4.50 from Paddington
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''4.50 from Paddington'' is a
detective fiction Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as s ...
novel by
Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
, first published in November 1957 by Collins Crime Club. This work was published in the United States at the same time as ''What Mrs McGillicuddy Saw!'', by Dodd, Mead. The novel was published in serial form before the book was released in each nation, and under different titles. The US edition retailed at $2.95. Reviewers at the time of publication generally liked the novel, but would have liked more direct involvement of
Miss Marple Miss Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Jane Marple lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterized as an elderly spinster, she is one of Chr ...
, and less consideration of her failing strength, using others to act for her. A later review by Barnard found the story short on clues, but favourably noted Lucy Eyelesbarrow as an independent woman character. The 1961 film '' Murder, She Said'' was based on this novel as were several television programmes.


Plot summary

Mrs Elspeth McGillicuddy is on her way from a shopping expedition to visit her old friend Jane Marple for Christmas. Her train passes another train running parallel and in the same direction as her train. A blind in a compartment on the other train flies up, and she sees a man with his back to her strangling a woman. She reports it to a sceptical ticket collector who passes the report for investigation. When arriving at Miss Marple's cottage, she tells her everything. Mrs McGillicuddy describes the dying woman as having blonde hair and wearing a fur coat and the man as tall and dark, though she saw only his back. Miss Marple believes her story, knowing her friend to be trustworthy in description. With no report of a body found in the next day's news, Miss Marple sets out to determine where the body is. With a good map and several rides by train to feel the effect of a sharp curve on standing passengers, she determines that the body is probably in the grounds of Rutherford Hall. Miss Marple sends Lucy Eyelesbarrow, a young professional cook and housekeeper of her acquaintance, to work at Rutherford Hall and find the body. Luther Crackenthorpe is a semi-invalid widower who lives at Rutherford Hall with his daughter Emma. Luther's father, not liking his son, wrote a will which left his property for his eldest grandson. Luther receives the income for life. After Luther's death, the capital is to be divided equally among Luther's surviving children, not unlike a
tontine A tontine () is an investment linked to a living person which provides an income for as long as that person is alive. Such schemes originated as plans for governments to raise capital in the 17th century and became relatively widespread in the 18 ...
pension. The share of cash due to the living children rises as each sibling dies before their father. Edmund, the firstborn son, died during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Youngest daughter Edith ("Edie"), died four years before the novel begins, leaving a son, Alexander. The remaining children are Cedric, an
Ibiza Ibiza (natively and officially in ca, Eivissa, ) is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is from the city of Valencia. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, in Spain. Its l ...
-based bohemian painter; Harold, a married businessman in the City of London; Alfred, who engages in shady business dealings; and Emma. Others at the family home include Alexander's father Bryan Eastley, and Alexander's school friend James Stoddart-West. Another character is local physician Dr Quimper, who looks after Luther and is in love with Emma. Lucy uses golf practice as a cover for searching the grounds. She discovers fur from a woman's coat caught on a bush. Then she finds a cheap
compact Compact as used in politics may refer broadly to a pact or treaty; in more specific cases it may refer to: * Interstate compact * Blood compact, an ancient ritual of the Philippines * Compact government, a type of colonial rule utilized in British ...
. Lucy takes these to Miss Marple, who believes the murderer knew all about Rutherford Hall, and had removed the body from the embankment where it had fallen away from the railway, driven a car outside the grounds at night and hidden the body. Lucy finds the woman's body hidden in a
sarcophagus A sarcophagus (plural sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a box-like funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek ...
in the old stables containing Luther's collection of dubious antiques. Who was she? The police, led by Inspector Craddock, identify the victim's clothing as purchased in Paris. Emma tells the police of two letters, one from her brother Edmund written shortly before his death in the retreat to
Dunkirk Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in tradit ...
made by Lucy on the fateful day is found to contain
arsenic Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As and atomic number 33. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in combination with sulfur and metals, but also as a pure elemental crystal. Arsenic is a metalloid. It has various allotropes, but ...
. Some days later, Harold, after returning home to London, receives a delivery of tablets from Dr Quimper, who had told him not to take more, yet sends him more. Harold takes them; they are poisoned with
aconitine Aconitine is an alkaloid toxin produced by various plant species belonging to the genus '' Aconitum'' (family Ranunculaceae), known also commonly by the names wolfsbane and monkshood. Monkshood is notorious for its toxic properties. Aconitine is ...
, and he dies whilst being watched taking the tablets by Lady Alice, his wife. Lucy arranges an afternoon-tea visit to Rutherford Hall for Miss Marple and Mrs McGillicuddy. Miss Marple instructs Mrs McGillicuddy to ask to use the lavatory as soon as they arrive. Miss Marple is eating a fish-paste sandwich when she begins to choke on a fish bone. Dr Quimper moves to assist her. Mrs McGillicuddy enters the room at that moment, sees the doctor's hands at Miss Marple's throat, and cries out, "But that's him – that's the man on the train!" Miss Marple realised that her friend would recognise the real murderer if she saw him again in a similar pose. The dead woman was Quimper's wife, who would not divorce him, so he killed her to be free to marry Emma. After the Quimpers separated, she had joined a ballet troupe as Anna Stravinska. Quimper's scheme grew to killing Emma's brothers Alfred and Harold, so that the inheritance need not be shared. He poisoned the
cocktail A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as tonic water, fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely across ...
jug, not the dinner, and added arsenic to the sample of curry he took before he gave it in for testing. He added a second dose of arsenic to Alfred's tea. He sent the poisoned tablets to Harold, as a prescription from him (which he then claimed was a forgery), explaining their deaths. Miss Marple then tells Mrs McGillicuddy and Inspector Craddock that Luther Crackenthorpe may die soon, that Emma will get over the doctor, and that there will be wedding bells for Lucy – though she refuses to be drawn on the identity of the groom (as mentioned in 'Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks', it was at one time intended to be Cedric, although, since Agatha Christie sometimes changed details in the final version from those sketched out in her notebooks, this is not necessarily her final intention).


Characters

*
Miss Marple Miss Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Jane Marple lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterized as an elderly spinster, she is one of Chr ...
: detective and protagonist. * Elspeth McGillicuddy: witness to the murder on the train, a friend of Miss Marple. * Lucy Eyelesbarrow: Miss Marple's younger collaborator at the Hall. She is a brilliant scholar, skilled cook and energetic housekeeper with a good reputation and excellent client list. * David West: He works at British Railways and aids Miss Marple in knowing which trains might have passed the one Mrs McGillicuddy rode when she witnessed the murder. He is the second son of Miss Marple's nephew
Raymond West Sir Raymond West (18 September 1832 in County Kerry, Ireland – 8 September 1912) was a barrister King's Inns Dublin 1871, Puisne Judge of the High Court of Bombay, 1873–87; President of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, V ...
. * Luther Crackenthorpe: elderly widower with a life interest in Rutherford Hall, close with money since his own father died. * Cedric Crackenthorpe: Luther's son, a bohemian painter living in Ibiza. As the eldest surviving son, he will inherit Rutherford Hall and surrounding lands when his father dies in addition to his share of the inheritance money. * Harold Crackenthorpe: Luther's son, married businessman in London, with no children. * Lady Alice Crackenthorpe: Harold's wife, daughter of an impoverished earl. * Alfred Crackenthorpe: Luther's son, with no regular employment, on the edge of illegal activities. * Emma Crackenthorpe: Luther's daughter, who lives at home and takes care of him. * Bryan Eastley: widower of Edith Crackenthorpe, Luther's deceased younger daughter. * Alexander Eastley: son of Edith and Bryan, who comes to Rutherford Hall on a school holiday. * James Stoddart-West: school friend of Alexander. * Lady Stoddart-West: mother of James. * Dr Quimper: Luther's general practitioner. * Detective-Inspector Dermot Craddock: godson of Sir Henry Clithering. (Craddock previously was featured in '' A Murder Is Announced'' and Clithering featured in that book and in ''
The Thirteen Problems ''The Thirteen Problems'' is a short story collection by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the UK by Collins Crime Club in June 1932Chris Peers, Ralph Spurrier and Jamie Sturgeon. ''Collins Crime Club – A checklist of First E ...
''.) * Armand Dessin: Inspector at the Paris Prefecture who assists Craddock in the investigation. Specifically, he names a missing person, a good Catholic woman who left her ballet troupe in England, and has not been seen since by those at the Ballet Maritski. * Anna Stravinska: Dancer in the Ballet Maritski in Paris, which toured in England for six weeks before Christmas. She left the troupe in England on December 19. Stage name of Quimper's wife. * Madame Joliet: Director of the Ballet Maritski in Paris.


Title

The UK title ''4.50 from Paddington'', specifies a train time departing in the afternoon from
Paddington station Paddington, also known as London Paddington, is a Central London railway terminus and London Underground station complex, located on Praed Street in the Paddington area. The site has been the London terminus of services provided by the Great We ...
, a major station in central London. In British style, the time is written as 4.50 (in later timetables it would be 16.50). The London railway stations were perhaps not considered well known by the US publisher, and thus the title in the US was changed to ''What Mrs McGillicuddy Saw!'', which also refers to the moment on the train when the murder was seen. Oddly, Mrs. McGillicuddy was on the 4:54 train and the murder took place on the 4:33. There is no reference in the book to a train departing Paddington at 4:50.


Literary significance and reception

Philip John Stead Philip John Stead OBE, FRSL (5 February 1915 – 22 June 2005), was an English criminologist, author, literary critic, translator and poet. After retirement in the United Kingdom, he emigrated to New York and then Massachusetts. Stead was born in ...
's review in ''
The Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication i ...
'' (29 November 1957) concluded that "Miss Christie never harrows her readers, being content to intrigue and amuse them." The novel was reviewed in ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' edition of 5 December 1957, stating, "Mrs Christie's latest is a model detective story; one keeps turning back to verify clues, and not one is irrelevant or unfair." The review concluded, "Perhaps there is a corpse or two too many, but there is never a dull moment." Fellow crime writer
Anthony Berkeley Cox Anthony Berkeley Cox (5 July 1893 – 9 March 1971) was an English crime writer. He wrote under several pen-names, including Francis Iles, Anthony Berkeley and A. Monmouth Platts. Early life and education Anthony Berkeley Cox was born 5 July ...
, writing under the
pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...
of Francis Iles, reviewed the novel in the 6 December 1957 issue of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', in which he confessed to being disappointed with the work: "I have only pity for those poor souls who cannot enjoy the sprightly stories of Agatha Christie; but though sprightliness is not the least of this remarkable writer's qualities, there is another that we look for in her, and that is detection: genuine, steady, logical detection, taking us step by step nearer to the heart of the mystery. Unfortunately it is that quality that is missing in ''4.50 from Paddington''. The police never seem to find out a single thing, and even Miss Marples (
sic The Latin adverb ''sic'' (; "thus", "just as"; in full: , "thus was it written") inserted after a quoted word or passage indicates that the quoted matter has been transcribed or translated exactly as found in the source text, complete with any e ...
) lies low and says nuffin' to the point until the final dramatic exposure. There is the usual small gallery of interesting and perfectly credible characters and nothing could be easier to read. But please, Mrs Christie, a little more of that incomparable detection next time."
Robert Barnard Robert Barnard (23 November 1936 – 19 September 2013) was an English crime writer, critic and lecturer. In addition to over 40 books published under his own name, he also published four books under the pseudonym Bernard Bastable. Life and work ...
said of this novel that it was "Another locomotive one – murder seen as two trains pass each other in the same direction. Later settles down into a good old family murder. Contains one of Christie's few sympathetic independent women. Miss Marple apparently solves the crime by divine guidance, for there is very little in the way of clues or logical deduction."


Publication history

* 1957, Collins Crime Club (London), 4 November 1957, Hardcover, 256 pp. * 1957, Dodd Mead and Company (New York), November 1957, Hardcover, 192 pp. * 1958,
Pocket Books Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books. History Pocket Books produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in the United States in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing in ...
(New York), Paperback, 185 pp. * 1960, Fontana Books (Imprint of
HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Cor ...
), Paperback, 190 pp. * 1965, Ulverscroft
Large-print Large-print (also large-type or large-font) refers to the formatting of a book or other text document in which the typeface (or font) are considerably larger than usual to accommodate people who have low vision. Frequently the medium is also increa ...
Edition, Hardcover, 391 pp. * 1974,
Pan Books Pan Books is a publishing imprint that first became active in the 1940s and is now part of the British-based Macmillan Publishers, owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group of Germany. Pan Books began as an independent publisher, est ...
, Paperback, 220 pp. * 2006, Marple Facsimile edition (Facsimile of 1962 UK first edition), 3 January 2006, Hardcover, In the UK the novel was first serialised in the weekly magazine ''
John Bull John Bull is a national personification of the United Kingdom in general and England in particular, especially in political cartoons and similar graphic works. He is usually depicted as a stout, middle-aged, country-dwelling, jolly and matter- ...
'' in five abridged instalments from 5 October (volume 102 number 2675) to 2 November 1957 (volume 102 number 2679) with illustrations by K. J. Petts. The novel was first serialised in the US in the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' in thirty six instalments from Sunday 27 October to Saturday 7 December 1957 under title ''Eyewitness to Death''. The novel was published in the US under the title ''What Mrs McGillicuddy Saw!'' by Dodd Mead and Co. The UK version was to be titled ''4.54 from Paddington'' until the last minute, when the title and text references were changed to ''4.50 from Paddington''. This change was not communicated to Dodd Mead until after the book was being printed, so the text references to the time show 4:54 rather than 4:50. An abridged version of the novel was also published in the 28 December 1957 issue of the ''Star Weekly Complete Novel'', a Toronto newspaper supplement, under the title ''Eye Witness to Death'' with a cover illustration by Maxine McCaffrey.


Adaptations


Film in 1961

The book was made into a 1961 film starring
Margaret Rutherford Dame Margaret Taylor Rutherford, (11 May 1892 – 22 May 1972) was an English actress of stage, television and film. She came to national attention following World War II in the film adaptations of Noël Coward's '' Blithe Spirit'', and Osca ...
in the first of her four appearances as Miss Marple. This was the first Miss Marple film made.


BBC 'Miss Marple' Series 1987

The
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
film broadly follows the original plot with its 1987 version and stars
Joan Hickson Joan Bogle Hickson, OBE (5 August 1906 – 17 October 1998) was an English actress of theatre, film and television. She was known for her role as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the television series ''Miss Marple''. She also narrated a number ...
, (who also appeared as Mrs Kidder in the 1961 film, '' Murder, She Said''). There are several changes: * The poisoning of the family is absent. * Alfred is still alive at the end, though suffering from a terminal illness that Dr Quimper apparently misdiagnosed deliberately. * As in the 1961 film, Harold is murdered in what appears to be a hunting accident, and not by poisoned tablets, because Dr Quimper suspected Harold knew who the victim was, as Harold had a deep passion for dancing and collected posters of the same ballet troupe she was in. * Anna Stravinka's real name is revealed as "Martine Isabelle Perrault" (in the novel, her real name is unknown). Thus the twist where James Stoddard-West's mother is Martine is deleted and the real Martine is not seen. * Inspector Craddock is replaced by Inspector Duckham and the recurring characters from the BBC television series, Inspector Slack and Sergeant Lake. * At the end, Miss Marple unambiguously opines that Lucy Eyelesbarrow will marry Bryan Eastley. *Cast: **Joan Hickson – Miss Marple **
Jill Meager Jill Meager is an English actor, artist and painter. Career Meager studied modern languages at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. She worked for several years as an actor before training as a psychodynamic counsellor. She also worked as a stand-up comedi ...
– Lucy Eyelesbarrow **
David Beames David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
– Bryan Eastley **
Joanna David Joanna David (born Joanna Elizabeth Hacking; 17 January 1947) is an English actress, best known for her television work. Life David was born in Lancaster, England, to Davida Elizabeth (''née'' Nesbitt) and John Almond Hacking. In 1971, she ...
– Emma Crackenthorpe **
Maurice Denham William Maurice Denham OBE (23 December 1909 – 24 July 2002) was an English character actor who appeared in over 100 films and television programmes in his long career. Family Denham was born on 23 December 1909 in Beckenham, Kent, the son ...
– Luther Crackenthorpe **
John Hallam John William Francis Hallam (28 October 1941 – 14 November 2006) was a British character actor, who frequently played hard men or military types. Early life John Hallam was born, the son of a superintendent at London Docklands, in 194 ...
– Cedric Crackenthorpe ** Robert East – Alfred Crackenthorpe **Bernard Brown – Harold Crackenthorpe **
Andrew Burt Andrew Thomas Hutchison Burt (23 May 1945 – 16 November 2018) was a British actor, voiceover artist, and counsellor. Early life and education Andrew Burt was born on 23 May 1945 in Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, to Hutchison Bu ...
– Dr Quimper **
David Horovitch David Horovitch (born 11 August 1945) is an English actor, perhaps best known for playing the character of Inspector Slack in ''Miss Marple''. He stars in the '' Game of Thrones'' prequel series ''House of the Dragon'' as Grand Maester Mellos. ...
– Detective Inspector Slack **
Mona Bruce Mona may refer to: People *Mona (name), a female given name, nickname and surname *Mona (Angolan footballer) (born 1997) *Mona, ring name of American wrestler Nora Greenwald Museums *Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, Nebraska, US * Museum of Neon ...
– Mrs McGillicuddy


BBC Radio 1997

Michael Bakewell Michael Bakewell (born 1931) is a British television producer. Bakewell was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire in England. He is best known for his work during the 1960s, when he was the first Head of Plays at the BBC, after Sydney Newman divid ...
dramatised the novel as a single 90-minute episode, first broadcast in March 1997.
June Whitfield Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television, and film actress. Her big break was a lead in the radio comedy ''Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. ...
played Miss Marple, and
Susannah Harker Susannah Harker (born 26 April 1965) is an English film, television, and theatre actor. She was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award in 1990 for her role as Mattie Storin in ''House of Cards''. She played Jane Bennet in the 1995 TV adaptation of ''Pr ...
Lucy Eyelesbarrow.


ITV ''Marple'' Series 2004

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
adapted the novel for the series ''Marple'' in 2004 starring
Geraldine McEwan Geraldine McEwan (born Geraldine McKeown; 9 May 1932 – 30 January 2015) was an English actress, who had a long career in film, theatre and television. Michael Coveney described her, in a tribute article, as "a great comic stylist, with a ...
as Miss Marple. The title ''What Mrs McGillicuddy Saw!'' was used when it was shown in the US. The adaptation contains several changes from the novel: * Dr Quimper's first name, not mentioned in the novel, is given as David. His character was changed to be more sympathetic than he is in the novel. His motive for murdering his wife is his love for Emma rather than his desire for the Crackenthorpe inheritance. * Only two murders occur – Quimper's wife, and Alfred. Harold is still alive at the end. * Both the motive for killing Alfred, and the method of his murder, were changed. Alfred spotted Quimper planting a false clue on the grounds of the Hall, knowing that the body of his wife would be found. When Alexander and James show the clue to the family, Alfred decides to blackmail Quimper, boasting to Lucy just that he is due to receive money. When the family fall ill at dinner by a small dose of arsenic, Alfred is later killed in his bed by a fatal injection from Quimper; as he is being killed, Alfred cries out his killer's name. Quimper makes certain this is misconstrued as him calling for the doctor's help. * In this version, Alfred is the eldest son after Edmund, and will inherit the Hall; Harold is the second-eldest son (He becomes next-in-line to inherit the Hall after Alfred dies) and Cedric is the youngest son. * The name of Luther's father is changed from Josiah to Marcus and he manufactured confectionery rather than tea biscuits. * The novel's Inspector Dermot Craddock is replaced by Inspector Tom Campbell, an old friend of Miss Marple. This adaption ends with Lucy rejecting the two Crackenthorpe men in favour of the inspector. * Bryan is British in the novel, but American in the adaption. * The way Miss Marple reveals Dr Quimper as the murderer was changed; it take place on a train with Mrs McGillcuddy witnessing it from a passing train. When he is exposed, the communication cords on both trains are pulled, before Tom arrests Quimper whilst Mrs McGillcuddy switches to their train. Miss Marple then reveals all in her denouement aboard the train. * Edmund is described as having been killed in the
Battle of the Atlantic The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest continuous military campaign in World War II, ran from 1939 to the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, covering a major part of the naval history of World War II. At its core was the Allied naval blockade ...
in December 1941, rather than dying at Dunkirk in 1940, and considered to be lost at sea. In addition, Edith's cause of death, not given in the novel, is described as death during childbirth. * Anna Stravinska's true name is given as Suzanne Bellaine. Lucy finds the body within a mausoleum on the Hall's grounds, purely by chance, rather than in a barn containing antiquities. * Edmund did marry Martine, and brought her home to meet all his family. The visit is marred by Harold, who sexually assaults her. * Harold Crackenthorpe's wife, Lady Alice, is given a much bigger role than in the novel. In addition to these changes, Miss Marple is seen reading Dashiel Hammett's "Woman in the Dark and Other Stories", providing an inter-textual detail that suggests some of Miss Marple's detective insights come from her reading of classic murder fiction as well as her shrewd understanding of human nature. *Cast: **
Geraldine McEwan Geraldine McEwan (born Geraldine McKeown; 9 May 1932 – 30 January 2015) was an English actress, who had a long career in film, theatre and television. Michael Coveney described her, in a tribute article, as "a great comic stylist, with a ...
Miss Jane Marple Miss Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Jane Marple lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterized as an elderly spinster, she is one of ...
**
Amanda Holden Amanda Louise Holden (born 16 February 1971) is an English actress, media personality, and singer. Since 2007, she has been a judge on the television talent show competition ''Britain's Got Talent'' on ITV. She also co-hosts the ''Heart Brea ...
– Lucy Eyelesbarrow ** John Hannah – Inspector Tom Campbell **
Michael Landes Michael Christopher Landes (born September 18, 1972) is an American actor of television and film. Personal life Michael Christopher Landes was born to Patricia and Bernard Landes on September 18, 1972 in The Bronx, New York. Landes studied pe ...
– Bryan Eastley **
Niamh Cusack Niamh Cusack ( ; born 20 October 1959) is an Irish actress. Born to a family with deep roots in the performing arts, Cusack has been involved as a performer since a young age. She has served with the UK's two leading theatre companies, the Ro ...
– Emma Crackenthorpe **
David Warner David or Dave Warner may refer to: Sports * Dave Warner (strongman) (born 1969), Northern Ireland strongman competitor * David Bruce Warner (born 1970), South African alpine skier * David Warner (cricketer) (born 1986), Australian cricketer Oth ...
– Luther Crackenthorpe **
Ciarán McMenamin Ciarán McMenamin (born 1 October 1975) is a Northern Irish actor and author. Early life McMenamin was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, where he attended St Michael's College. He earned his B.A. from the Royal Scottis ...
– Cedric Crackenthorpe **
Ben Daniels Ben Daniels (born 10 June 1964) is a British actor. Initially a stage actor, Daniels was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor for ''Never the Sinner'' (1991), the Evening Standard Award for Best Actor for ''900 Oneonta'' ( ...
– Alfred Crackenthorpe **
Charlie Creed-Miles Charlie Creed-Miles (born 24 March 1972) is an English actor and musician. Creed-Miles was born in Nottingham, and had his first starring screen role, aged 21, in ''The Punk'' (1993). His brief relationship with actress Samantha Morton Sam ...
– Harold Crackenthorpe **
Rose Keegan Rose Keegan is a British actress of stage, film and television. She trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her mother is the writer Susanne Keegan. Her father was the writer and military historian Sir John Keegan. Selected c ...
– Lady Alice Crackenthorpe **
Griff Rhys Jones Griffith Rhys Jones (born 16 November 1953) is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, and television presenter. He starred in a number of television series with his comedy partner, Mel Smith. Rhys Jones came to national attention in the 1980s for h ...
– Dr Quimper **
Rob Brydon Robert Brydon Jones (; born 3 May 1965) is a Welsh actor, comedian, impressionist, presenter, singer and writer. He played Dr Paul Hamilton in the Australian/British comedy series ''Supernova'', Bryn West in the BBC sitcom ''Gavin & Stacey'' a ...
– Inspector Awdry **
Pam Ferris Pamela Ferris (born 11 May 1948) is a Welsh actress. She has starred in numerous British television series, including ''Connie'' (1985), '' The Darling Buds of May'' (1991–1993), '' Where the Heart Is'' (1997–2000), ''Rosemary & Thyme'' ...
– Mrs Elspeth McGillicuddy **
Celia Imrie Celia Diana Savile Imrie (born 15 July 1952) is an English actress and author. She was described in 2003 as one of the most successful British actresses of recent decades. She is best known for her film roles, including the '' Bridget Jones'' f ...
– Madame Joliet **
Jenny Agutter Jennifer Ann Agutter (born 20 December 1952) is a British actress. She began her career as a child actress in 1964, appearing in ''East of Sudan'', '' Star!'', and two adaptations of ''The Railway Children''—the BBC's 1968 television serial ...
– Agnes Crackenthorpe


2005 anime adaptation

The novel was adapted as a set of 4 episodes of the Japanese animated television series ''
Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple is a Japanese anime television series that adapted several Agatha Christie stories about Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. A new character named Maybelle West, Miss Marple's great-niece, who becomes Poirot's junior assistant, is used to conne ...
'', airing in 2005.


''Le crime est notre affaire''

''
Le crime est notre affaire ''Crime Is Our Business'' (french: Le Crime est notre affaire) is a 2008 French comedy mystery film directed by Pascal Thomas and starring Catherine Frot, André Dussollier and Claude Rich. It is based on the 1957 Agatha Christie novel '' 4.50 fro ...
'' is a French film directed by
Pascal Thomas Pascal Thomas (born 2 April 1945) is a French screenwriter and film director. His 1999 film ''The Dilettante'' was entered into the 21st Moscow International Film Festival. Selected filmography * '' Pleure pas la bouche pleine!'' (1973) * '' Le ...
, released in 2008. Named after the book '' Partners in Crime'', and, like the book, starring
Tommy and Tuppence Tommy and Tuppence are two fictional detectives, recurring characters in the work of Agatha Christie. Their full names are Thomas Beresford and his wife Prudence (née Cowley). Tommy and Tuppence first appeared in Christie's ''The Secret Advers ...
as the detective characters, the film is in fact an adaptation of ''4.50 from Paddington''. The locations and names differ, but the story is essentially the same. The film is a sequel to '' Mon petit doigt m'a dit...'', a 2004 film by Pascal Thomas adapted from ''
By the Pricking of My Thumbs ''By the Pricking of My Thumbs'' is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in November 1968Chris Peers, Ralph Spurrier and Jamie Sturgeon. ''Collins Crime Club – A checklist of F ...
''. Both are set in
Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...
in the present day. * Cast **
Catherine Frot Catherine Frot (; born 1 May 1956) is a French actress. A 10-time César Award nominee, she won the awards for Best Actress for '' Marguerite'' (2015) and Best Supporting Actress for ''Family Resemblances'' (1996). Her other films include ''Le ...
– Prudence Beresford, based on Tuppence Beresford **
André Dussollier André Dussollier (born 17 February 1946) is a French actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as f ...
– Bélisaire Beresford, based on Tommy Beresford **
Claude Rich Claude Rich (8 February 1929 – 20 July 2017) was a French stage and screen actor. He began his career in the theater before his film debut in 1955. Personal life He married actress Catherine Renaudin on 26 June 1959. They had two daughters, ...
– Roderick Charpentier, based on Luther Crackenthorpe **
Annie Cordy Léonie Juliana, Baroness Cooreman (16 June 1928 – 4 September 2020), also known by her stage name Annie Cordy, was a Belgian actress and singer. She appeared in more than 50 films from 1954 and staged many memorable appearances at Bruno Coqu ...
– Babette Boutiti, based on Mrs McGillicuddy **
Chiara Mastroianni Chiara Charlotte Mastroianni (born 28 May 1972) is a French actress and singer. She is the daughter of Marcello Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve. Early life Mastroianni was born to French actress Catherine Deneuve and Italian actor Marcello Ma ...
– Emma Charpentier, based on Emma Crackenthorpe **
Melvil Poupaud Melvil Poupaud (born 26 January 1973) is a French actor, author and filmmaker. Career Poupaud's first appearance was, as a child, in Raúl Ruiz (director), Raúl Ruiz's 1983 film ''City of Pirates''. He met Ruiz through his mother, Chantal Poupau ...
– Frédéric Charpentier, based on Alfred Crackenthorpe ** Alexandre Lafaurie – Raphaël Charpentier, based on Harold Crackenthorpe **
Christian Vadim Christian Vadim (born 18 June 1963) is a French actor. He is the son of actress Catherine Deneuve and film director Roger Vadim. Career He made his film debut in 1983, working with his father in the film ''Surprise Party (film), Surprise Part ...
– Augustin Charpentier, based on Cedric Crackenthorpe **
Hippolyte Girardot Hippolyte Girardot (born Frédéric Girardot; 10 October 1955) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter. He is the father of actress Ana Girardot. Selected filmography * 1973: '' La Femme de Jean'', directed by Yannick Bellon, Rémi ...
– Doctor Lagarde, based on Dr Quimper **
Yves Afonso Yves Afonso (13 February 1944 – 21 January 2018) was a French actor. He was born in Saulieu in the Côte-d'Or ''département''. Since his uncredited debut in the movie '' Masculin, féminin'' in 1966, he had many roles, both in movies and o ...
– Inspector Blache


2010 Computer game

On 17 June 2010, I-play released a downloadable hidden object game based on ''4.50 from Paddington'' (see the external links). Dialogue interspersed with the hidden object puzzles follows the plot of the original story. Items mentioned in the dialogue are among those hidden in each round. The player finds locations on the map by textual clues, which makes the map a hidden object scene, too. At three points during play the player is asked to hypothesise on the identity of the murderer, but as in the novel there is little in the way of relevant evidence. Unlike the games based on '' Evil Under the Sun'', ''
Murder on the Orient Express ''Murder on the Orient Express'' is a work of detective fiction by English writer Agatha Christie featuring the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. It was first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club on 1 January 1934. In the U ...
'', and ''
And Then There Were None ''And Then There Were None'' is a mystery novel by the English writer Agatha Christie, described by her as the most difficult of her books to write. It was first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club on 6 November 1939, as ...
'', this does not include any actual detection and unlike the latter two does not add an additional character to represent the player. This is the 4th in a series of Oberon Games' hidden object games based on Agatha Christie's novels, the first three were based on ''
Death on the Nile ''Death on the Nile'' is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 1 November 1937 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year. The UK edition retailed at s ...
'', ''
Peril at End House ''Peril at End House'' is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the US by the Dodd, Mead and Company in February 1932 and in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in March of the same year. The US edition ...
'', and ''
Dead Man's Folly ''Dead Man's Folly'' is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie, first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in October 1956 and in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 5 November of the same year. The US edition retailed at $2.95 ...
''.


TV Asahi ''Two Nights Drama Special'' 2018

TV Asahi JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as (also known as EX and and stylized as TV asahi), is a television station that is owned and operated by the subsidiary of certified broadcasting holding company , itself controlled by The Asahi Shimbun Compan ...
adapted the novel in 2018 starring
Yuki Amami Yuki, Yūki or Yuuki may refer to: Places * Yuki, Hiroshima (Jinseki), a town in Jinseki District, Hiroshima, Japan * Yuki, Hiroshima (Saeki), a town in Saeki District, Hiroshima, Japan * Yūki, Ibaraki, a city on Honshu island in Japan * Yuki, ...
and
Atsuko Maeda is a Japanese actress and singer. She is a former member of the idol girl group AKB48, and was one of the most prominent members in the group at the time, regarded as the group's "absolute ace", "immovable center", and the "Face of AKB." After ...
, with the title ''Two Nights Drama Special: 4.50 from Paddington - Night Express Train Murder'' ( ja, アガサ・クリスティ 二夜連続ドラマスペシャル パディントン発4時50分〜寝台特急殺人事件〜) as the first night. The second night was ''
The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side ''The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side'', a novel by Agatha Christie, was published in the UK in 1962 and a year later in the US under the title ''The Mirror Crack'd''. The story features amateur detective Miss Marple solving a mystery in St. M ...
''. *Cast: **
Yuki Amami Yuki, Yūki or Yuuki may refer to: Places * Yuki, Hiroshima (Jinseki), a town in Jinseki District, Hiroshima, Japan * Yuki, Hiroshima (Saeki), a town in Saeki District, Hiroshima, Japan * Yūki, Ibaraki, a city on Honshu island in Japan * Yuki, ...
– Toko Amano, based on
Miss Jane Marple Miss Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Jane Marple lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterized as an elderly spinster, she is one of ...
**
Atsuko Maeda is a Japanese actress and singer. She is a former member of the idol girl group AKB48, and was one of the most prominent members in the group at the time, regarded as the group's "absolute ace", "immovable center", and the "Face of AKB." After ...
– Aya Nakamura, based on Lucy Eyelesbarrow **
Sachie Hara is a Japanese actress and model under the management of the Ken-On Group. She is best known for her roles in Doramas, including films '' You're Under Arrest'', ''Omizu no Hanamichi'', and '' Shichinin no Onna Bengoshi''. Career Hara started ...
– Keiko Tomizawa, based on Emma Crackenthorpe **
Toshihiro Yashiba is a Japanese actor represented by JFCT. Filmography TV series Films References External links * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Yashiba, Toshihiro Japanese male actors 1971 births Living people People from Sōka ...
– Shin Furukawa, based on Bryan Eastley **
Toshiyuki Nishida is a Japanese actor. He has won two Japanese Academy Awards for best actor, for ''The Silk Road'' (1988) and ''Tsuribaka Nisshi 6'' (1993). He has also won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor for '' Get Up!'' and '' Tsuribaka Nisshi 14'' (2003) ...
– Shinsuke Tomizawa, based on Luther Crackenthorpe ** Kosuke Suzuki – Tetsuji Tomizawa, based on Cedric Crackenthorpe **
Shinya Niiro Shinya (Shin'ya) is a Japanese given name, usually for males. It is pronounced as "Shin-ya", not "Shi-nya". Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese curler and curling coach *, Japanese politician *Shinya Aoki (born 1983), professional mi ...
– Seizo Tomizawa, based on Harold Crackenthorpe ** Hiroyuki Matsumoto – Shiro Tomizawa, based on Alfred Crackenthorpe **
Ken Ishiguro is a Japanese film, television and voice actor. He has appeared in more than 80 films since 1979. He is the son of Osamu Ishiguro was a tennis player from Japan. Career He played his first tournament in 1959 at the Asian Championships ...
– Keiichi Saeki, based on Dr Quimper ** Akio Mochizuki – Eiichi Tomizawa, based on Edmund Crackenthorpe **
Mitsuko Kusabue Mitsuko is a feminine Japanese given name. Possible writings The name Mitsuko is generally written with the kanji characters 光 and 子 which, when translated into English can mean "light, child" or "shining, child".http://www.20knames.com/femal ...
– Suzume Amano, based on Mrs Elspeth McGillicuddy **
Tomoka Kurotani Kurotani Tomoka (黒谷友香; born 11 December 1975 in Sakai, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese actress. She starred as the femme fatale female ninja Kagero in ''Shinobi Heart Under Blade''. Partial filmography Films *''Boxer Joe'' (1995) *勝手 ...
– Reiko Kimura, based on Lady Stoddart-West ** Ayumi Ena – Mamei Zhou, based on Anna Stravinska


References


External links


''4.50 from Paddington''
at the official Agatha Christie website
''4.50 from Paddington''
at the new Agatha Christie official website. * * *
''Agatha Christie:4:50 from Paddington''
game at I-Play website {{DEFAULTSORT:4.50 From Paddington 1957 British novels Miss Marple novels Novels first published in serial form Works originally published in John Bull (magazine) Collins Crime Club books Novels set in London Novels set in England British novels adapted into films British novels adapted into television shows