The Moving Finger

Pilot Jerry Burton and his sister, Joanna, move to Lymstock while he recovers from a crash. The little town is swamped with poison-pen letters full of accusations. The lawyer Symmington's wife kills herself after getting one, and the maid, Agnes, is murdered soon after. The vicar's wife calls in Miss Marple. She sees the letters were a smoke screen: Richard Symmington wrote them himself to cover his wife's murder and free himself for the governess, Elsie Holland. Marple uses young Megan Hunter as bait, and Symmington is caught trying to kill her. Jerry, who has fallen for Megan, asks her to marry him.

1. ReferenceThe title comes from a poem

   "The Moving Finger" is a line from Omar Khayyam's Rubaiyat, about the finger that writes and moves on.

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2. Behind the scenesMarple shows up late

   In the book, Marple only arrives near the end. The narrator is Jerry Burton, a pilot recovering from a crash.

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3. Behind the scenesDirected by a film veteran

   It's directed by Roy Boulting, who made well-known 1950s British comedies with his twin brother, John.

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