Hercule Poirot's Christmas (1 Jan. 1995)
"Agatha Christie's Poirot" Hercule Poirot's Christmas (original title)

The tyrannical patriarch of a dysfunctional but wealthy family summons his adult children for a Christmas reunion, but prior to the holiday his throat is slashed apparently by one of them.

Director:

Edward Bennett

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), Clive Exton (dramatized by)

Stars:

David Suchet, Philip Jackson, Vernon Dobtcheff

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Philip Jackson	...	Japp
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Simeon Lee
Simon Roberts	...	Alfred
Catherine Rabett	...	Lydia
Eric Carte	...	George
Andrée Bernard	...	Magdalene (as Andree Bernard)
Brian Gwaspari	...	Harry
Sasha Behar	...	Pilar
Mark Tandy	...	Sugden
Olga Lowe	...	Stella
Ayub Khan-Din	...	Horbury (as Ayub Khan Din)
John Horsley	...	Tressilian
Scott Handy	...	Young Simeon
Liese Benjamin	...	Young Stella

Storyline

When Simeon Lee, a mean-spirited, tyrannical patriarch of a dysfunctional family, summons his offspring to his country manor house in Kent for Christmas, he employs Poirot to attend the reunion. The detective is not given a full explanation for his assignment, but he soon observes the palpable animosity, suspicion, and resentment among the three Lee sons. Also in attendance is the beautiful Pilar Estravados, the only surviving child of Lee's daughter, who recently passed away after living in exile in Spain. The ruthless Senior Lee, who made his fortune in the South African diamond fields, sadistically treats his progeny with deliberate cruelty and obviously relishes pitting one against the other. It comes as no surprise when the old man's throat is mysteriously cut in an apparently locked room, and although he was frail and wheelchair-bound, there appears to be evidence of a great struggle. Poirot is aided in his quest for a solution to the baffling mystery by Chief Inspector Japp and...

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | detective | manor house | south africa | diamond mining | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Crime | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 January 1995 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Chilham Castle, Chilham, Kent, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carnival Films, London Weekend Television (LWT)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min 100 min (14 episodes)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alternate titles for "Hercule Poirot's Christmas" include "Murder for Christmas" and "A Holiday for Murder".

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Goofs

When Sugden is at the room where Pilar is being interrogated, he says: "I better find Sgt Coombes" and leaves immediately the room. Later, when Poirot explains the solution, this scene is shown again, but Sugden, after saying that, doesn't leave immediately the room and waits a few seconds.

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Quotes

Hercule Poirot: Chief Inspector, you have been thinking again. I have warned you of this before.

User Reviews

Why Oh Why?

Why on earth would one murder a great Agatha Christie novel like one of her doomed characters? This take on the book is ridiculous to say the least. Three major Characters have been dropped, interesting integral characters. Some characters have been added for no real reason. The most disturbing part is that complete scenes and stories that were never in the original book have been made up without use. I say, if one wanted to write a mystery screenplay then write an original one, don't mess with a classic. As a stand alone mystery this may be a good movie, but as a recreation of Agatha Christie's brilliant novel it's a complete disaster. I am rather glad Christie is not alive to see one of her works crucified in such a manner.