A Caribbean Mystery (1989)

While vacationing on a Caribbean island recovering from an illness, an elderly woman (Joan Hickson) from a small English village finds herself involved in murder when an elderly retired Major (Frank Middlemass) is poisoned. But it won't be the last murder. Based on the novel by Agatha Christie and directed by Christopher Petit. While Hickson remains the definitive Miss Marple of the Christie novels and the Barbados locations provide an attractive backdrop, this is a rather mundane adaptation. There have been some minor changes from Christie's book and a few additions but none of the changes or additions improve on Christie's original story. The 1983 adaptation with Helen Hayes as Miss Marple stuck to Christie's novel and remains a much more pleasant rendering. Outside of Hickson and Donald Pleasence as a wealthy invalid, the acting is mediocre especially by Robert Swann and Sue Lloyd, two Brits playing Americans and with awful American accents. With Sophie Ward and T.P. McKenna.