Poirot (TV Series) The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge (1991) User Reviews

Poirot: "I am a corpse waiting to die!"

[kaberi-893-642316 · 8/10 · 25 June 2016]

Overall I enjoyed this episode. In this case, the original story had a resolution that was clever, but even so, there were never very many suspects involved in this crime, Hastings himself asserts, "It'll remain a dark mystery." That wouldn't have worked well for television, so the writers threw in a few extra characters to be suspects. Nothing wrong with that, but I experienced some confusion in keeping these extra suspects straight, being that they were all men, all dressed in a similar fashion, and all of roughly the same build. Having said that, the most enjoyable aspect of this episode for me was the sight of Poirot sick in bed, hence the title of this review. His overdramatic reaction to being ill is exceeded only by his irritated reactions to everyone else, and poor Hastings gets the brunt of it. But by the end, his health is restored, the culprit has been caught and Poirot's good humor has been restored.

Poirot works on a murder from his bed of pain

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 18 October 2014]

Hercule Poirot excitedly accompanies Captain Hastings on a weekend shooting party in "The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge," because apparently whatever they're shooting is going to make a very special meal.

However, Hercule catches the flu and, with his penchant for the dramatic, is very ill indeed. When the host of the weekend, Harrington Pace, is shot dead, Poirot attempts to help Inspector Japp, even if that means he has to question one of the possible suspects while still in bed.

Turns out Pace was an abysmal human being, treating his illegitimate brother like a servant -- in fact, he was the gamekeeper -- and refusing to lend him money to get married and buy his own home. His two nephews didn't like him. The only one who saw the murderer enter was the housekeeper, Mrs. Middleton, and she has disappeared. Poirot knows one thing -- if they can find Middleton, they can solve the case.

In the end, Poirot takes on a hunting dog as a partner to help unmask a killer.

I really liked this, and I loved Poirot acting so ill, babying himself and asking others to do the same. Very funny. A delightful episode, some of it a little transparent, but still clever and entertaining.

One of the best in the series.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 13 November 2015]

Poirot accompanies Hastings to a pheasant shoot. It's host is Harrington Pace, a wealthy land owner and odious man disliked by those around him. A shooting accident sees Pace injured, an accident?

More serious in tone then the earlier episodes, but they can still afford a little humour here and there, the story of Mr Anstruther's bike is a fun diversion.

I love the filmography, it's a glorious looking episode, the scenes of the moors look fabulous. Everything about the episode oozes quality,

Expertly acted as always, Diana Kent in particular was excellent.

It's a truly brilliant episode, one of the best, it's an ingenious story, so clever, one that keeps you guessing until the very end. 9/10

"Is this gratitude, Hastings? Is it for this that Hercule Poirot exerts his talents on behalf of the world?"

[bensonmum2 · 9/10 · 9 August 2015]

Harrington Pace is a wealthy, nasty piece of work. He holds his money over the heads of employees, friends, and family. So when he's found murdered in his study, it's almost surprising that an unknown bearded man is sought for questioning and not one of the members of Pace's household with a motive. Can Poirot find this mysterious man? It will be difficult as Poirot is horribly sick and bedridden.

I'm not sure that The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge is just my favorite of the 50 minute episodes I've seen, but it might be my favorite of the entire series. Let me get this out of the way upfront - it's not perfect. I found the solution to the mystery right out of the gate. But I've watched so many of these episodes lately that I think I'm beginning to think like Poirot and Agatha Christie. I know what to look for. Regardless, this is a GREAT episode.

Start with the location shots. Have there been any better? The snow covered fields, complete with hunting blinds, are gorgeous. The cinematography is stunning. I normally don't mention music, but here it's perfect with a haunting quality to it. Period details are, as usual, spot on. Acting is, as usual, terrific. Suchet, Fraser, and Jackson are as good as ever. A couple of supporting players stood out to me - Bernard Horsfall is marvelous as the nasty Harrington Pace and Diana Kent is mesmerizing as Zoe Havering. The direction of Renny Rye is also very good. The episode moves with a nice pace. Even though I knew where the story was headed, there are some excellent touches along the way - the buried bike, the missing housekeeper, the train schedules, the bearded stranger. It's a lot of fun. Finally, set decoration, lighting, costumes, and probably the catering are first rate. If you haven't gotten it yet, I love this episode. A 9/10 from me.

BIG SPOILERS - How many of Agatha Christie's stories rely on someone playing two different characters? I think this is the second episode in a row and the fourth in the first three seasons with this plot twist. I just think it's odd. Also, I'm glad that IMDb didn't list both character names for one actor. That really gives the mystery away. END BIG SPOILERS

Very complicated mystery

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 11 January 2008]

Hercule Poirot has to solve the murder of an unsympathetic rich patriarch at a remote hunter's lodge; the nephew of the victim is a friend of Captain Hastings and is the one who had invited them there. In addition to the baffling case, Poirot has one more problem: he has caught a bad cold.

The problem with "The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge" is that it immediately drops you into the story, without properly introducing the half-dozen or so characters that play an important part in it. So the story seems a bit too cluttered, especially in the 50-minute format. However, the snowy locations and the wintry cold are atmospheric, and there is also a very well-trained little dog that helps a lot in solving the mystery. (**1/2)

Another one of the best

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 20 April 2012]

The short story adaptations of Agatha Christie are all worth watching, with notable standouts being Adventure of the Italian Nobleman, Wasp's Nest, The Chocolate Box, Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb and Jewel Theft at the Grand Metropolitan. The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge is another one of the best, though while ingenious the idea of two people being one is hard to swallow at first. However this is compensated by a very involving story that moves swiftly, and a script that has again the perfect balance of humorous and suspenseful. Not to mention a haunting score, atmospheric locations and splendid photography. The acting is as always top notch, David Suchet is superb as Poirot and I can think of few if any who could do it better. Hugh Fraser and Phillip Jackson are amusing, there is a very well trained dog that is essential to the story(kind of like Bob in Dumb Witness) and of the supporting cast Bernard Horsfall is the standout as a deliciously unsympathetic Harrington Pace. All in all, one of the best of the short story adaptations and still impresses me with how well made and clever it is. 9/10 Bethany Cox

The plot does not stand up to ze leetle grey cells

[DoctorStrabismus · 6/10 · 25 July 2020]

6/10 for an amusing entertainment on a cold winter evening at home, the tone for that being set by the snow scenes at the start. Rather more telegraphing of who the victim will be than usual, especially since he gets shot twice, the first time in the hand which was apparently a careless accident while hunting, but we wonder if it was in fact a murder attempt. But thinking about it afterwards, my leetle grey cells told me that the whole central plot feature of the bicycle and the beard were totally unnecessary features of the murder plan, and indeed the bicycle put it at risk in the event of it not being so accessible to steal, or even just having a flat tyre. Apart from the railway worker at a distant halt, the only person who reported seeing the bearded man was the bearded man himself / herself, who was the murderer, so why bother with the whole thing? Without the beard and the bike the dog would have had nothing to dig up, but then maybe we would have not had much of a story either.

One of the better earlier Poirot episodes

[grantss · 9/10 · 18 August 2016]

Poirot accompanies Hastings on a pheasant shoot on the estate of Harrington Pace. As a result Poirot is laid up in bed with a severe cold. Later that night Mr Pace is shot dead in his study by an unknown intruder, an intruder who apparently simply knocked on the front door and was let in my the housekeeper, Mrs Middleton. The next day Mrs Middleton disappears. With Poirot sick in bed, Hastings is helping out DCI Japp. Obviously that isn't going to get the case solved, so Poirot is soon in the thick of it.

The earlier short-form Poirot episodes were characterised by simpler plots, generally, as there wasn't enough time to get too complex. This one is one of the cleverer, more complex plots. Not overly complex (which some of the long-form episodes could be) but complex enough to appreciate how clever it was.

Some good intrigue and the usual amusement at Hastings' expense and this is a great episode.

The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 22 February 2018]

A nifty mystery as Poirot and Hasting go to the countryside for some shooting and Poirot catches a cold. Thier host, Harrington Pace is later found dead. There was a reported sighting of a man with a bushy beard coming into the house and the housekeeper has also disappeared.

Pace was a wealthy but nasty. He treated his half brother as the gamekeeper, his nephews were at his whim for the promise of an inheritance.

Poirot suspects that finding a stolen bike could solve the mystery, a hunting dog with a good nose is key to it.

There are some wonderful scenes of the snow capped countryside as the hunting scenes takes place but I did find the solution maybe a little too easy to figure.

S3: A bit less fun than before but still satisfyingly entertaining

[bob the moo · 6 April 2014]

The prequel special that preceded this third season was an indication that the series of Poirot was reaching a point of being something considered special by ITV – something more than just a series. Indeed we know in future years the "seasons" became more standalone films delivered as events throughout the year, but the third season still retains the 10-episode structure but just feels a little different. The difference comes in the manner of delivery which is still comic but is a little bit more serious as a whole, with increased dramatics – almost like the writers feel the pressure of the success and decided that a bit more gravitas was needed.

Of course this is a very sweeping statement to make because it isn't like the whole show suddenly became some dark, pompous affair with all the weight of expectations on its shoulders, but rather than I noticed that the frequent light comedic touch of previous outings in the first two seasons. Here we have a slightly more sturdy air – not serious and certainly not stuffy, but it does feel more like a show with a bit of clout behind it. While I missed the lighter touches, this season mostly still provides what I was looking for. The mysteries are mostly good and accessible – which is a mix important to me, I really do not enjoy being deliberately bamboozled for the sake of it just to have the rabbit pulled from the hat with no reasoning. I didn't really care much for Wasp's Nest, while the Hunter's Lodge episode had too obvious a device (although maybe it was obvious because I watch too much TV?). The majority were engaging although the one that really sticks in my mind is Double Clue, mainly because it featured another example of Poirot giving a free pass to someone – something which had previously happened in the first season. The Christmas special was fun, even if the mystery itself hinged on a big dollop of convenience.

In terms of the delivery, Suchet remains really good with nicely observed mannerisms and impeccable timing whether it is a nice touch of comedy or revealing the workings in his mind – he is really excellent yet again here. He continues to be well supported by both Fraser and Jackson, who are good in their roles, particularly the former. The supporting roles in this season didn't particularly grab me despite a couple which stood out for the wrong reasons, but generally everyone is solid and nobody forgets that they are just the support and not who we are there to see.

Season 3 does seem to have cut back a bit on the comedy (for sure there is not "parrot for Mr Poirot" moment in this season) but it is still very entertaining and engaging. A few weaker episodes in this run, but not by much and it remains accessible and entertaining.

First rate addition to ITV's celebrated series.

[jamesraeburn2003 · 10/10 · 3 August 2023]

Hercule Poirot (played by David Suchet) accompanies his close friend Captain Hastings (played by Hugh Fraser) to a grouse shoot on a Yorkshire moor owned by tycoon Harrington Pace (played by Bernard Horsfall). When Pace is murdered at his hunting lodge by a mysterious bearded stranger, Poirot gets Hastings to the leg work on the case for him since he has gone down with a bad case of the flu and is confined to his bed. Hastings discovers that Pace was a ruthless and unpleasant man who had cheated his business partner in County Mayo, Ireland, several years before and ruined him. He now uses his wealth to control his family, including employing his unacknowledged half-brother Jack Stoddard (played by Roy Boyd) as his gamekeeper, but would not give him the money he required to purchase his house and get married. His nephews, Roger Havering (played by Jim Norton), who has heavy gambling debts, was kept dangling on a string by assurances of wealth to come whilst Archie Havering (played by Shaughan Seymour) was employed as his estate manager without pay but with promises of a legacy. Meanwhile, the housekeeper, a rather mysterious Irish lady called Mrs Middleton has disappeared. Along with Roger's wife, Zoe (played by Diana Kent), she is the only person to have seen Pace's killer. This prompts Chief Inspector Japp (played by Philip Jackson) to put finding her as a top priority. However, Poirot, who by now has recovered enough to relieve Hastings of his duties, believes that it would be far more beneficial to find the bicycle of local railway Stationmaster Mr. Anstruther (played by Arthur Whybrow), which was stolen on the night of the murder by a man answering the description of the killer after alighting from a train. On the night in question, Roger had caught that same train from the previous station to London where he had spent the night and, seemingly, has a watertight alibi. But, when he refuses to reveal his whereabouts there on that night, Poirot and Japp are forced to suspect that he could have alighted from the train in disguise, stole the bike and rode to the lodge where he then killed his uncle. Is this indeed what happened? And just who and where is the elusive Mrs Middleton? Is there a connection between her and Pace's former business partner in Ireland? Did they plan to exact revenge on the man who ruined him before disappearing from the face of the Earth?

Another first-rate addition to ITV's celebrated series with David Suchet once again demonstrating that he is the screen's definitive Poirot. Although he is confined to his bed as a result of having flu, he still manages to keep one step ahead of Hastings even though he is the one who has had the opportunity to interview all the suspects this time around whereas he has not. There is some charming wit in TR Bowen's screenplay too. Poirot agreed to accompany his friend to the shoot because he wanted him to acquire the necessary gamebirds for a gourmet dish he was looking forward to trying out. But, after he went down with the flu, he was left disappointed since he lost his appetite and it had to be fed to the hotel's cat. Bowen did a good job in expanding Agatha Christie's short story from Poirot Investigates, which was necessary because it was too slight to stand on its own. There are numerous characters and situations added, but never does it give the impression of feeling padded and everything is in the spirit of a period Christie whodunit. As ever the acting is truly superb. Aside from Suchet, Fraser and Jackson who all offer their usual excellent performances, the entire supporting cast does fine work. Jim Norton is excellent as the murdered man's nephew and chief suspect in the case, Roger Havering, and Diana Kent scores as his loyal wife Zoe. Arthur Whybrow is also noteworthy in a comedy relief role as the Stationmaster, Mr. Anstruther, who shows little gratitude after Poirot recovers his treasured bicycle for him. The film benefits from a rich period atmosphere and the snow-covered Yorkshire moorland locations add a sense of mystery and menace to the proceedings complemented by Christopher Gunning's mood music. The very able direction is by Renny Rye who directed several episodes for this series.

The Housekeeper, She Has A Bushy Beard.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 12 March 2014]

Kind of interesting. Identifiably Christie -- although early -- and fine location shooting in some place with rolling hills, patches of snow, a brisk wind, and a low sun. Just the place for a holiday if you're a penguin or a grouse hunter.

The dozen or so guests into which we are dropped immediately are hunters. I had no idea it was such a highly organized business with several bunkers filled with shotgun-toting carnivores.

The wealthy owner of the estate is a nasty fellow who treats his guests almost with indifference and his three or four relatives with distaste. I suppose they keep pandering to him because he's promised them his legacy or whatever it's called. Anyway, money is at the root of his murder. He's shot through the head by a mysterious bearded stranger.

And then it gets complicated. I mean, you, the discerning viewer, don't believe for a moment that that beard was real, do you? Poireau catches cold from the hunting trip and spends some time recovering but his wits are as sharp as ever and he solves the mystery with a dramatic gesture and the help of a dog. Hastings is Hastings. The others come and go, and there is one performance that stands out. Diana Kent is an attractive woman whose beauty is idiosyncratic. She has large, appealing blue-green eyes, and features that could easily suggest either pain or vulnerability. There's something quite wild about her.

I've come to admire Inspector Japp too. He carries around a determined, almost gloomy demeanor that grows on one, like a fungus. You get used to Japp because he's reliable.

There are several characters and the plot involves a couple of sharp turns, so it's a little confusing, but I got a kick out of it.

Superb mystery, cleverly done, in the moors

[SimonJack · 9/10 · 13 February 2018]

In this episode of the Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot mysteries, our super sleuth and his sidekick Captain Hastings go for a shoot in the moors. They have been invited, ostensibly by an acquaintance of Hastings. But, unlike many Poirot mysteries when he seems to be invited for the super detective that he is, here Poirot receives no special attention. He is along, he tells us, for the red grouse, which he expects Hastings to bag by the numbers. Poirot is interested in this game bird for its taste. He notes that they have a wood grouse back home (Belgium), but it is not very tasty. (Indeed, the red grouse is found only on the British Isles.)

But, after a day of reading and waiting, perched on his cane-stool, while the shooting party takes its toll of the birds flushed from the moors, Poirot is nearly frozen. He complains about the cold but is happy for the big fire in the English fireplace. After they escape the lodge to the inn in the nearest town, Poirot comes down with a cold. And, it is that night that the master of the lodge, Harrington Pace, is killed.

This is a superb rendition of the short story that it is based upon. It is cleverly done so that Poirot can solve the mystery from the incidents recounted. Before the conclusion, the audience sees some of the things that only make sense after Poirot points them out. This TV episode ran on the PBS Mystery Theater in America after its original showing on the BBC in the U.K. It's a most intriguing and enjoyable mystery, even viewed again many years after its first TV run. Here are some favorite lines from this episode.

Hercule Poirot, "I shall need at least six... no, no, no. no... eight for de grouse en glaze. I shall ask the hotel to cook us some tomorrow." Captain Hastings, "It's not like ordering them in a shop, Poirot. I've gotta shoot the damn things." Hercule Poirot, "I have every faith in your marksmanship, Hastings."

Jack Stoddard, to Harrington Pace, "Damn you! I sometimes wonder which of us was born a bastard."

Hercule Poirot, "Hastings, would you please stop tapping your nose in that theatrical manner and tell me all you know?"

Chief Inspector Japp, "How many men have ya got?" Sergeant Forgan, "Men, sir? Heh, just the one, sir, him." Inspector Japp, "Well, you'll have to make optimum use of your resources, won't you?"

Chief Inspector Japp, "Ah, how's the cold, Poirot?" Hercule Poirot, "It is not a cold. It is a deadly fever."

Roger Havering, "Can we not stop this charade, chief inspector?" Chief Inspector Japp, "I don't know, sir. I've always enjoyed party games."

Chief Inspector Japp, "You expect gratitude? Don't make me laugh. Now, you know what a real detective feels like." Hercule Poirot, "A real detective? Chief Inspector Japp is fully most amusing, do you not think, Hastings?" Captain Hastings, "Oh, yes, most amusing." Hercule Poirot: "For a policeman."

The mystery of hunter's lodge

[coltras35 · 6/10 · 16 July 2023]

Poirot accompanies Hastings on a shooting party at the Hunter's Lodge, but is soon struck down with a flu. A murder occurs - Sir George is found dead in his bedroom with a bullet wound in his head. With the doors locked from inside, and no windows, the only possible scenario is that one of the guests shot Sir George. Poirot is summoned to Hunter's Lodge, the scene of the crime, to investigate who is the culprit.

Slow at first, this short story adaptation picks up with some tense atmosphere, a secluded environment, minimal suspects, and a detective with a keen eye for detail. The cast is stellar, the locale of Staffordshire is well shot, and the denouement is quite revealing. However, it can get complicated with the plot coming across a little cluttered.