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Reviews
Poirot: The Veiled Lady (1990)
perplexing
A top-notch Poirot episode; although short, the plot is well thought-out and brilliantly delivered by engaging Poirot and dear Captain Hastings. The Belgian detective and his "associate" Hastings meet a veiled woman in a luxury hotel (which looks to my eyes like the disguised interior of the V&A!), who sorrowfully says that she is being blackmailed by a "dirty swine", as Hastings angrily puts it, who wants money in return for an indiscreet letter of hers that has fallen into his possession. Exciting and vivid, with a clever twist. I would recommend this episode to all who love Poirot mysteries, or mysteries in general. I also have reason to believe that the director has kept to the plot, hurrah!
Poirot: Hercule Poirot's Christmas (1994)
Festive fun
Poirot's central heating is down, so he is attracted by the invitation to the mansion of millionaire Simeon Lee, where an act of brutality that takes place in the night makes Christmas a good deal less merry than usual. I was pleased to see that Japp makes an appearance in this episode, as Poirot normally explains the plot to him which makes the ins and outs understandable to his confused audience.
As always, there are red herrings galore, including a missing case of uncut diamonds concealed in the cabinet of the unfortunate Mr Lee.
Being a Christmas episode, there are several cheerful aspects in the story, including the present Japp gives to Poirot to round off a baffling yet highly entertaining festive treat.
Miss Marple: Sleeping Murder (1987)
Entertaining
What a film! Watching 'Sleeping Murder' scared me more than any other Miss Marple film, mainly due to the suspense. The version with Joan Hickson was much, much better than that with Geraldine McEwan, mainly because the director stuck to the plot and didn't add a silly romance between the protagonist and her aide to supposedly warm the hearts of the audience. I thought that the house used was just right, and the gradual tension brought about by new discoveries (some gruesome) added a thrill to the plot. The main actress came across as a genuine damsel in distress and her husband loyal and devoted. One of the few films to make me frightened.
Poirot: Five Little Pigs (2003)
My favourite
This is one of my favourite Poirot dramatisations as in my view all the characters are played to perfection and Poirot is portrayed as both sympathetic and erudite.
The Belgian sleuth has to solve the mystery of a crime committed fourteen years ago with only his wits and his intuition to help him, as opposed to concrete evidence. He is commissioned by a young woman to discover the truth behind her mother's murder, as she cannot leave the past behind her and move on until she knows the culprit. For Poirot, everything seems to be leading him in one direction; and as he compiles more and more evidence, the viewer is still more confused. The queen of red herrings teases the audience using many ploys, which makes the story all the more enjoyable.
Poirot: Cards on the Table (2006)
Well acted
I saw this film last week and had been greatly looking forward to it as I hadn't heard of this story before, being a Poirot fan.
As I saw the opening credits I felt disappointed as I searched for Hastings and Japp in vain, as I feel that they are invaluable to the plot and the general enjoyment I associate with watching Poirot films. Can anyone explain their absence?
Another disappointment was that Poirot for some reason seemed melancholy and well...not his usual self because he didn't make jokes or smile as much as usual, which rather detracted from his performance. I hope the director isn't trying to make Poirot more serious to make the stories more realistic, as Poirot's former jovial nature added an irreplaceable charm to these films that I enjoy so much.
Other than that, this was a mystery of the highest degree- just about everyone had a motive to kill the victim!
Poirot: Wasps' Nest (1991)
Enjoyable
This film was puzzling to say the least, and the ending made me want to cry, which is rare for Poirot films as the endings of the hour-long films usually comprise of Hastings doing something silly and Poirot and Japp laughing at him, which is warming for the audience to see after the mystery has unravelled itself. However, I found this film a little more sentimental than the others, because the ending is sad, although I wouldn't have guessed so from the rest of the film which is more typical of the Poirot films. This film is full of red herrings, as always with Agatha Christie- such as the mysterious doctor appearing here and there, etc. I was glad to see that Hastings appeared in this film because he is excluded from some of the films and he is a valuable character, both for humour's sake and the sake of the plot.
Poirot: How Does Your Garden Grow? (1991)
Exciting
"How Does your Garden Grow" features the Chelsea Flower show, where our Belgian detective meets a lady who surprises him by giving him a gift. He is then faced with a puzzling mystery, with all the clues pointing undeniably in one direction- towards the lady's Russian maid. Poirot has to use his "little grey cells" to figure out who committed the crime- which is seemingly impossible, because - and here's a spoiler- the lady was poisoned, although the cook says that she ate the same food as everyone else, so how can it be? Poirot walks about in the garden of the deceased and the solution dawns on him. Highly enjoyable, and superbly acted.
Poirot: The Lost Mine (1990)
Fantastic
Very enjoyable and gripping with the typical twist at the end- Poirot and Hastings giving an excellent performance. I didn't know what to expect from the title, but having watched it I was not disappointed. The mystery is simple when explained, as always with Agatha Christie, but seemingly impossible to solve until then. I would recommend this to anyone who watches the Poirot films, or to anyone new to the world of the Belgian detective. One interesting aspect of this film is seeing how the police force worked in the 1930s, and also the opportunity to see London's China Town as it was in that era, and the surrounding London area.