"Agatha Christie's Poirot" After the Funeral (2006)

Director:

Maurice Phillips

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
Philomena McDonagh (screenplay)

TV Series:

"Agatha Christie's Poirot" (1989)

Original Air Date:

26 March 2006 (Season 10, Episode 3)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

When a man disinherits his sole beneficiary and bequeaths his wealth to others just prior to his death, Poirot is called in to investigate.

Plot Keywords:

Suspect | Beneficiary | Funeral | Hercule Poirot | Italian

Cast

David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Philip Anthony	...	Vicar (as Phillip Anthony)
Robert Bathurst	...	Gilbert Entwhistle
Anna Calder-Marshall	...	Maude Abernethie
John Carson	...	Richard Abernethie
Kevin Doyle	...	Inspector Morton
Michael Fassbender	...	George Abernethie
Fiona Glascott	...	Rosamund
Geraldine James	...	Helen Abernethie
Dominic Jephcott	...	Dr. Larraby
Vicky Ogden	...	Janet
Julian Ovenden	...	Michael Shane
Lucy Punch	...	Susannah Henderson
William Russell	...	Lanscombe
Annabel Scholey	...	'Miss Sorrel'
Anthony Valentine	...	Giovanni Gallaccio
Benjamin Whitrow	...	Timothy Abernethie
Monica Dolan	...	Cora and Miss Gilchrist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sean O'Connor	...	Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Maurice Phillips

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

Produced by
Michele Buck	....	executive producer
Phil Clymer	....	executive producer: Chorion plc.
Helga Dowie	....	line producer
Delia Fine	....	executive producer: A&E Television Networks
Trevor Hopkins	....	producer
Emilio Nunez	....	supervising producer: A&E Television Networks
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 Ball
Pilar Foy

Costume Design by
Sheena Napier

Makeup Department
Christine Greenwood	....	makeup designer
Susan Parkinson	....	makeup artist (as Sue Parkinson)
Kate Roberts	....	makeup artist
Sian Turner	....	David Suchet's make-up

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 (uncredited)

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

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

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

Camera and Electrical Department
Dan Fontaine	....	lighting gaffer
Jeremy Gee	....	camera operator
Jamie Phillips	....	clapper loader
Matt Poynter	....	focus puller
Steve Pugh	....	grip
Erin Stevens	....	clapper loader
John Walker	....	best boy
Andy Bell	....	electrician (uncredited)
Paul Edwards	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Erin Stevens	....	second focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jason Gill	....	costume
Charlotte Mitchell	....	costume
Philip O'Connor	....	dresser: David Suchet's (as Phil O'Connor)
Gabrielle Spanswick	....	costume supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Adam Harvey	....	assistant editor
Sion Penny	....	on-line editor (as Siôn Penny)
Lee Twohey	....	colourist

Transportation Department
Mark Beeton	....	unit driver (uncredited)
Sean O'Connor	....	driver: David Suchet (uncredited)

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

Sound Department
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer

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

Production Companies

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

Distributors

• A&E Television Networks (2005) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Granada Television International (2005) (worldwide) (all media)
• Independent Television (ITV) (2006) (UK) (TV)
• Malavasi Editore (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
• RTL Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL8)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• AcornMedia (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Magyar Televízió (2006) (Hungary) (TV)

Other Companies

• Molinare Studio  sound post-production (uncredited)
• Pepper Post Production  post-production facilities (uncredited)
• Yacinsky Design  transfer

Runtime:

USA:120 min (including commercials) | UK:93 min (11 episodes)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | Australia:M | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Netherlands:6 | UK:PG (video rating) (2006)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Granada

Quotes:

Hercule Poirot:They lied very well. They are all performers.

Movie Connections:

Version of Murder at the Gallop (1963)

"C'est magnifique!" (as Poirot says at one point)

Although I have definitely read this particular Agatha Christie book at some point, I didn't remember anything about it except the name "Abernethie". Which is a good thing, because seeing this story unfold without knowing how it will play out allowed me to appreciate once more the sheer GENIUS of Agatha Christie: the way she misleads you and then pulls the rug out from under your feet is the main reason for her success and timelessness. In addition to her stories, the excellent production values, beautiful locations, wonderful music, top-notch acting, elegant directing, etc. are the reasons for this series' success and timelessness - and all those virtues are present in "After the Funeral". A word of advice: be alert right from the start - there are clues dropped all over the place even in the opening sequence! There are some quite unnerving moments as well, in contrast to the peaceful-looking English-countryside locations, and some small touches of humor. A must-see for mystery buffs, and just a very good film in general. (***)