Appointment with Death (25 Jul. 2010)
"Agatha Christie's Poirot" Appointment with Death (original title)

While accompanying her husband on an archaeological dig in 1937 Syria, overbearing, abusive Lady Boynton is found stabbed to death.

Director:

Ashley Pearce

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), Guy Andrews (screenplay)

Stars:

David Suchet, Tim Curry, Jawad Elalami

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Tim Curry	...	Lord Boynton
Jawad Elalami	...	Labourer
Christina Cole	...	Sarah
Tom Riley	...	Raymond Boynton
Cheryl Campbell	...	Lady Boynton
Zoe Boyle	...	Jinny Boynton
Emma Cunniffe	...	Carol Boynton
Angela Pleasence	...	Nanny
Aizoun Abdelkader	...	Concierge (as Abdelkader Aizoun)
Paul Freeman	...	Col. Carbury
Beth Goddard	...	Sister Agnieszka
Christian McKay	...	Jefferson Cope
Mark Gatiss	...	Leonard Boynton
Mansour Badri	...	Taxi Driver (as Badri Mansour)

Storyline

Syria, 1937: Hercule Poirot is one of several people present at an archaeological dig to find the skull of St John the Baptist, led by the exuberant Lord Boynton and his loyal son Leonard. The enterprise has been financed by Boynton's rich, rude and overbearing American wife. She bullies her three adopted children, Carol, Jinny and Raymond, as well as the family's nanny. Sarah King, a young English doctor, falls for Raymond and would love to tear him from his mother's apron-strings, and another doctor, Dr Gerard, takes an interest in Jinny, as does a Polish nun, who, with Jinny, is subject to an attack - by white slavers, according to the independent travel-writer Dame Celia Westholme. A mysterious young American, Jefferson Cope, whose link to the Boyntons seems tenuous, completes the group. Only his Lordship has any love for his wife so that, when she is found stabbed to death one blisteringly hot afternoon, Poirot has more than his fair share of suspects to interrogate.

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Plot Keywords:

stabbed to death | nanny | doctor | nun | skull | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 July 2010 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Casablanca, Morocco

Company Credits

Production Co:

ITV Studios, WGBH, Agatha Christie

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min 93 min (DVD release) 93 min (11 episodes)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

A 1945 West End theatrical adaptation of the original 1938 novel eliminated Poirot's character and changed the identity of the killer. It is notable that Joan Hickson, later to play Christie's Miss Marple, was in the cast.

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Quotes

Hercule Poirot: There is nothing in the world so damaged that it cannot be repaired by the hand of the almighty God. I encourage you to know this, because without this certainty, we should all of us be mad.

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Connections

Remake of Appointment with Death (1988)

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Soundtracks

"Dido's Lament"
(uncredited)
Written by Henry Purcell

User Reviews

Poirot has turned into cheap Hollywod-ish junk!!!!

First off, if you've read the book, watch the Ustinov version. True, you do not see Suchet's splendid acting; true, Ustinov's version is very unfaithful-- but this film (can it be called such?) is even more unfaithful than that.

I've remarked more than once that POIROT has recently had the bad tendency to behave like MARPLE, but one thing set the two apart for good- POIROT never changed the murderer. The motives, yes. The method of establishing the alibi, yes. But the KILLER??? NEVER-- until now. This utter blasphemy should've been burnt at developing stages. Some studio bigwigs decided Agatha Christie needed "improvements". Whoever approved this script needs improvement as well.

This script was a total rewrite. Not sure where to set your standards? Look along the lines of "The Sittaford Mystery" and "Nemesis".

If you have not read the Agatha Christie book, you may enjoy this film. One positive review is already up in which the reviewer admits not to have read it. But if you're a true fan, you may find it easily watchable, but, ultimately, a disgusting piece of filth.