffled.

Can someone explain that ending to me?

Did she get paid?
I want a refund on that portion of my TV licence

Well that's two hours of my life I'll never get back! MOnica you needn't have worried about being confused. The title and the names were the only things it shared with the book. Why doesn't the woman just write her own stuff instead of cashing in on Agatha's name?

Yes, we used to sit on proper bales at proper barn dances!
You'd roll off the round ones.

I haven't watched it. I have read the book and would get confused.

But I agree with rubysong on both big bales, in the '60s. Straw came in bales then, the kind you see being fed to horses or used as seating or protection at gymkhamas and sports events. You are right about the sleeves, as well. I did a lot of knitting then and , as you say, no dropped shoulders.

Baffled! but I did drift off half way through. Strangely I always found her books, which I read throughout my teens very easy to follow.

No, big round bales are quite a recent thing!!

Anyway, I remain
Should not have tried to multi-task.

Was it set in the 1960s? I think it was. The witch with the green cord trousers was wearing a rather nice fairisle cardigan at one point and it had dropped shoulder sleeves. I'm just not sure that was a thing in the sixties. I would have expected raglan or set in sleeves at that date. I also think I spotted a field with big round bales and I don't think they were around then. Just me being picky!

Since I’ve never read the book, I just enjoyed it for what it was. And I did quite enjoy it. Good ending.

I hope we weren't supposed to understand what was going on.

Thought Rufus was looking slightly less florid tonight, bless him. Lovely neat ears too.

An excellent summary, BlueBelle.

What a load of tripe

Didn't like the book although an AC fan. I will watch for no other reason than Rufus Sewell.

It's a conspiracy!

I'm going to have another look, somehow I missed that. Perhaps I'd nodded off at that point.

A rather odd thing happened towards the end of part one as Mark was walking across the fields to Much Deeping (why didn't he drive?). In one shot the image was reversed so that his shirt buttoned the wrong way and his breast pocket was on the right side of his jacket. Continuity cock-up or the influence of the witches? I think we should be told!

MOnica

No, I realise that it is not a Miss Marple book, this did not stop ITV making a MM version, with Julia McKenzie in the role. Nicholas Parsons played the murdered priest.
I have just googled this info.

Another fan of Joan Hickson here. Loved the way she portrayed herself as a benign doddery old lady, but really was razor sharp, she captured Miss Marple perfectly. Also loved Margaret Rutherford. Somehow, Julia McKenzie and Geraldine McKewan just didn't get it right.

Calendargirl Pale Horse is not a Miss Marple book. Joan Hickson did not appear in it, at least not in the official series she did.

A lot of people have enjoyed this drama, a shame the author is so unsure of herself, that she had to hide her work behind another author's name and title.

Watched this last night. Have never read the book, but have watched a previous tv version where I think Miss Marple was involved, can’t remember if it was Julia McKenzie or Geraldine McKewan, either way it seemed pretty rubbishy.
I rather enjoyed this version, but pleased if it’s only two episodes as otherwise I think it would drag on a bit.