The Agatha Christie Miss Marple Collection DVD Box Set (4 Discs), includes all four of the original classic Rutherford Miss Marple movies, directed by George Pollock.

These four British films, produced between 1961 and 64, are jolly good. The redoubtable Margaret Rutherford indelibly makes Marple her very own, or, as she proclaims to Inspector Craddock (Charles Tingwell), with whom she locks horns throughout all four films, “I am always myself.” Rutherford presents the character as a bold and eccentric old lady, different from the prim and birdlike character Christie created in her novels.

The Marple films are endearingly modest productions, redeemed by peerless performances and mostly sharp scripts. Ron Goodwin's theme music used in all four films is an irresistible piece of '60s symphonic pop that's a classical gas. None of the actors are suspect. Rutherford gets able support from her real-life husband, Stringer Davis, who portrays Marple's Watson-esque sidekick. Venerable character actors Robert Morley and Ron Moody enliven Gallop and Foul, respectively. And in Murder She Said, that's Joan Hickson, who would go on to acclaim as Miss Marple in the celebrated BBC series. But it's tough to steal a scene from Rutherford, whose Marple displays a keen mind, and, in Ahoy, surprising prowess with a sword!

Murder, She Said (1961)
Rutherford makes a formidable first impression in Murder She Said, based on Christie's “4:50 from Paddington”, in which the armchair sleuth goes undercover as a servant after witnessing a murder on a train.
Director: George Pollock, Stars: Margaret Rutherford, Arthur Kennedy, Muriel Pavlow, James Robertson Justice
“Stealing every scene that's she's in, the indomitable Rutherford plays Miss Marple with a zesty zeal that papers over the film's unlikely plot…The last thing you'll do is die of shock but the fun in watching Rutherford is entertainment enough in what is a delightfully dotty old film.” BBC

Murder at the Gallop (1963)
Based on the Hercule Poirot whodunit “After the Funeral”, where there's a will, there's murder.
Director: George Pollock, Stars: Margaret Rutherford, Stringer Davis, Robert Morley, Flora Robson
“Director George Pollock effortlessly blends clues and comedy in Margaret Rutherford‘s second Miss Marple outing..Margaret Rutherford is an absolute delight as Christie’s wily amateur sleuth, whilst co-star Flora Robson adds a touch of class and Robert Morley indulges in the odd moment of scene-stealing.” britmovie.co.uk

Murder Most Foul (1964)
Based on the 1952 Poirot novel Mrs McGinty's Dead, Miss Marple deadlocks a jury and joins a theatrical troupe to prove the defendant's in­nocence..seve­ral members of the troupe are also dispatched by this mysterious killer.
Director: George Pollock, Stars: Margaret Rutherford, Ron Moody, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell, James Bolam, Francesca Annis
“does not quite hold up to its predecessor’s y­ardstick..beco­mes repetitive despite its undoubted charm and humour.” britmovie.co.uk

Murder Ahoy (1964)
After Miss Marple is made a trustee of a merchant marine training vessel, a fellow trustee is poisoned, and ship's officers are later murdered after she comes on board.
Director: George Pollock, Stars: Margaret Rutherford, Lionel Jeffries, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell, Stringer Davis
“The last of MGM’s quartet of Miss Marple thrillers features Margaret Rutherford tripping delightfully through a series of red herrings with a naval flavour to solve a murder onboard a youth organization training ship. Murder Ahoy is the only one not adapted from an Agatha Christie story and instead was based on an original screenplay by David Pursall and Jack Seddon. A number of then-familiar television faces – William Mervyn, Joan Benham and Derek Nimmo among them – decorate the mayhem, but even Lionel Jeffries, as a gruff-taking seadog, is no match for Rutherford, who deservedly dominates the film.” britmovie.co.uk