Murder, She Wrote: Truck Stop (To je vražda, napsala: Motel)

Few would associate the stories of writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher with the poetics of film noir. Although it is an American-made series, most of the 264 episodes, spread over twelve seasons from 1984 to 1996, are closer to the British tradition of detective fiction as represented in particular by Agatha Christie and her character, the popular Miss Marple. However, the 16th episode of series 5, entitled “Truck Stop,” is clearly conceived as an homage to classic noir – and also as a parody of it. The story is partly made of a black-and-white stylized flashback, modeled after the confessional narrative style of Double Indemnity. Other motifs are taken from, for example, the novel The Postman Always Rings Twice and its several film adaptations, while the setting of a second-rate motel recalls Ulmer’s Detour. Only Jessica, with her immaculate reputation and unerring judgement, doesn’t quite fit into the world of film noir…

Milan Hain