Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings (played by David Suchet and Hugh Fraser) are holidaying in St Looe on the Cornish Riviera. Here they come to the aid of the beautiful, young but niave and vulnerable Magdala, commonly known as 'Nick', Buckley (played by Polly Walker), who lives in the beautiful but dilapidated End House on the clifftop. She has had several attempts made upon her life. When her cousin Maggie (played by Elizabeth Downes) is shot dead during a fireworks display, Poirot believes that the murderer mistook her for Nick and vows to protect her and to discover whom the killer is and why they should want her dead. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, Nick dies after eating chocolates laced with cocaine. It transpires that she had been engaged to a famous aviator called Michael Seaton, who has gone missing and had inherited a substantial fortune from a doting uncle. Poirot believes that in all probability he had made a will leaving everything to her and, therefore, the Seaton fortune was the motive for murder. But whom is the culprit? Nick's closest friends: Freddie Rice (played by Alison Sterling), who it turns out is a cocaine user, Commander Challenger (played by John Harding), or perhaps the seemingly kindly Australian couple, Bert and Milly Croft (played by Jeremy Young and Carol Macready), who help her maintain End House? Is her cousin and solicitor Charles Vyse (played by Christopher Baines) as honest as he seems?
A handsome, engaging and well-dramatized adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel that marks another highlight in this popular series. As always the acting is superb with Suchet still the definitive Poirot as he impeccably portrays the Belgian sleuth's mannerisms and eccentricities. Here we learn that he cannot abide flying while his closest friend, Captain Hastings, once again played with charm by Hugh Fraser, is having the time of his life as they arrive on the Cornish Riviera by sea plane. There is also a delightful scene where Poirot is served two boiled eggs at the lavish five-star Majestic Hotel, which he refuses to eat because they are not the same size thus out of sync with his sense of order and method. We also get a sense of his compassion and feeling as he seeks to protect the vulnerable young Nick Buckley from being murdered and we are invited to wonder if he is actually falling for her. But, later, when it comes to unmasking the killer, we see his tougher side and that he cannot and will not be made a fool of by ruthless criminals. Series regulars Pauline Moran and Philip Jackson provide dependable support as Miss Lemon and Yard man Chief Inspector Japp. There is a funny moment at the denouement where he takes the former completely by surprise by getting her to pretend to be a famous medium at a mock séance as part of his ruse to unmask the guilty party. Polly Walker does fine work as Nick Buckley as does Alison Sterling as Freddie. Jeremy Young and Carol Macready are also noteworthy as the Crofts who you cannot help but think have something to hide behind their supposedly kindly and harmless exterior. Clive Exton's script is very good and he sees to it that the whodunit aspects of the plot hold water and the identity of the killer isn't that easily guessable. There are also some unexpected twists and turns at the climax when Poirot gathers all the suspects together and reveals the truth in his usual style. The film is solidly directed by Renny Rye and there is a strong feeling for place and period too. The locations, set work and costumes are superb accurately recreating a world of cocktails before dinner and ballroom dancing where women wear evening dresses and the men white ties and tails; the backdrop from which the plot unfolds.
A handsome, engaging and well-dramatized adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel that marks another highlight in this popular series. As always the acting is superb with Suchet still the definitive Poirot as he impeccably portrays the Belgian sleuth's mannerisms and eccentricities. Here we learn that he cannot abide flying while his closest friend, Captain Hastings, once again played with charm by Hugh Fraser, is having the time of his life as they arrive on the Cornish Riviera by sea plane. There is also a delightful scene where Poirot is served two boiled eggs at the lavish five-star Majestic Hotel, which he refuses to eat because they are not the same size thus out of sync with his sense of order and method. We also get a sense of his compassion and feeling as he seeks to protect the vulnerable young Nick Buckley from being murdered and we are invited to wonder if he is actually falling for her. But, later, when it comes to unmasking the killer, we see his tougher side and that he cannot and will not be made a fool of by ruthless criminals. Series regulars Pauline Moran and Philip Jackson provide dependable support as Miss Lemon and Yard man Chief Inspector Japp. There is a funny moment at the denouement where he takes the former completely by surprise by getting her to pretend to be a famous medium at a mock séance as part of his ruse to unmask the guilty party. Polly Walker does fine work as Nick Buckley as does Alison Sterling as Freddie. Jeremy Young and Carol Macready are also noteworthy as the Crofts who you cannot help but think have something to hide behind their supposedly kindly and harmless exterior. Clive Exton's script is very good and he sees to it that the whodunit aspects of the plot hold water and the identity of the killer isn't that easily guessable. There are also some unexpected twists and turns at the climax when Poirot gathers all the suspects together and reveals the truth in his usual style. The film is solidly directed by Renny Rye and there is a strong feeling for place and period too. The locations, set work and costumes are superb accurately recreating a world of cocktails before dinner and ballroom dancing where women wear evening dresses and the men white ties and tails; the backdrop from which the plot unfolds.