Double Sin (11 Feb. 1990)
"Agatha Christie's Poirot" Double Sin (original title)

A young woman is delivering a set of antique Napoleon miniatures to an American collector when they are stolen from her suitcase. Captain Hastings, under Poirot's guidance, sets out to find the thief.

Director:

Richard Spence

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
Adam Kotz	...	Norton Kane
Caroline Milmoe	...	Mary Durrant
Elspet Gray	...	Miss Penn
David Hargreaves	...	Sergeant Vinney
Gerard Horan	...	Police Constable Flagg
Michael Shannon	...	Mr Baker Wood (as Michael J. Shannon)
Amanda Garwood	...	Lady Amanda Manderley
Paul Gabriel	...	Speedy Tours Rep.
Harry Goodier	...	Billy Arkwright
Jeffrey S. Perry	...	Hotel Receptionist (as Jeffrey Perry)
Anne Small	...	Pianist

Storyline

A bored Hercule Poirot announces that he is going to retire and suggests that he and Captain Hastings go to the seaside for a short holiday. While there, they meet a pleasant young woman who is delivering a set of miniature portraits to an American buyer on behalf of her aunt, an antiques dealer. When they arrive at their destination she is shocked to find that the miniatures are missing and that the American had already bought them from an elderly lady more than an hour before. As Poirot has retired he leaves the case in the hands of Hastings who slowly puts the facts together and not surprisingly comes to the wrong conclusion. In the end, it is left to Poirot to suggest the solution to the crime and brings all of the parties together for an interesting lunch.

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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:

11 February 1990 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Twickenham Studios, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

51 min 50 min (36 episodes)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Captain Hastings: Isn't it bracing, Poirot?
Hercule Poirot: Bracing, Hastings?
Captain Hastings: The weather.
Hercule Poirot: No, it is cold and wet. Did you know, Hastings, that the earth is cooling at a rate of three degrees every twelve thousand years?
Captain Hastings: No, I didn't know that, no.
Hercule Poirot: Ah.
Captain Hastings: Still, beautiful fountain, isn't it?
Hercule Poirot: It's feeble, Hastings. Fountains used to be more vigorous. Artistic too.
Captain Hastings: I don't know what's wrong with you today, Poirot. Nothing seems good enough for you.
[...]

User Reviews

A solid Poirot, well made, clever, well-acted and entertaining

I have always loved this series, and while not one of the best to me, it is a solid episode, if imperfect. The final solution was in a sense interesting, but could have been expanded more, maybe it was to do with time but it felt a little rushed. While I didn't dislike her, I didn't care for the character of Mary Durrant, I do find it foolish when someone says to strangers on a bus of all places that they have £1500 on them, unless I'm missing the point. However, it is still a classy and elegantly- made episode, with hauntingly beautiful music, a good clever story and intelligent, witty dialogue(who else loves Poirot's sarcasm?) The acting is great, David Suchet plays Poirot as if born to do the role, and Hugh Fraser, Pauline Moran and Phillip Jackson contrast perfectly. The support cast, especially Amanda Garwood, are solid if never quite up to the standard of the four leads. Overall, a solid and well-made episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox