"Agatha Christie's Poirot" The Hollow (2004)

Director:

Simon Langton

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
Nick Dear (screenplay)

TV Series:

"Agatha Christie's Poirot" (1989)

Original Air Date:

26 April 2004 (Season 9, Episode 4)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

Poirot stumbles on the murder scene of philandering Dr. John Christow at a country estate as his mistress, his hostess, and his wife (with a revolver) stand over him.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Former Lovers | Revolver | Detective | Country Estate

Cast

David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Jonathan Cake	...	John Christow
Megan Dodds	...	Henrietta Savernake
Sarah Miles	...	Lucy Angkatell
Edward Fox	...	Gudgeon
Claire Price	...	Gerda Christow
Lysette Anthony	...	Veronica Cray
Tom Georgeson	...	Inspector Grange
Edward Hardwicke	...	Sir Henry Angkatell
Caroline Martin	...	Midge Hardcastle
Jamie de Courcey	...	Edward Angkatell (as Jamie De Courcey)
Ian Talbot	...	Victor Simms
Angela Curran	...	Frances Simms
Lucy Briers	...	Beryl Collins
Dale Rapley	...	Sergeant Coombes
Teresa Churcher	...	Elsie Patterson
Harriet Cobbold	...	Simmons
Andrew Watson	...	Young Officer
Paula Jacobs	...	Mrs Pearstock

Directed by
Simon Langton

Writing credits
Agatha Christie		(novel)
Nick Dear		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michele Buck	....	executive producer
Phil Clymer	....	executive producer: Chorion plc
Delia Fine	....	executive producer: A&E Television Networks
Leila Kirkpatrick	....	line producer
Margaret Mitchell	....	producer
Emilio Nunez	....	supervising producer: A&E Television Networks
David Suchet	....	associate producer
Damien Timmer	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christopher Gunning

Cinematography by
James Aspinall		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Andrew McClelland

Production Design by
Michael Pickwoad

Art Direction by
Richard Hogan

Costume Design by
Sheena Napier

Makeup Department
Carol Cooper	....	makeup artist
Rupert Simon	....	makeup artist
Sian Turner	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Fiona McGuire	....	executive in charge of production
Kate Stannard	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Crabtree	....	first assistant director
Danny Pruett	....	second assistant director
Jessica Hurles-Laws	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Mike Fowlie	....	prop master
Kenneth Hambling	....	construction manager (as Ken Hambling)
Mark Rimmell	....	set director

Sound Department
John Downer	....	supervising sound editor
Tony Jackson	....	sound recordist
Billy Mahoney	....	dubbing mixer
Sarah Morton	....	dialogue editor
Mike Reardon	....	sound maintenance
Charlotte Gray	....	sound trainee (uncredited)
Nigel Squibbs	....	assistant dubbing mixer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Simon Giles	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)

Stunts
Ray Donn	....	stunt double: David Suchet (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Boorer	....	grip
Michael Green	....	focus puller
Peter Harris	....	best boy
Mike Miller	....	camera operator
Phil Penfold	....	lighting gaffer
Larry S. Prinz	....	lighting gaffer (as Larry Prinz)

Casting Department
Maureen Duff	....	casting
Claire Saunders	....	casting assistant
Gail Stevens	....	casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tamar Zaig	....	assistant costume designer
Jason Gill	....	costume assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Anya Dillon	....	assistant editor
Asa Shoul	....	telecine colourist
Simon Giblin	....	on-line editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Nuala Alen-Buckley	....	production accountant
Diane Chittell	....	production coordinator
Simon Giles	....	title design
Mariette Masters	....	publicist
Phoebe Masters	....	assistant coordinator
Gina Nocero	....	senior publicist: A & E
Caroline O'Reilly	....	script supervisor
Patrick Smith	....	picture publicist
Tom Stourton	....	location manager
Karen Thrussell	....	script editor
Derek Wax	....	script executive
Emily Chittell	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Elton Farla	....	unit medic (uncredited)
Lawrence Stevens	....	floor runner (uncredited)

Sound Department
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer

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

Production Companies

• Granada Television (as A Granada Production)
• A&E Television Networks (in association with) (as A & E Television Networks)
• Agatha Christie (in association with) (as Agatha Christie Ltd {a Chorion Company})
• Chorion (uncredited)

Distributors

• Independent Television (ITV) (2004) (UK) (TV)
• A&E Television Networks (2005) (USA) (TV)
• A&E Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• New Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Malavasi Editore (2005) (Italy) (DVD)

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting (uncredited)
• Molinare Studio  sound post-production (uncredited)
• Pepper Post Production  post-production facilities (uncredited)

Runtime:

89 min | UK:93 min (11 episodes)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12 (video rating) (2004)

Filming Locations:

Hampton Estate, Seale, Farnham, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Granada Television

Trivia:

When Henrietta doodles, she always sketches a stylized tree that she calls Yggdrasil. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is a giant ash tree that represents Viking cosmology, with the branches standing for different parallel worlds. "Heaven" is at the top and Hel is at the bottom. The world we experience is on one of the middle branches.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When Lady Angkatell wakes Henrietta Savernake to tell her of the gun holster, the shadow of the boom mike shows on the lamp on the bedside table.

Quotes:

John Christow:Would you give it all up, if I asked you to, and come and live with me?
Henrietta Savernake:No.
John Christow:No?
Henrietta Savernake:That's not really what you want.
John Christow:Couldn't you lie to me just once?
Henrietta Savernake:Why?
John Christow:Because I love you, Henrietta, but you're so... you're so detached. Your art, your cars, your friends... I want you to think only of me.
Henrietta Savernake:Isn't that what Gerda does?
John Christow:Don't tell me you care a damn about Gerda!
Henrietta Savernake:Why not? I like Gerda.

Movie Connections:

Version of Dangerous Women (1985)

Excellent!

This movie deserves a 20/10 if I could give one. "THE HOLLOW" is a great Hercule Poirot novel and the twist at the end fools most people. I am overjoyed that this movie stayed completely faithful to the novel. There was no major difference that I could spot. The only difference was that Poirot was introduced into the story earlier that in the novel. The acting was superb, and the music, as usual, was amazing quality! David Suchet is perfect in his role, and the rest of the cast is perfect in their respective roles either. In no other movie that I've seen so far has Poirot been portrayed so brilliantly! Hats off to the producers-- they have made a movie that I along with many others will cherish for a long time to come!