Movie Review: The Mirror Crack'd (1980)

Genre: Crime Mystery  

Director: Guy Hamilton  

Starring: Angela Lansbury, Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Tony Curtis, Edward Fox, Geraldine Chaplin  
Running Time: 105 minutes  

Synopsis: It's 1953 in rural England. American film director Jason Rudd (Rock Hudson) is in town to prepare for his next movie, featuring a big comeback role for his troubled wife Marina (Elizabeth Taylor). Marty Fenn (Tony Curtis) is the producer, and his wife Lola (Kim Novak) is Marina's nemesis. When a local woman is murdered by poison at the estate where Jason and Marina are residing, local woman Jane Marple (Angela Lansbury) and her nephew Inspector Craddock (Edward Fox) investigate.

What Works Well: In her few scenes, Angela Lansbury is a dotty delight, and Rock Hudson brings a welcome sturdiness to the otherwise over-animated cast. The quaint English village setting is idyllic, while Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak exchange sharp barbs as lifelong rival actresses not afraid to wish each other the worst.

What Does Not Work As Well: The murder victim is an annoying nobody, and Miss Marple is sidelined in her own movie, the bland Craddock leading most of the detective work. Taylor, Novak, and Tony Curtis, all near their career twilights, lean towards exaggerated theatricality. Director Guy Hamilton errs on the side of too many red herrings and not enough real clues, but regardless, the murderer is not hard to guess. This is a weaker Agatha Christie story (despite being based on an actual tragedy that befell actress Gene Tierney), and translates to a limp cinematic effort.

Key Quote:

Lola (to Marina): And I'm so glad to see that you've not only kept your GORGEOUS figure, but you've added SO MUCH to it!

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