Welcome back to our deep-dive on Agatha Christie’s sixth entry in the Miss Marple series, A Pocket Full of Rye. When we left off last week, we discussed features that make this novel unique: Miss Marple’s social engineering, and an increased emphasis on her drive for Justice. Where we’ve previously been treated to Miss Marple’s internal snark, here she has to be more artful with her detection. If you’ve been reading the full series, this works well – because you already know that Miss Marple is quite the observer from earlier novels.
Gladys’s characterization plays a big role here. She (and later, Pat) are the major evidence for Miss Marple’s “human expertise”. Because we see so little of Gladys in the novel, we must rely on Miss Marple’s characterization of her. When Miss Marple portrays her as an innocent, we trust that portrayal, and use it to draw conclusions.
So this week, we will focus on Gladys, and how adapting her character impacts our understanding of Miss Marple. We’ll also take a look at Pat, the “other evidence” of Miss Marple’s human expertise. While these are not the only adaptation differences – they’re the ones that I think most impact our understanding of Miss Marple herself. As usual, the iTV and BBC adaptations take distinct approaches, allowing us to learn more about both adaptation and writing.
Gladys: martyr or mess?
Let’s start with Gladys, who’s treated very differently between the two adaptations. The iTV version opens with a peaceful scene between Miss Marple and Gladys, establishing them as central characters. This may not be book-accurate, but it effectively highlights Gladys’s importance. When we later see her in the interview with Inspector Neele (Matthew Macfayden, eat your heart out Darcy fans), we know to pay attention even if the interview itself seems trivial. Not only that, but the entire “downstairs” crew has sympathy for Gladys. Miss Dove and the Crumps clearly care about her and are willing to be patient. This version of Gladys is the sacrificial lamb, the symbol of precisely how greedy the murderer is.
The BBC version, in contrast, opens as the book does – with Rex Fortescue’s death – and takes some time to introduce Gladys. When Gladys enters, she’s less sympathetic – she comes off as a mess. Miss Dove and the crumps tend to be frustrated with her, rather than patient . (Even knowing that she was about to be murdered, I found myself irritated with the BBC version of the character.) We never see Miss Marple’s relationship with her in life, and I found myself assuming it was one of pity rather than actual like.
These choices impact our understanding Miss Marple’s motivations. There’s a big difference between avenging a sweet but clumsy ward vs. an irritating, pitiful one. While there’s a sense of justice in both versions, the BBC version carries with it an extra sense of righteousness. The BBC also loses the Gladys plot about halfway through the story, choosing instead to focus on a more glamorous victim – Pat.
Pat: a question of dignity
The two adaptations also diverge in their portrayal of Lance’s aristocratic wife, Pat. If Gladys shows Miss Marple’s eye towards Justice, Pat highlights her instincts for protection (and sympathy). In the novel, Miss Marple chooses not to share her insight into the murder with Pat, focusing instead on simply solving the case. While she shows sympathy towards the younger woman, she chooses in this instance not to protect her. Her inaction – and the lack of narration about the result – clearly demonstrates her priorities.
The iTV portrayal of Pat is that of a mature and dignified woman. She’s been through two husbands, both flawed, and hopes she’s found love at last. As a viewer, I believed she’d be able to get through even tough circumstances – and found myself wanting her to succeed despite everything. There’s also the implication that she suspects that something is wrong – but hopes that she’s misguided – which is much sadder than pure obliviousness. This portrayal heightens the sense of quiet dramatic irony present in the final scenes of the novel. Miss Marple can’t save Pat, even if she’s worth saving.
The BBC version of Pat is a bit less sympathetic, at least in my eyes. She’s a bit flighty, focused on the fun she can have with her new husband. Her lack of reflection and general silliness extend throughout the adaptation – and, in my opinion, make her a less sympathetic version of the character. It’s hard to feel bad for someone who seems to have learned no lessons from her past. Only a highly dramatic (and highly invented) conclusion forced me to feel sympathy for the character. And with this version of Pat, it’s hard to feel that Miss Marple gives up much by focusing on the investigation at all costs. Pat may be collateral damage, but some part of the blame lies in her obliviousness.
Decisions, decisions
This leaves us with two versions of Miss Marple. The iTV version operates on kindness and love for Gladys. While in the end she prioritizes justice, it’s not without difficulty that she leaves Pat behind. The BBC version, however, seems to operate more on logical principles. Not only that – her choice regarding Pat is easier given the character’s general silliness. And so we have two Marples – the kind one, making tough choices; and the more stubborn idealist, who avoids directly causing damage.
Reasonable minds may differ as to which version they prefer, but they are very different characters and very different stories. From an adaptation lens, it’s a good reminder how much a seemingly small shift in focus can reflect so greatly on the main character. All it takes is a slightly kinder portrayal of the victim and a more dignified Pat to lend a sense of gravity to the main character’s choices. And conversely, playing up small character dramas can ironically create a less tense ending.
If I had to place a guess, I’d say that iTV started with the quiet tragedy in mind; and that the BBC focused on upping the drama. And while the BBC version certainly shocked me, it was iTV Pat who stuck with me – and who honored the spirit of the book best. Even though iTV was a little looser in pure adaptation accuracy, I found the spirit of Miss Marple better reflected in this tenser, sadder iteration. Adaptation is about more than pure plot moments – it’s the tone that set these two apart.
And just like that, we’re halfway through the series! We will be back soon with even more Marple (though I’m at a kind of educational retreat for a few weeks, so you may see my posting slow down a bit).
Until next time, stay cozy, and stay curious!
