奔马酒店谋杀案[Last Film I Watched] Murder at the Gallop (1963)分集剧情
Title:MurderattheGallopYear:1963Country:UKLanguage:EnglishGenre:Crime,ComedyDirector:GeorgePollockScreenplay:JamesP.CavanaghbasedonthenovelAFTERTHEFUNERALofAgathaChristieMusic:RonGoodwinCinematography:ArthurIbbetsonCast:MargaretRutherfordRobertMorleyFloraRobsonCharles‘Bud’TingwellRobertUrquhartKatyaDouglasJamesVilliersStringerDavisDuncanLamontFinlayCurrieFrankAtkinsonRating:5.9/10OneofthequartetofDameMargaretRutherford’sbelovedMissJaneMarplevehicles,afterMURDER,SHESAID(1961)andpriortoMURDERMOSTFOULandMURDERAHOY!bothin1964,alldirectedbyGeorgePollock.Itisawell-concoctedpotboilerderivedfromAgathaChristie’snovel,anddownplaysthesupposedlygrislymurdersforlightheartedlaughter,anelderlyrecluseMr.Enderbysuccumbstoaheartattackbythesuddenappearanceofacat(logicallyoutofhispathologicalphobiaofcaninekind),andbeforesoonhiscat-loving,estrangedsisterismurderedbyahatpin(notasingledropofbloodisrevealed),then,afinaloneactuallyhappensinsidethetitularGallopHotel,whichisthemainlocationandconspicuouslyonlypeopledwiththosewhoareembroiledinthemurdercases,MissMarple’sprimesuspectisbeingtrampledtodeathbyaskittishhorse.Butnothingcanrufflethejoviality,therestillwillbeaballthenextday,organizedbyHectorEnderby(Morley),thenephewofthelateMr.EnderbyandtheproprietoroftheGallopHotel,alsoacourtlysuitorofMissMarple.Therearetheusualsuspectsandredherrings,allthosesuspicious-looking,cagey-talkingandalibi-lightonesareusuallysafeifheorshedoesn’tmakethecutofthecasualtiesafterall,theruleofthumbisthattheculpritisalwaystheleastexpectedamongthem,andthatisthecasehere,whichdeadensthethrillofsurprisewhenitpunctuallyarrivesinanot-so-smartset-up(theclueisacertainOscar-nomineeisputtingonaJanus-facedcamouflagewithanimprobablefinalattempt).Forallitsslipshodmurderschemesandlaxexecutions(tosaytheveryleast),thefilmseemstobemoreateasywhencasualgentilityarefloatingaroundasapledgeofitscongenitalchauvinism,sometimespunctuatedbyparochialjibes(e.g.Frenchpeopleandartistwillnotbetoopleased),andleavesthatstenchofinsularsnobberywithoutconsiderablediscretion,oftenmarringmanyavintageUKproductions.Thereisnothingwrongwithjokes,butpleasedon’tbecrudeandgarnishthemwithsomescintillaofwisdomandbenevolence.ItgoeswithoutsayingthatMs.Rutherfordissprightly,implacable,drollbutalsopleasantlyofficious(moreable-bodiedthanAngelaLansburyinTHEMIRRORCRACK’D)inhermostrememberedscreenpersona,seldomhavewethepleasuretowatchaseptuagenarianladybecomethecockofthewalkandhavehersayandrebuffarebarbativesnob’scourtshipwithasharp-tonguedreparteeandallowmetoaddafinalverdict:"wedon’tlikebloodsportneitherandindeeditisanarrowescapebutforhersakeonly!”referentialpoints:GuyHamilton’sTHEMIRRORCRACK’D(1980,6.2/10),EVILUNDERTHESUN(1982,7.1/10);SidneyLumet’sMURDERONTHEORIENTEXPRESS(1974,8.8/10);JohnGuillermin’sDEATHONTHENILE(1978,7.2/10);BillyWilder’sWITNESSFORTHEPROSECUTION(1957,8.5/10).
