Indians in They Do It with Mirrors

PBS is showing a series of Miss Marple mysteries set in mid-20th century England. One of them features a murder during the rehearsal of a skit about Indians.

Miss Marple: They Do It With MirrorsAirs Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m.

Acclaimed British actress Julia McKenzie (“Cranford”) takes over the iconic role of Miss Marple in four new episodes of the fourth season of the “Miss Marple” series.

In this episode, 'They Do It With Mirrors': During rehearsal for an amateur show, the power goes out, commotion ensues and a murder takes place elsewhere in the house. As witness to the confusion, Miss Marple must decipher the elaborate conjuring trick played by the killer.Brian Cox plays Lewis Serrocold, a father who dresses as a stereotypical Indian chief for the skit. He has a headband with a single feather in front, a breastplate, a long loincloth over a buckskin outfit, and a tufted spear--plus his glasses and mustache. His daughter plays a stereotypical Indian maiden in a short, fringed, buckskin dress and facepaint.

His dialogue (minus the interruptions) goes like this:SERROCOLD:  I have traveled far and wide to hail you from the great gods of our tribe. They say that I, Big Chief Running Bear, must brave all for the love of my dear.

SERROCOLD:  My third and finest squaw, Summer Rain.

SERROCOLD:  Her beauteous eyes most pleasantly framed.These stereotypes aren't a real problem because the scene reflects the ignorance of people in mid-20th century England. Even the sagacious Miss Marple probably knows little or nothing about Indians.

The Miss Marple mysteries are a little too complex to fully appreciate them. There are usually a dozen or or suspects--spouses and ex-spouses, children and step-children, lovers, business partners, hangers-on, staff members--in a tangle of relationships. It's best not to try to keep track of everything and just enjoy the ride.

For more on the subject, see TV Shows Featuring Indians.