Thirteen at Dinner (1985)

An American movie actress, best known for playing dumb blondes, is Scotland Yard's prime suspect when her husband, Lord Edgware, is murdered. The great detective, Hercule Poirot, digs deeper into the case.

Director:

Lou Antonio

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), Rod Browning (teleplay)

Stars:

Peter Ustinov, Faye Dunaway, David Suchet

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Ustinov	...	Hercule Poirot
Faye Dunaway	...	Jane Wilkinson / Carlotta Adams
David Suchet	...	Inspector Japp
Jonathan Cecil	...	Captain Arthur Hastings
Bill Nighy	...	Ronald Marsh
Diane Keen	...	Jenny Driver
John Stride	...	Film Director
Benedict Taylor	...	Donald Ross
Lee Horsley	...	Bryan Martin
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Sir Montague Corner
Glyn Baker	...	Lord Edgware's Butler
John Barron	...	Lord Edgware
Peter Clapham	...	Mr. Wildburn
Lesley Dunlop	...	Alice Bennett
Avril Elgar	...	Miss Carroll

Storyline

Hercule Poirot (Sir Peter Ustinov) appears on a television talk show with actor Bryan Martin (Lee Horsley), who is making an action detective movie with Jane Wilkinson (Faye Dunaway). He also meets impressionist Carlotta Adams (Faye Dunaway). They all go to a party and Jane asks him and Captain Arthur Hastings (Jonathan Cecil) to go and meet her husband, Lord Edgware (John Barron) in regards to a divorce. They do so, to discover that the Lord had already granted her a divorce. Jane is delighted, but drops hints that she could have killed the Lord if he didn't grant her the divorce. The next day, Lord Edgware is found dead, and all of the staff at the Lord's house swear that Jane was the one who did it, but witnesses at another Lord's party swear that Jane was with them. Carlotta then dies, and Poirot must investigate, as Inspector Japp (David Suchet) is determined to put Jane away.

---

Plot Keywords:

lord | divorce | hercule poirot | scotland yard | movie actress | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sir Peter Ustinov and David Suchet appeared in Victoria & Albert (2001).

---

Goofs

During Poirot's speech to the gathered suspects (shortly before the 1:20:00 mark), he addresses Bryan Martin by the name "Mr. Marsh."

---

Quotes

Inspector Japp: Poirot - buzz off like a good chap, will you? I've got bigger fish to fry.
Hercule Poirot: In a good bouillabaisse the little fish are often tastier than the big ones.
Inspector Japp: What are you talking about?
Hercule Poirot: Add poison, however, and the whole soup is polluted. Then the size of the fish are immaterial.
Inspector Japp: What's fish got to do with it?
Hercule Poirot: It was your own metaphor; I didn't bring the fish...
Inspector Japp: I didn't either!
Hercule Poirot: Stop fish then! Let's leave it out!

---

Connections

Followed by Murder in Three Acts (1986)

---

Soundtracks

Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries
(uncredited)
Composed by Richard Wagner

User Reviews

good film

this was a good film with Ustinov doing his first made for TV Poirot. it was not as good as death on the nile or evil under the sun but was greatly enhanced with Ustinov's presence. Jonathan Cecil gives a poor performance as hastings and the presence of American actors cheapens the value of the film. according to ustinov's biography by Jon Miller, Faye Dunaway was a pain in the neck to work with and ustinov was losing patience during filming during the night scene by the river where he is walking with hastings. the story is fairly good but outcome is predictable and the final scene in albert hall is solid. good viewing for a rainy Sunday afternoon, i also recommend dead man's folly but do not recommend murder in three acts which is Ustinov's worst outing as poirot. David Suchet plays japp and i prefer Ustinov as Poirot to suchet.

There is a goof in the last scene in the albert hall where poirot refers to sir montague as "Lord Montague" which is a mistake, it should be sir Montague.

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's Thirteen at Dinner

Filming Locations:

Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, South Kensington, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

CBS Entertainment Production, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min (video)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1