Three Act Tragedy
- Episode aired Jun 19, 2011
- Not Rated
- 1h 34m
When a vicar chokes to death on a cocktail while attending a party held by actor Sir Charles Cartwright, Poirot initially dismisses the idea of murder but reconsiders when another guest dies... Read allWhen a vicar chokes to death on a cocktail while attending a party held by actor Sir Charles Cartwright, Poirot initially dismisses the idea of murder but reconsiders when another guest dies in the same manner.When a vicar chokes to death on a cocktail while attending a party held by actor Sir Charles Cartwright, Poirot initially dismisses the idea of murder but reconsiders when another guest dies in the same manner.
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaCartwright's sitting room in Cornwall is actually Rolf Engstromer's entrance hall at Eltham Palace. The same room (and indeed the exterior) stood in for Wode Hall when the same production company made their version of "Death On The Nile" in 2004.
- GoofsIn train scene with Egg, Poirot and Sir Charles, the reflection in the window as they go through the tunnel is not a true reflection, i.e. the back of her head, but the actual scene laid over the window i.e. NOT a reflection at all.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Miss Wills: I can see now I should have gone to the police. Don't judge me too harshly.
Hercule Poirot: Ah, Mademoiselle, I investigate; I do not judge.
Miss Wills: Just had a terrible thought.
Hercule Poirot: Hm?
Miss Wills: If anyone could have drunk the poison cocktail... golly, it could have been me!
Hercule Poirot: [chuckles] And there is a possibility even more terrible, Mademoiselle... it could have been me.
- ConnectionsReferences Appointment with Death (2008)
- SoundtracksArabeske Op. 18 in C major
Music by Robert Schumann
The story presented here is an absolute marvel of authenticity, with only a few changes made (Mr. Satterthwaite is deleted and the murderer's modus operandi is changed a bit here, negating the book's most evasive clue, "am worried about M"). Otherwise, "Three Act Tragedy" is pure perfection.
Directed with a combination of astonishing period elegance and artfully ironic noir camera work by Ashley Pearce (who directed the well-done "Mrs. McGinty's Dead) and scripted with great eloquence by Nick Dear (who also scripted "Mrs. McGinty's Dead" as well as two of the series' best later entries, "The Hollow" and "Cards on the Table"), it's hard not to be impressed with this film.
The slowness of the film's first half that the previous writer refers to is present in the book as well. This is due to the fact that the investigations, such as they are, are not manned by Poirot but rather by amateurs – amateurs who get nowhere fast (or slow) and provide more red herrings than usual for a Christie story.
What makes the film of "Three Act Tragedy" exceptional, though, is a tremendous ensemble cast, expertly led by the magisterial Martin Shaw (Inspector George Gently, Adam Dalgliesh, Judge John Deed and a bunch of other British TV detectives), who gives an astonishing performance of the performance of a lifetime here. Many others, including Kimberley Nixon as Egg, Kate Ashfield as Miss Wills and Tom Wisdom as Oliver Manders, give wonderfully notable performances here as well.
Suffice it to say, David Suchet is exceptional as Poirot, offering a performance that is as impassioned and world-weary as his character is written in the book. "Three Act Tragedy" really does rank among the very best work for all concerned in this terrific series, which still has a little way to go before "Curtain."
- dpayne-9
- Feb 6, 2011
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Filming locations
- Eltham Palace, Court Road, Eltham, London, England, UK(Interior: Sir Charles Cartwright's home)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 34 minutes
- Color