"Agatha Christie: Poirot"
After the Funeral (2005)

Director:

Maurice Phillips

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
Philomena McDonagh (screenplay)

TV Series:

"Agatha Christie: Poirot" (1989)

Original Air Date:

11 December 2005 (Season 10, Episode 3)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

His friend, solicitor Gilbert Entwhistle, asks Hercule Poirot to help solve a riddle and a murder. The riddle has to do with Richard Abernethie's will...

Plot Keywords:

French Accent | Art Deco | 1930s | Belgian | Murder Investigation

Cast

David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Robert Bathurst	...	Gilbert Entwhistle
Geraldine James	...	Helen Abernethie
Anna Calder-Marshall	...	Maude Abernethie
Monica Dolan	...	Miss Gilchrist / Cora Gallacio
Kevin Doyle	...	Inspector Morton
Michael Fassbender	...	George Abernethie
Fiona Glascott	...	Rosamund Shane
Julian Ovenden	...	Michael Shane
Lucy Punch	...	Susannah Henderson
William Russell	...	Lanscombe
Anthony Valentine	...	Giovanni Gallaccio
Benjamin Whitrow	...	Timothy Abernethie
Philip Anthony	...	Vicar
John Carson	...	Richard Abernethie
Dominic Jephcott	...	Dr. Larraby
Vicky Ogden	...	Janet
Annabel Scholey	...	Actress 'Miss Sorrell'

Directed by
Maurice Phillips

Writing credits
Agatha Christie		(novel)
Philomena McDonagh		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michele Buck	....	executive producer
Phil Clymer	....	executive producer: Chorion
Helga Dowie	....	line producer
Delia Fine	....	executive producer: A&E
Trevor Hopkins	....	producer
Emilio Nunez	....	supervising producer: A&E
David Suchet	....	associate producer
Damien Timmer	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Stephen McKeon

Cinematography by
David Higgs		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Paul Garrick

Casting by
Maureen Duff

Production Design by
Jeff Tessler

Art Direction by
Denise Bail
Pilar Foy
Paul Gilpin		(supervising art director)

Costume Design by
Sheena Napier

Makeup Department
Christine Greenwood	....	makeup designer
Susan Parkinson	....	makeup artist (as Sue Parkinson)
Kate Roberts	....	makeup artist
Sian Turner	....	makeup artist: David Suchet

Production Management
Alasdair Whitelaw	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sean Clayton	....	second assistant director
Jonathan Farmer	....	first assistant director
Rachael Haston	....	third assistant director
Emily Perowne	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Tony Gibbs	....	dressing props
Emma Godwin	....	assistant production buyer
Jim Grindley	....	property master
David Lewis	....	production buyer
Paul Mitchell	....	stand-by props
Joanne Ridler	....	stand-by art director
Gus Wookey	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Robert Alsop	....	sound trainee
John Downer	....	supervising sound editor
Billy Mahoney	....	dubbing mixer
Sarah Morton	....	dialogue editor
Adam Powell	....	foley editor
Filipa Principe	....	foley editor
Ashley Reynolds	....	sound maintenance
Andrew Sissons	....	sound recordist
Nigel Squibbs	....	assistant dubbing mixer
Paul McFadden	....	adr editor (uncredited)
Paul McFadden	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Andy Bell	....	electrician
Paul Edwards	....	steadicam operator
Dan Fontaine	....	gaffer
Jeremy Gee	....	camera operator
Jamie Phillips	....	clapper loader
Matt Poynter	....	focus puller
Steve Pugh	....	grip
Erin Stevens	....	second focus puller

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jason Gill	....	costumer
Charlotte Mitchell	....	costumer
Philip O'Connor	....	dresser: David Suchet
Gabrielle Spanswick	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Simon Giblin	....	on-line editor
Adam Harvey	....	assistant editor
Jet Omoshebi	....	colorist

Other crew
Sam Baker	....	assistant coordinator
Sue Clegg	....	script supervisor (as Suzie Clegg)
Andrew Dalmahoy	....	location manager
Elton Farla	....	medical coordinator
Thom Green	....	production runner
Paula Jack	....	dialect coach
Gail Kennett	....	production executive
Jude Liknaitzky	....	script editor
Peter Mares	....	publicist
Rebecca Maybury	....	assistant accountant
Gina Nocero	....	publicist
Emily Perowne	....	floor runner
Sheila Price	....	production accountant
Patrick Smith	....	publicist
Tom Stourton	....	location manager
Rebecca Sutton	....	production coordinator
Peter A. Tullo	....	location manager (as Peter Tullo)
Beth Willis	....	script editor

Produced by
Nick Elliott	....	executive producer (episode "Jewell Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan")

Sound Department
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Leonie Barker	....	wardrobe mistress

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

Production Companies

• A&E Television Networks
• Granada Television
• Chorion
• Agatha Christie

Distributors

• A&E Television Networks (2005) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Independent Television (ITV) (2006) (UK) (TV)
• Malavasi Editore (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
• RTL Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL8)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Molinare Studio  sound post-production
• Pepper Post Production  post-production facilities

Runtime:

USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Netherlands:6 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Rotherfield Park, East Tisted, Alton, Hampshire, England, UK

Company:

A&E Television Networks

Quotes:

Miss Gilchrist: Young people nowadays seem so uncaring. They don't know what it is to be alone in the world.
Hercule Poirot: The journey of life... it can be hard for those of us who travel alone, Mademoiselle. Have you always been a companion to a lady?
Miss Gilchrist: No. I used to have my own tea shop, "The Willow Tree". Oh, it was a delightful little place, Mr Poirot. All the china was blue-willow patterned... so pretty, and the cakes were really awfully good, if I say it myself. But a Lions establishment opened up nearby and my little place failed.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Version of Murder at the Gallop (1963)

Poirot in top form

David Suchet is Agatha Christie's mustached detective Hercule Poirot in "After the Funeral," produced in 2005. Anyone who has heard David Suchet speak with his own British accent knows what a shock it is, because his accent as Poirot is so perfect and organic to the character. Suchet is the Poirot of Agatha Christie's books, and although I confess a love for Peter Ustinov in the role, his portrayal doesn't have that much to do with what Christie wrote.

In this episode, Poirot is asked by a solicitor friend to investigate the possible murder of one of his clients. Enroute on the train, the solicitor recounts the events after the death - a strange will disinheriting the expected heir and the pronouncement of the man's sister that he was murdered. When Poirot meets the family, he discovers adultery, lots of secrets, another will and murder.

The story is excellent with rich production values and a wonderful, detailed depiction of the time period. All of the acting is superb, particularly from Monica Dolan, who plays Miss Gilchrist. Poirot here is without Hastings, his beautiful office, or Miss Lemon but he's effective nonetheless.

I had the privilege of seeing David Suchet on Broadway in "Amadeus." Breathtaking. What an actor - when he's playing Poirot, all I see IS Poirot.