Claudio C
The Mirror Crack'd (1980)
A Dream Cast in a Good Mystery Film
(11,638 - 23 Apr 2025 - by Claudio Carvalho)
In 1953, in St. Mary Mead where Miss Jane Marple (Angela Lansbury) lives, the English village is celebrating the arrival of an American company that will make a movie about Elizabeth I. Director Jason Rudd (Rock Hudson), his famous beloved wife and lead actress Marina Rudd (Elizabeth Taylor) and his efficient secretary Ella Zielinsky (Geraldine Chaplin) are the first to arrive and they organize a reception for the most influential residents. Out of the blue, producer Martin N. Fenn (Tony Curtis) and his wife and Marina’s rival Lola Brewster (Kim Novak), who will be supporting actress in the movie, arrive in the reception. Marina is talking to her fan Heather Babcock (Maureen Bennett), who tells her that saw her presentation to the American troops during World War II, kissed her and received an autograph from Marina. When Marina stumbles into Heather’s drink, she gives hers to the fan. A few minutes later, Heather falls dead, Scotland Yard Inspector Craddock (Edward Fox), who is Miss Marple’s nephew, is assigned to investigate the murder. Missa Marple and Craddock discuss the complex case, until Miss Marple resolves what happened.
“The Mirror Crack'd” (1980) is a mystery film with a cast with names such as Angela Lansbury, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, Geraldine Chaplin and Kim Novak among others. Maybe this is the reason that the “professional” critics did not give good ratings for this movie. However, it is a good story, with many details that Miss Marple has observed in her final conclusion. The conclusion is great and demands attention from the viewer. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): “A Maldição do Espelho” (“The Curse of the Mirror”)
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Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
04/24/25
Full Review
Grant C
Dreadful daytime-style movie. Typical of the 1980 genre. Avoid
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
12/29/24
Full Review
Ben W
No option to delete my review. Put the stars in the middle. sorry. Today was a Sunday 16.2.25ce
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/16/25
Full Review
Roy H
It seemed more like a cheap daytime 온라인카지노추천 drama than a film with a star studded cast .
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
10/12/24
Full Review
Audience Member
The Mirror Crack'd (1980) is a nice take on an Agatha Christie classic. The star-studded cast, which includes Angela Lansbury, Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Kim Novak, and Tony Curtis, really helps elevate the material. The acting performances are easily the highlight of the film, and the chemistry between the actors is palpable. The screenplay is also very sharp, and the exchanges between Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak in particular are highly entertaining. It is a delight to see these screen legends on a little film such as this.
But the movie's directorial choices are puzzling. If you're not familiar with the book, the mystery is pretty easy to solve because the director gives away the game early on. For those of us who know the story, the ending isn't much of a reveal. I think the film would have been much more suspenseful and satisfying if the clues had been presented more subtly.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
07/18/24
Full Review
Jeff M
If memory serves, I believe this is the first cinematic Agatha Christie adaptation that I have not been able to recommend. With Lansbury as Marple, the whole enterprise inevitably feels a bit like a MURDER, SHE WROTE audition. The trouble is that Marple is basically a supporting character here, relying on her nephew to do the back work while she is at home nursing a sprained leg. This easily could have been re-written with Marple completely eliminated. The whole thing feels a little automatic pilot - there's not a lot of life to the film. And there's no sense of fun and joy. I hate to repeat myself, but it indeed feels like an exceptionally cast episode of MURDER, SHE WROTE. And what a cast it is! The most fun, by far, is watching Taylor and Kim Novak as two vain actresses who despise one another - their barbs back and forth are the film's saving grace, although Novak's performance feels a bit cartoonish at times. It's a bittersweet joy to watch Taylor and Hudson together nearly 25 years after GIANT and a mere 5 years before Hudson's tragic death. Also, keen viewers may notice an extremely brief, maybe 15 second wordless appearance by a very young Pierce Brosnan. It's a shame that such an amazing cast, which also includes Tony Curtis and Geraldine Chaplin, are treated as though they're guest stars on THE LOVE BOAT. It's worth a peek for the sheer caliber of the thespians involved, but other than that, it's not a memorable experience.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/17/24
Full Review
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