August 18 - Nemesis

Today’s movie is a mystery film with a scene that happens on August 18. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

NEMESIS         

Multimillionaire Jason Rafiel, who once helped Jame Marple prevent a murder, dies. Jane Marple reads about it in the newspaper.  The next day August 18, 1955 [6:30 to 6:52] Mr. Rafiel’s lawyers discuss his death. Jane Marple gets a letter from Mr. Rafiel, sent to her by the lawyers. He asks her to undertake an investigation, but provides no hints as to what she is to investigate. Miss Marple is being observed by a young woman. Mr. Rafiel has paid for Miss Marple to go on a Historic Homes and Gardens tour. Miss Marple learns from Elizabeth Temple, a fellow tourist that she taught Verity Hunt, who was engaged to Michael Rafiel, Jason Rafiel’s son. Verity was murdered and Michael was a suspect, but was never tried for the crime. Michael and his father became estranged over this and he has lived as a hobo ever since. Miss Temple tells Miss Marple that Verity Hunt was loved very much. Miss Marple is invited to stay at the Old Manor house by Lavinia Glynn and her two sisters Clothilde and Anthea Bradbury-Scott. They were the guardians of Verity Hunt and Clothilde especially loved Verity very much.  Miss Marple learns that about the same time as Verity’s murder another girl, Nora Brent disappeared in the area. Miss Temple writes a letter to an unknown person. During the tour of Kingsminster Castle an attempt is made to kill Miss Temple.  Miss Marple discovers that Verity Hunt’s grave has a very plain marker.  Miss Temple asks to speak to Miss Marple in the hospital, but dies without revealing very much. When Miss Marple returns to the Bradbury-Scott’s house, she tells them she knows who really killed Verity. Miss Marple does not drink the poisoned milk Clothilde prepared for her. We learn Clothilde was so attached to Verity, she refuse to accept the possibility of her marrying Michael Rafiel and poisoned her to prevent this. Clothilde buried her body under the crumbling greenhouse. She killed and disfigured Nora Brent, then identified her body as Verity’s. When she starts to take  more direct steps to kill Miss Marple, the woman who had been watching Miss Marple and her companion, who are actually bodyguards hired by Mr. Rafiel, emerge and stop her. Miss Marple allows Clothilde to drink the poisoned milk and she dies. Michael Rafiel is found and cleared of all suspicion in Verity’s death.    

Another good Christie who-dun-it yarn. Interesting in that it is quite a while before we (and Miss Marple) find out what the mystery is in this film. A good psychological film. 

At 6:32 the newspaper date is “Thursday, August 18, 1955’.

Director - David Tucker                               

Screenplay – T. R.  Bowen                          

Runtime – 1 hour 42 minutes                       

Released – February 6, 1987                        

Producer – George Gallaccio      

Starring –

Joan Hickson as Miss Jane Marple

Peter Tilbury as Lionel Peel

John Horsley as Professor Wanstead

Margaret Tyzack as Clothilde Bradbury-Scott

Valerie Lush as Lavinia Glynne

Anna Cropper as Anthea Bradbury-Scott

Helen Cherry as Miss Temple

Bruce Payne as Michael Rafiel

Barbara Franceschi as Miss Kurnowitz

Frank Gatliff as Jason Rafiel

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015