"Agatha Christie's Poirot" The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1990)

Director:

Ross Devenish

Writers:

Agatha Christie (by)
Clive Exton (dramatized by)
(more)

TV Series:

"Agatha Christie's Poirot" (1989)

Original Air Date:

16 September 1990 (Season 3, Episode 1)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

Hastings renews his friendship with Poirot and involves him in the mysterious poisoning of the mistress of a manor house married to a man twenty years her junior.

Plot Keywords:

Hercule Poirot | Murder | Refugee | Detective | Will

Cast

David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Hugh Fraser	...	Lieutenant Hastings
Philip Jackson	...	Inspector Japp
Beatie Edney	...	Mary Cavendish
David Rintoul	...	John Cavendish
Gillian Barge	...	Mrs. Inglethorp
Michael Cronin	...	Alfred Inglethorp
Joanna McCallum	...	Evie Howard
Anthony Calf	...	Lawrence Cavendish
Allie Byrne	...	Cynthia Murdoch
Lala Lloyd	...	Dorcas
Michael Godley	...	Dr. Wilkins
Morris Perry	...	Mr. Wells
Penelope Beaumont	...	Mrs. Raikes
David Savile	...	Summerhaye
Tim Munro	...	Edwin Mace
Tim Preece	...	Philips, K.C.
Merelina Kendall	...	Mrs. Dainty
Bryan Coleman	...	Vicar (as Brian Coleman)
Eric Stovell	...	Chemist
Donald Pelmear	...	Judge
Caroline Swift	...	Nurse
Ken Robertson	...	Army Officer
Michael D. Roberts	...	Tindermans
Gordon Dulieu	...	Clerk of the Court
Jeffrey Robert	...	Foreman of the Jury
Robert Vowles	...	Hire Car Driver
David Michaels	...	Soldier

Directed by
Ross Devenish

Writing credits
Agatha Christie		(by)
Clive Exton		(dramatized by)
Agatha Christie		(novel) uncredited

Produced by
Brian Eastman	....	producer
Nick Elliott	....	executive producer (as Nick Elliot)

Original Music by
Christopher Gunning

Cinematography by
Vernon Layton		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Derek Bain

Casting by
Rebecca Howard

Production Design by
Rob Harris

Art Direction by
Peter Wenham

Set Decoration by
Carlotta Barrow

Costume Design by
Linda Mattock

Makeup Department
Kate Bower	....	makeup artist
Patricia Kirkman	....	makeup artist
Roseann Samuel	....	makeup supervisor
Christine Vinter	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Kieron Phipps	....	production manager
Donald Toms	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adam Goodman	....	second assistant director
Simon Hinkly	....	first assistant director
Gilly Raddings	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Ludmilla Barras	....	production buyer
Paul Coletti	....	construction
Steve Cookson	....	stand-by props
Roy Dawson	....	dressing props
Jim Guest	....	dressing props
John Hitchens	....	stand-by
George Holding	....	stand-by
Tony Lenman	....	construction
Mickey Lennon	....	property master (as Micky Lennon)
Micky O'Toole	....	dressing props
Caspian Owen	....	buyer's clerk
Peter Paull	....	stand-by
Les Peach	....	construction manager
Rick Pozzilli	....	dressing props (as Ricky Pozzilli)
Paul Stamp	....	construction
Nick Walker	....	storeman
Keith Warwick	....	stand-by props
Stuart Wilson	....	stand-by
Steve Woolhead	....	construction

Sound Department
Colin Codner	....	sound assistant
Peter Leonard	....	effects editor
Mike Murr	....	dialogue editor
Rupert Scrivener	....	dubbing mixer
Martin Trevis	....	boom operator
Ken Weston	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Alcorn	....	camera operator (as Steven Alcorn)
Roy Branch	....	electrician
Ray Cooper	....	clapper/loader
John Etherington	....	grip
Hugh Fairs	....	focus puller
Micky Frow	....	electrician
Peter Harris	....	electrician
John Humphrey	....	gaffer
Terry Maskell	....	best boy

Casting Department
Kate Day	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jason Alper	....	wardrobe
Marion Dring	....	wardrobe
John Scott	....	wardrobe
Vernon White	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Gordon Greenaway	....	second assistant editor
Andrew McClelland	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Mark Tucker	....	assistant music scoring engineer (uncredited)

Other crew
John Beharrell	....	production accountant
Marlene Butland	....	production assistant
Penelope Forrester	....	assistant accountant
Nigel Gostelow	....	location manager
Monica Rogers	....	production coordinator
Scott Rowlatt	....	assistant location manager
Sheila Wilson	....	script supervisor

Sound Department
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer

Other crew
Mark Albela	....	location manager
Daren Thomas	....	location runner

Production Companies

• London Weekend Television (LWT)
• Carnival Films
• Picture Partnership Productions

Distributors

• Independent Television (ITV) (1990) (UK) (TV) (original airing)
• AcornMedia (2007) (USA) (DVD) (boxed set)
• RTL Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL8)

Other Companies

• Carnival Films  developed for television by
• Samuelson Lighting  lighting and generators by (as Samuelson Lighting Ltd)
• The Grip House  grip equipment by (as Grip House Ltd)

Runtime:

103 min | UK:100 min (14 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) | Color

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:PG (video rating) (1991) (1999) (2005)

Filming Locations:

Twickenham Studios, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Trivia:

'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' was Agatha Christie's first novel, published in 1920, and also her first to feature the character of Hercule Poirot.

Goofs:

Continuity: The door of the Mrs. Inglethorp's room (that had been broken in at her death) is fixed in the early morning before Poirot's arrival.

Quotes:

Lieutenant Hastings:So, we're back to square one then.
Hercule Poirot:Not quite mon ami. We now know there is one person who did not buy the poison. Again, we have cleared away the clues manufactured, and now for the real ones.

Orthopedic Cheese

Most of these dramatizations are inadequate and any written by Exton wash the wonder of Christie out of the thing. So the production then has to depend on luxurious sets and supposedly interesting characters.

That's not enough for me. But I do have to report that the director here has done some clever things. The lighting is atypically superb for TeeVee. There are some very nicely conceived shots that indicate Poirot's vision.

But the most interesting thing is how this director has created Poirot. He's at least slightly different in every episode, and very different in this one. The excuse, probably is that it is the earliest story.

Here he is human before being officious. He is tentative, not annoying. He is certain, not vain.

Its not played for comedy as usual. He's an earnest inquiring eye (and hand).

Most of these are trash. But at least this one is colored well.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.