Lesbian Love in "Miss Marple"

Some remarkably candid clips from "A Murder Is Announced" (1985), an adaptation from the novel with the same name by Agatha Christie.
Miss Hinchcliffe and Miss Murgatroyd are two characters living together on a small farm. Even though there's never any mention of them having a love relationship, between the lines it's quite clear.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• miss
• marple
• lesbian
• love
• glbt
• emancipation
• feminism
• women
• farm

[NotDinsdale]

Although you're obviously free to interpret this relationship in any way you choose, there is no definitive scene that shows that these two are a couple. Nothing at all in the book, either. You might just as easily conclude that Holmes and Watson or Rosemary & Thyme were romantically involved.

[BurtBenz]

@NotDinsdale It's, however, implied. In the novel, Ms Hinchcliffe is described as looking and acting quite "manly", alluding to the stereotype of the "butch" lesbian. Many people have noted that the friendship of these ladies is different from, say, Ms Blacklock and Ms Bunner's (also living together). Hinchcliffe's fierceness, her overt disfavor of men and her passionate affection for Murgatroyd all seem to give it away.

[BurtBenz]

@BurtBenz In the scenes, the tender glances they share, and, later on, the anger and rage Hinchcliffe shows when she faces Murgatroyd's murderer, are very telling.

[DrLux]

I dont think that "between the lines it's quite clear". Its love of course but its obviously not a "love relationship" in the "lesbian" way. Maybe just if you have a pre-oriented mind to judge. :)

[BurtBenz]

@DrLux Who's judging?

[smegaroon14]

It's a nice change to see a believable, realistic lesbian couple, instead of the men's fantasy lesbians that we normally get on television.

[ave027]

A very touching few scenes. This movie is one of the best Miss Marples and the relationship between Hinch and Murgatroyd only enhances it. Wonderfully enough, they have a better relationship than any of the other couples in the story. Thank you so much for putting this up.

[Connie154]

It appears the movie producers want people to see lesbian behavior that is not in the written stories. They did this in the Body in the Library. It you see the Body in the Library with Geraldine McEwan this lesbian stuff is written in, it is not in the one with Joan Hickson, I think the produces put in what they want us to view as something Agatha Christie wrote. This lesbian stuff is not in her stories.

[felixunger1971]

It's true...I read the book when I was about 13, and I knew it even then! Both actresses are fantastic, the living embodiment of the characters they portray!

[KrillLiberator]

@Rasse992 Yes, I loved these BBC Miss Marple adaptations for the deliciously dark streak of malice that ran through them. But Murgatroyd's murder always comes across as shockingly horrid and genuinely upsetting to me. If I were the murderer, I just don't think I could've done it. I mean, Bunny's one thing, but Murgatroyd? Hitch's reaction to it seems to bear me out here...

[myrnaloysboy]

Joan Sims - one of the most underated actreeses Britain every produced. She could play anything - even Lesbians!

[bbqliliha]

I didn't think anything of it when I watched it, until this...I thought they were just spinsters....LOL...Love Margaret Rutherford, she kinda reminds me of her, but no one can touch Marg R! .....