The Adventure of the Clapham Cook (8 Jan. 1989)
"Agatha Christie's Poirot" The Adventure of the Clapham Cook (original title)

Poirot probes the disappearance of a wealthy woman's cook, and soon uncovers an elaborate plot to hide an ever darker crime.

Director:

Edward Bennett

Writer:

Clive Exton (dramatized by)

Stars:

David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Hugh Fraser	...	Captain Hastings
Philip Jackson	...	Chief Inspector Japp
Pauline Moran	...	Miss Lemon
Brigit Forsyth	...	Mrs. Todd
Dermot Crowley	...	Arthur Simpson
Freda Dowie	...	Eliza Dunn
Antony Carrick	...	Mr. Todd
Katy Murphy	...	Annie
Danny Webb	...	Porter (as Daniel Webb)
Richard Bebb	...	Mr. Cameron
Brian Poyser	...	Salvation Army Speaker
Frank Vincent	...	Purser
Phillip Manikum	...	Police Sergeant
Jona Jones	...	Police Constable

Storyline

Poirot is approached by a Mrs. Todd, whose cook, Eliza Dunn, has suddenly disappeared. Poirot manages to track down the cook , and she tells him that a stranger, acting for a law firm, told her that she had inherited a property in the North of England but she had to go there immediately. Her heavy trunk was called for but it was deposited at the train station, where Poirot makes an interesting discovery, connected to a recent bank robbery.

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Plot Keywords:

murder mystery

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Crime | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 January 1989 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Twickenham Studios, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

51 min 50 min (36 episodes)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Captain Hastings: Husband put head in gas oven; home life happy.
Hercule Poirot: No.
Captain Hastings: Belgravia and Overseas Bank clerk absconds with fortune.
Hercule Poirot: How much is this fortune?
Captain Hastings: Uh... ninety thousand pounds.
Hercule Poirot: No.
Captain Hastings: That's a king's ransom, Poirot.
Hercule Poirot: When it is used to ransom a king, it becomes interesting to Poirot.

User Reviews

Perfect on-screen short story

A very nice little movie, quite faithful to the book.

Mrs. Todd, though, is a bit vulgar-looking, she wears too much makeup and too bright clothes - it's not like the strict plain housewife I imagined when I read the story. But this portrayal of her doesn't spoil the overall impression.

The mystery here is as twisted as in Christie's larger works. I liked it that the director didn't try to prolong it by adding a whole set of new characters and details. Almost everything is just as it was in the story.

I highly recommend the movie to everyone who likes the true Agatha Christie stories, her ideas and her characters, preserved on screen. Watching The Adventure of the Clapham Cook is literally like seeing that mysterious but also quite funny short story coming alive.