Five Little Pigs 

Lucy Crale enlists Poirot to investigate the 14-year-old murder in which her mother was hanged for poisoning her artist father.

Director:

Paul Unwin

Writers:

Agatha Christie (based on the novel by), Kevin Elyot (screenplay)

Stars:

David Suchet, Rachael Stirling, Aidan Gillen

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Rachael Stirling	...	Caroline Crale
Aidan Gillen	...	Amyas Crale
Toby Stephens	...	Philip Blake
Marc Warren	...	Meredith Blake
Aimee Mullins	...	Lucy Crale
Julie Cox	...	Elsa Greer
Gemma Jones	...	Miss Williams
Sophie Winkleman	...	Angela Warren
Talulah Riley	...	Young Angela
Patrick Malahide	...	Depleach
Annette Badland	...	Mrs. Spriggs
Roger Brierley	...	Judge
Richard Teverson	...	Hollinghurst
Melissa Suffield	...	Young Lucy

Storyline

Fourteen years after her mother, Caroline Crale, was hanged for the murder of her artist father Amyas Crale, Lucy Crale asks Hercule Poirot to investigate her father's death. She is convinced that her mother was innocent but is prepared to accept the truth, whatever that may be. Poirot visits in turn all five persons present when the murder took place including Amyas' best friend, Philip Blake, who was visiting the Crales when Amyas was killed; Philip's brother Meredith from whom Caroline supposedly stole the poison used to kill her husband; Elsa Greer, who was sitting for a portrait and with whom Amyas was supposedly in love; Caroline's half sister Angela who despised Amyas but believed her sister to be innocent; and Miss Williams, the governess. Having heard the tale from five different perspectives, Poirot reunites them all to identify the murderer.

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Plot Keywords:

animal in episode title | three word episode title | murder | poison | hercule poirot | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

14 December 2003 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Wonwell Beach, Erme Mouth, Devon, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Weekend Television (LWT), A+E Networks, Agatha Christie

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min 93 min (11 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Kodak Vision Color Negative Film)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Julie Cox (Elsa Greer) and Toby Stephens (Philip Blake) appeared together in Inspector Lewis's "A Generation of Vipers" as Miranda Thornton and David Connelly. Julie Cox is almost unrecognizable between the two shows because in Inspector Lewis, she is a plain, mousy Oxford don who doesn't wear one speck of makeup. In Poirot, she is made up very glamorously, and it's hard to tell it's the same woman.

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Goofs

We see young Amyas painting with his left hand. As an adult, he uses his right hand.

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Quotes

Lucy Crale: I've heard about you. The things you've done. The way you work. It's psychology. It's your forte, n'est-ce-pas?
Hercule Poirot: C'est vrai. My success, it is founded in psychology, or, the 'Why?' of human behavior."
[Pointing to his head]
Hercule Poirot: It is this that I use.

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Connections

Version of Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie: Cinq petits cochons (2011)

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Soundtracks

The Innocence of Caroline Crale
by Christopher Gunning

User Reviews

gorgeous adaptation

This is definitely one of the best, if not the best, adaptation of a Christie story, "Five Little Pigs," and certainly a top Christie story in itself.

A young woman, Lucy Crale, comes to see Poirot to ask for help in clearing her mother's name. Fourteen years earlier, Caroline Crale was hanged for the murder of her husband, an artist, Amyas Crale. Lucy promises that even if it turns out that her mother committed the murder, she will accept it, but she wants the whole truth.

Poirot then visits the five people who were present when the murder took place: Amyas' best friend, Philip Blake, a visitor at the Crale home when the murder happened; Philip's brother Meredith, from whom it is suspected that Caroline stole the poison used to kill Amyas; Elsa Greer, Amyas' lover and whose portrait he was painting; Caroline's half-sister, Angela, who is sure her sister was innocent; and Miss Williams, Lucy's governess. After hearing each story, Poirot knows the truth and reunites all of them to make the announcement.

The story unfolds neatly, and at the end, Poirot keeps you guessing. The flashbacks are beautifully, dreamily photographed, and the locations are lovely, as is the period atmosphere. The way the flashbacks were filmed is reminiscent of the flashback scenes in the feature film, "Murder on the Orient Express." The acting is superb, with David Suchet perfect as usual, and he's surrounded by some top talent, including Rachel Stirling, the brilliant Toby Stephens (he comes by his talent honestly, being the son of Robert Stephens and Maggie Smith!), Gemma Jones, and Patrick Malahide, Top drawer - don't miss it.