Miss Marple (Margaret Rutherford) and Mr. Stringer (Stringer Davis) are collecting money for The Reformed Criminals Assistance League, and the old lady decides to pay a visit to the stingy Old Enderby (Finlay Currie). They go to his manor and witness him dying frightened to death by a cat. Miss Marple snoops around the house and finds a piece of mud that she keeps with her.

She calls the police and later she reports to Inspector Craddock (Charles Tingwell) that Old Enderly was murdered. However he tells that the Death Certificate states the cause of his death as heart failure and Old Enderby had had a severe heart condition for many years. Miss Marple decides to investigate one of the heirs but she finds her dead in her house with her housemaid Miss Milchrest (Flora Robson). Then she lodges in The Gallop Hotel to investigate who might be the murderer. When her prime suspect is killed, she finds the reason why the assassin is killing the relatives of Old Enderby. Now Miss Marple plots a scheme to catch the killer.

"Murder at the Gallop" is another highly entertaining comedy and mystery with Miss Marple. There are delightful scenes, like Miss Marple telling the Inspector Craddock that he should read Agatha Christe, or Miss Marple dancing Twist with Mr. Stringer. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Sherlock de Saias" ("Sherlock in Skirts")

I really enjoyed the first Miss Marple film starring Margaret Rutherford, "Murder She Said" and was excited when TCM played the next three films in this four film series...and I'll be reviewing all four.

When the film began, I was excited to hear the same cool theme song as was in the original...and it seems it's in all four of the films. Keeping things consistently the same is a smart choice...and the original film was quite nice.

The story begins with Miss Marple and her friend entering a rich old man's house when they find the door ajar. He's at the top of the stairs...struggling and soon falling down the stairs. While the police say his death was an accident, Miss Marple is no dummy and she decides to investigate. When the man's will is read, one of the folks at the reading announces that she is convinced the man was murdered....and soon she is found murdered! It sure would seem like someone is killing in order to gain an inheritance...and they want more than just their share. But which of these folks is a killer??

A clever plot was actually from a Poirot novel by Agatha Christie,...and it wasn't originally from a Marple story. No matter...it's enjoyable, has a nice twist AND features Rutherford's wonderful acting. Well worth seeing...even if you don't like murder mysteries.

While I am a Joan Hickson fan myself when it comes to Miss Marple, I kept hearing about how good Margaret Rutherford was in the role and I knew I had to see her outings. Murder at the Gallop was my first of those outings, and seeing how much I loved it I can't wait for the others and hope they are just as entertaining and compelling as Murder at the Gallop. If there was any complaint I have it was that I felt the film was a little too short. But this is more a personal feeling, and I found nothing else necessarily wrong. The film looks good with lovely film-noir-like photography and splendid period detail, nothing really leapt out at me as dated. The music score adds to Murder at the Gallop's energy and the atmosphere of the story. The screenplay balances suspense, clues, comedy and genuine mystery perfectly, complete with a story that is lively in pace(though some may prefer the slower nature of other Agatha Christie adaptations to match the deliberate pacing of her storytelling) and diverting. It's also very interesting to note that it was actually inspired by the Poirot mystery After the Funeral. It is stylishly directed by George Pollock, while the cast are top notch. Margaret Rutherford's titular role performance is divine and Robert Morley and Flora Robson are equally classy. Overall, entertaining and diverting, can't wait to see the others. 9/10 Bethany Cox