Murder on the Links 

While Poirot and Hastings are holidaying in France, a businessman tells Poirot that his life is in danger. The next day he is found stabbed to death on a nearby golf course.

Director:

Andrew Grieve

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), Anthony Horowitz (dramatized by)

Stars:

David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Diane Fletcher

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Hugh Fraser	...	Hastings
Diane Fletcher	...	Eloise Renauld
Damien Thomas	...	Paul Renauld
Ben Pullen	...	Jack Renauld (as Benjamin Pullen)
Kate Fahy	...	Bernadette Daubreuil
Sophie Linfield	...	Marthe Daubreuil
Jacinta Mulcahy	...	Bella Duveen
Terence Beesley	...	Stonor
Bill Moody	...	Giraud
Bernard Latham	...	Bex
Andrew Melville	...	Dr Hautet
Henrietta Voigts	...	Leonie
James Vaughan	...	Adam Letts
Richard Bebb	...	News Commentator

Storyline

Poirot and Hastings are in Deauville, and Poirot is approached by business-man Paul Renaud concerning threats by Chileans. The next morning the maid finds Madame Renaud bound and gagged and her husband's corpse is later found on a nearby golf course. Giraud, a pompous French police officer, dismissive of Poirot's reputation, lays a wager with him. The detective who fails to catch the killer must make a sacrifice. Giraud will relinquish his trade mark pipe. Poirot must shave off his moustache.

---

Plot Keywords:

murder | detective | murder mystery | private detective | hercule poirot | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 February 1996 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carnival Film & Television, London Weekend Television (LWT), Picture Partnership Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min (PBS Broadcast) 100 min (14 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bill Moody is dubbed.

---

Goofs

In the first time that Poirot, Hastings and Giraud visit Daubreuil's house, when they are leaving, the boom is seen reflected near the car's headlight.

---

Quotes

Hastings: A lot of golfers are very gastronomic, you know, Poirot. Nothing like eighteen holes to build up an appetite. You really ought to try it, you know; you might find you actually enjoy it.
Hercule Poirot: To hit a little ball into the little hole, in the middle of a large open field - I think it is not to the taste of Poirot.

---

Connections

Version of Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie: Le crime ne paie pas (2014)

User Reviews

Strange anachronism

This was a very entertaining adaptation with super French atmosphere, complete with antique racing bikes and many other period details. It's great to see such trouble taken. But how strange that there should be a glaring anachronism. The story starts with a voice-over newsreel in what we later find out was 1926! Sound newsreels were certainly not current at that date.

The story is complex and the plot a bit preposterous, but it's great fun. Hastings gets more to do that usual with a real romance.

More Poirots with Suchet seem to be in the pipeline, which is good news.