i be go to quickly cite some of my qualification for rating this film because it relevant to what i have to say represent i be a huge christie fan i have read every book or play ( some 2 or 3 time ) that she write ( over 80 in all ) and her mary westmacott pseudonym stuff and her tome of an autobiography ( not a very good or honest work and btw . ) and and all the film and tv production of christie mystery which be available to date . now and i will begin by note that and for me and there be essentially 3 facet to evaluate a christie film 1. be it a good book to begin with . some be excellent and some be pretty lame and 2. how closely do the screenwriter adhere to the original work . and and and 3. do the acting come off a genuine or be it hokey . ( christie story and in particular and always manifest the dreaded potential to come off badly in the hand of an unskilled director ) . with that and here my evaluative summary of the mirror crack would . the mirror crack would and be a pretty good christie book and in this film and we be present with an overage of big name . and i mean big . angela lansbury and elizabeth taylor and kim novak and rock hudson and tony curtis and edward fox and the latter give a very fine performance and maybe even save the film for me in the second half . the story represent a frumpy local woman be murder ( poison ) a she attend a high end theatrical party with hundred present . but be she the intended victim . this time and miss marple ( christie top female snooper ) and of course and reveal all at the conclusion . i must sadly report that angela lansbury play miss marple and deplorably and and it equally sad that the screenwriter depart significantly from chistie rendering of the favorite lady amateur detective profile . lansbury come off a very assertive and not humble at all and and even puff away at a non filter coffin nail near the end of the flick and an act that would have appal christie miss marple . i be a huge elizabeth taylor fan and she convey her character quite well and a expect unfortunately and this film be shoot in 1980 and liz be a lumbering side of hereford beef and sport 2 half chin i be much sadden by this have be appearance . hudson and who play her husband and be similarly worn look with very bad make up . throughout the movie and he look a if he would be on a week long bender . at one point and in a sort of love scene and he lie on the bed and face up and and taylor launch herself on to him you could almost hear the air hiss out of poor guy and old rock additionally do not seem to know what to do with his arm and hand a they do not encircle her all that effectively . then and the camera angle switch to taylor face and scrunch up on hudson shoulder and and it take on a gargoyle ish essence the editor should have catch this but and like the rest of the movie and you get the idea that this one be all about yield product and and nothing about create art . the entire film be like this a have be actor struggle i would call it . edward fox play the scotland yard inspector and ( and loyal nephew to lansbury or marple ) and and again and he save the film from be a complete fizzle . poor tony curtis look a if he would be run through a tree shredder and with very bad and scruffy look and ( and very little ) and hair . christie fan will like this film okay but i can not recommend it to anyone else . positive aspect include the letterbox format and very nice cinematography . to conclude this one and i give it a 4 on the low end .