Murder Most Foul

What's all this here?

You may choose, members of the jury...

...to believe the prisoner...

...that, returning from a walk...

...he found the hanging Mrs. McGinty...

...and was about to release the rope...

...when Police Constable Wells...

...appeared on the scene.

On the other hand...

...you may think the accused intended to cover...

...manual strangulation...

...of Mrs. McGinty...

...for motives of greed...

...with clumsy attempts to make his mean crime...

...appear to be suicide.

Madam...

...either you will have to cease knitting...

...or I will have to cease judging. Which shall it be?

It helps me to concentrate, milord.

It does not help me, madam.

Very well.

Thank you, madam.

Yes.

If what I have just said is the truth of the matter...

...then the prisoner was delayed in the execution...

...of his evil subterfuge...

...by the desperate fight of his victim.

Those scattered banknotes...

...that pathetic crushed rose...

...torn from her breast.

He was delayed, I say...

...long enough for the timely intervention...

...of the alert Police Constable Wells.

Summing up for a conviction, inspector.

- You may further think that the accused... - Stand you a beer afterwards, Wells.

- Thank you, inspector. ...had every opportunity of knowing...

...the unfortunate widow kept her life savings there...

...instead of in the bank...

...and that Harold Taylor was bent on...

...securing her meager fortune.

If the facts as presented to you...

...admit of any reasonable doubt...

...then the accused is entitled to the benefit of that doubt.

But, members of the jury...

...if you have been convinced by the evidence...

...beyond all reasonable doubt...

...that the accused committed this heinous crime...

...then it is your solemn duty...

...to return a verdict of guilty.

You will retire...

...and consider your verdict.

Might just have time for that quick beer before they come back, Wells.

There's absolutely no doubt in my mind he's guilty.

He was caught red-handed by the policeman.

Prisoner at the bar, have you anything to say before l...?

Not yet, milord.

The jury is still out.

Surely the time is more appropriate...

...for a very dry martini, Johnson.

Very good, milord.

- Not more tea? - No. They're coming back.

Members of the jury...

...are you agreed upon your verdict?

No, sir.

What did you say?

We're not able to reach an agreement, milord.

Silence. I will not have my court...

...turned into a bear garden.

I suggest you retire for a further period.

I'm afraid it would be a waste of time, milord.

I see.

Very well.

There will be a retrial at a later date.

Jury dismissed.

If ever there was an open-and-shut case, this was it.

One member of that jury was being deliberately perverse.

Many more than one, inspector, I assure you.

Eleven, to be precise.

That woman's made a mockery of my one and only murder.

No, no, no, Mr. Swanbridge.

You mustn't turn your back on the audience.

I want them to see the look of surprise on your face.

Allow me.

Just once more, Miss Rusty, please.

Right.

Our lady president.

Carry on, please.

Try again.

And do please try harder, Mr. Swanbridge.

My arm's getting awfully tired.

A little rough at the moment, Miss Marple. But I'm confident...

...it'll be all right on the night. - Of course.

- Tea? - No, thank you.

- Well, you found him guilty, of course? - They did.

I did not.

But, Miss Marple, surely...

You recall our production in aid of the church organ renovation fund...

... The Lodger's Dilemma? - Unforgettable.

Well, you'll remember, Mr. Stringer, that the victim in that play...

...wore a rose to receive her paramour.

He murdered her, the lodger was blamed.

Exactly. Mrs. McGinty wore a rose...

...on the fatal night.

Would it have been to receive her lodger...

...when we have no evidence of any dalliance between them?

Oh, I hardly think so.

Then she wore it for someone else.

- Her murderer, you think? - I do.

Excuse me, Mr. Stringer...

...I'm sorry, but he still keeps turning away. What can I do?

We'll have to recast him.

I know. Ask the vicar if he'll be kind enough to have a try.

Yes.

Miss Marple, if what you say is so...

...then an innocent man's life may be at stake. What can be done?

Well, we can begin by inquiring rather more closely into the private life...

...of Mrs. McGinty than the police have seen fit to do.

Yes, but how?

By returning to the scene of the crime, as it were.

Oh, very good, vicar.

Excellent. Excellent!

Mr. Stringer.

If our plan works, you're sure you know your part?

Oh, yes. I think so.

Down. Down. You may be observed.

- Yes? - I'm collecting...

No.

I'm collecting jumble for the church bazaar.

You're a Christian, surely?

I should hope so.

- Well, then. - Oh, well, if it's jumble for the church...

...there's plenty here. Come in. - Oh, thank you.

Got all her stuff here, you know. You've heard of my sister, of course.

Yes, the poor lady.

I always thought she'd come to a bad end.

One of those theatricals, you know.

Really? I thought she was a barmaid.

Oh, yes, but she used to be on the stage.

Did it in there, you know, with his bare hands.

Gloved ones.

Well, it comes to the same thing in the end. This way.

She was always sticking her neck out, that one.

She did leave you her cottage, I believe?

Didn't have time to arrange her will, did she?

No, it would seem not.

Still, I mustn't decry her. My own sister.

Blood's thicker than water, I suppose.

Here's all her stuff. Nothing of value.

Probably got it from a jumble sale herself.

She used to swear these rat-tails was mink.

And look at this coat. I wouldn't be seen dead in it.

Can't imagine why she dressed in these rags when she had all that money.

A real little slut she was.

I remember when she was a kid, always wanted to be an actress.

An actress, I ask you.

Mean she was, you know, me...

A little touch of rheumatism.

I find this beneficial.

- Really? - Yes.

You should try rubbing linseed into the joints. Makes a new woman of me.

I'll bear that in mind. Thank you very much.

That'll be the insurance man. Paying out, you know.

They don't like it when the unforeseen does occur.

Persistence, Mr. Stringer, persistence. Foot in door.

Well, I hope you've brought it in cash.

- Brought what, madam? - Oh, come on, come on, now.

I don't want the same trouble as when my John passed away.

- I don't understand. - Well, you are from the insurance...

...aren't you? - Oh, no, madam. No.

I was hoping to interest you in improving your mind.

I was wondering if you'd allow me to show you...

...the new Wonder Book.

Do.

Come in, Mr... Come in.

Murder She Said, Murder She Said...

... Murder She Said.

And as you can see, the section on our feathered friends is most comprehensive.

Everything from an albatross to a shrike.

- A what? - A shrike.

So named for its incessant chatter and predatory instincts.

It has a habit of impaling its prey.

How interesting.

Look, I've got an old woman upstairs. I'll just get rid of her.

- And then we'll have a cup of tea. - Please don't, I can't trespass...

...on your generosity like that.

Oh, dear. Poor Mr. Stringer.

Fancy me mistaking you for the insurance man.

- You're much too nice. - Really?

Well, of course you are. Now I come to think of it, you don't...

...really look like a salesman, do you? - Don't I?

No. So you're a bachelor, Mr. Stringer?

- Yes. - Oh, I can always tell.

And I'm a widow.

I'd never have believed it.

- How do you do? - Oh, I see you've got what you wanted.

Yes, thank you. Perhaps the gentleman would care to help me...

...with these into the trap. - Oh, yes, indeed.

- Thank you. - I'll leave you the book, Mrs. Thomas.

Brood on it, will you. Brood on it.

What about the tea?