Miss Marple: 4.50 from Paddington

Announcing the departure of the 4.33 to Brackhampton from Platform 4,

stopping at all stations to Brackhampton.

What are you saying to me, young man?

THAT'S the fast train, the 4.33.

Yes, Madam, but it doesn't go as far as Milchester.

Where do you want?

Milchester for St Mary Mead. You want the 4.50 to Milchester.

You'll overtake that one before you get to Brackhampton.

Unless you want to wait there for the 5.50.

Thank you, young man(!)

The 4.33 stopping at all stations to Brackhampton

is about to depart from Platform 4.

Hello.

The 4.50 to Dilmouth stopping at Brackhampton, Milchester and Roxeter

will leave from Platform 5.

The 4.50 to Dilmouth - Platform 5.

"Second Piano Concerto" by Rachmaninov

It's all right, Mary. I'll go. I think it must be Mrs McGillicuddy at last.

Yes, Miss Marple, ma'am.

Elspeth, my dear, there you are!

My dear...! What is it?

Jane... Jane, I've just seen a woman killed!

They didn't believe a word I said at the railway station.

And the constable I found, WHEN I found him,

seemed to think I had bats in the belfry.

My, I was cross. But he looked about 12 years old.

And I don't like being cross with other people's children.

You DO believe me, Jane?

Of course I believe you, Elspeth.

Thank you, Inch.

Yes. Yes.

Yes, ladies?

Could I speak to Detective Inspector Slack?

Yes...

Old Ramage will give him five years. - Good morning, Inspector.

I've come to report a murder.

This time the old cockroach has definitely blown a head-gasket.

Hasn't she?

I dare say.

Our blokes have been over that train with a tooth-comb.

They searched the track from Brackhampton to Haleford.

All hospitals, missing persons.

Two days - nothing. No body, no murder.

But of course you must go on searching, Inspector.

You might say that Mrs McGillicuddy is not a sophisticated person,

but she has both feet on the ground. She saw what she saw.

Full enquiries have been instituted

on the basis of the defective information you furnished

because you are respected in the County.

That's all we can do.

But Inspector...

May I remind you that there is an offence called Wasting Police Time?

I can see how irritating it must be for you so I'll ignore that remark.

After all, we may both be involved in this at a later date,

when one of us is clever enough to find the body.

Good morning, Miss Marple!

Will you help me with this, Mrs Brogan?

I will do my best.

Amy Kidder! - Yes?

Does she still work for the Crackenthorpes?

Yes.

Most interesting. Yes.

Yes? - Yes. Now then.

These little pictures - do you know a cutting from an embankment?

Now, where would that be?

Well, just here, the edge of Rutherford Hall Park.

Let me see, five minutes to Brackhampton.

Now, it's near here.

There! See? That's the only place it could have fallen clear.

What's that place, Jane? - Rutherford Hall.

Not one of our old families, Victorian millionaires.

Remember "Crackenthorpe's Fancies"? Silly name for biscuits.

I do. I had no taste for them myself.

I don't believe I ever tried one.

Do they still live there?

Pardon? - The Crackenthorpes.

The son, Luther Crackenthorpe, lives there.

A bit valetudinarian. His daughter looks after him.

But how one... Well, it's impossible...

One can hardly... Well, it wouldn't do, would it?

If the body was flung off the train at the place we think it was,

we could hardly knock at the door and ask to look for it, could we?

No.

No, I can see what you mean.

Jane?

Golf! Of course, golf balls.

Lucy!

Lucy Eyelesbarrow!

Lucy looked after me when I was recovering from pneumonia.

I couldn't afford her myself. Dear Raymond engaged her for me.

All the best people have heard of her nowadays.

Lucy!

Lucy, I want you to find a body.

I would have put you off, Miss Marple.

My holidays are sacrosanct, but this sounds fascinating.

One young woman has been murdered already.

I can look after myself. Do they need someone at the moment?

My dear, they ALWAYS need someone.

Mr Crackenthorpe is very difficult. Staff don't stay.

His daughter is always on the look-out for someone.

The Crackenthorpes are registered with the Brackhampton Bureau.

Amy Kidder, their cook-housekeeper, lives near St Mary Mead.

Mrs Kidder is not very efficient and she knows it.

That's why she puts up with it.

But...

I know what you're going to say.

Why should anyone like you want to work there?

I have an idea about that.

Elspeth!

Elspeth, Lucy has the job.

Good! Excellent.

It seems like a bad dream now, as if it happened to somebody else.

It did happen. Pity you have to go back to Scotland.

Should I stay? - Yes, you must go.

If anything happens I'll make sure you're told.

When does Lucy start?

Today.

Elspeth, you know, we're getting old.

Thank heavens for Lucy Eyelesbarrow!

She's a very interesting girl,

from a formidably intellectual family.

all her brothers and sisters are Oxford Fellows and Doctors of this and that.

Lucy became a housekeeper, a very exclusive freelance housekeeper.

She's better off than any of them.

Wives can say to their husbands,

"Darling, I can go to America with you.

I have Lucy Eyelesbarrow."

Miss Eylesbarrow?

Hello.

I'm Emma Crackenthorpe. Welcome to Rutherford Hall.

I DO hope you had a good journey.

Will this do?

It's absolutely charming. Thank you for the flowers.

I like these paintings.

They're my brother's. I mean, he painted them.

Really?

He's gone abstract now, like most of them.

Is the room all right? - Lovely.

I wouldn't have dreamt of putting you on the top floor.

But I didn't know what you were used to.

Emma! Come here, girl!

That's my father.

Would you mind meeting him?

This is the new girl, is it?

Come over here. Let me see you.

How do you do, Mr Crackenthorpe?

We've heard you were expensive. What's my daughter paying you?

Father!

I wanted to be near my aunt who isn't very well.

So I accepted your terms.

We're not a charity. You'll have to work.

Father, please don't!

I'm expensive because I'm not afraid of work.

I'm glad to hear it.

Just because we live in a big house, doesn't mean that we're rich.

We live here because my father built it. Understood?

Yes.

And no high-faluting ideas.

The only way I'd get rich is to sell up and I'm not doing it.

The way I leave, will be feet first.

Why did you choose us?

There must be other places in this area.

I like to practise my golf shots. No-one else had enough space.

...If you don't mind my practising?

Of course not.

We've enough space.

What this place would be worth as building land!

Right, I've seen enough of you, young lady.

No extravagance.

Where's that FOOL of a doctor?

I'm afraid Father's very mean.

He gets cross that he's not allowed to touch grandfather's money.

He couldn't sell up, as he puts it, even if he wanted to.

He even uses our local NHS GP.

Dr Quimper is the best in town and he does refuse to have private patients...

Why does he?

He's really committed to the NHS.

What a splendid write-up, Emma!

How do you do?

Lucy Eyelesbarrow. John Quimper.

How do you do? - I'm here to help out.

Yes, Emma told me.

Mind you stand up to Luther, or he'll bully you.

She does. - Good.

How is Luther today? - Usual self.

Excuse me.

Come on. I'd better show you the kitchen.

Wouldn't you rather...

No, no. We must get on. Too much to do.

Lord! I quite forgot! - What is it?

I forgot to tell you about the invasion. The family come.

I mean my brothers. They have to, to grandfather's birthday.

And my nephew, Alexander, and his chum, for their half-terms,

and his father, my brother-in-law.

That's all right.

It's not what you expected.

I'll look forward to it.

Really?

They come for grandfather's birthday.

They are obliged to, under the terms of his will.