I have enjoyed watching all the Miss Marple/Margaret Rutherford movies for they provide light entertainment. This one in particular was worth your time because of a great performance by Lionel Jeffries as the captain of the ship. Jeffries, Rutherford, and Ron Goodwin's marvelous music make the film a treat to watch. Of course, the direction lacks punch if we judge it 40 years after it was made.

The Rutherford/Stringer relationship (that was not Agatha Christie's) on and off screen adds additional trivia interest. I note that Stringer died soon after the death of Dame Rutherford.

This is the fourth and final Miss Marple film starring Margaret Rutherford. And, like the rest, Inspector (now Chied Inspector) Craddock is on hand. However, after successfully solving the other cases, Craddock is insane as he doesn't just assume she's right when she thinks a recent death was a murder. This death involved some poisoned snuff...and soon the trail leads to a merchant marine training ship where Captain Rhumstone (Lionel Jeffries) is in charge. There, more folks die through some very difficult to imagine poisonings...so much so that the Chief Inspector thinks her theory is "rather fantastic" and complicated...which it is.

Despite the inclusion of Lionel Jeffries (who is usually in comedies),this film isn't a comedy but a very good installment in the series....and a bit better than the previous one. Worth seeing.

Ever since I was 11 I've loved Agatha Christie and Miss Marple. And while they are not perhaps films that die-hard traditionalists of Christie's work the four George Pollock-Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple films are entertaining enough still. Murder Ahoy is the fourth and last of the series, and for me it is also the weakest. The main problem is the story, which is rather contrived and confusing at points(Christie's lack of involvement and that it wasn't based on any of her work- even with a couple of moments where there are echoes of it- was all too evident here. While the sword-fighting scene is tacky and just felt silly compared to everything else going in the film and while there are some witty and funny moments the script does sketch over the characters too much so we never get to know anybody. However, the setting, locations and period detail are great, and the black and white photography is crisp. Pollock's direction is smooth, the film goes by at a good- if not as zippy as the other three- pace and there are some decent clues and solving of them. But the strongest points are the music and the cast. The music is deliciously catchy, just love the opening theme. Margaret Rutherford steals the film and is simply terrific(if somewhat unconventional) as Miss Marple, her in the naval uniform alone is guaranteed the viewing, while Lionel Jeffries seems to be having great fun as the Captain. Overall, not great but definitely worth watching. 7/10 Bethany Cox