Sad Cypress 

Elinor Carlisle seems to be the obvious murderer of her ailing aunt and the beautiful romantic rival who broke up her engagement, but Poirot uncovers darker motives.

Director:

David Moore

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), David Pirie (screenplay)

Stars:

David Suchet, Elisabeth Dermot Walsh, Rupert Penry-Jones

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Elisabeth Dermot Walsh	...	Elinor Carlisle
Rupert Penry-Jones	...	Roddy Winter
Kelly Reilly	...	Mary Gerrard
Paul McGann	...	Dr. Peter Lord
Phyllis Logan	...	Nurse Hopkins
Marion O'Dwyer	...	Nurse O'Brien
Diana Quick	...	Mrs. Welman
Stuart Laing	...	Ted Horlick
Jack Galloway	...	Marsden
Geoffrey Beevers	...	Seddon
Alistair Findlay	...	Prosecuting Counsel
Linda Spurrier	...	Mrs. Bishop
Ian Taylor	...	Shopkeeper
Timothy Carlton	...	Judge

Storyline

Elinor Carlisle and Roddy Winter are happily engaged. Elinor's aunt is Laura Welman, wealthy but ailing and bed-ridden. Elinor receives an anonymous letter warning her that someone will try to gain favour with Mrs Welman at her expense. Her aunt's doctor, Dr Peter Lord, contacts Hercule Poirot to investigate. Mrs Welman dies with no will and Elinor, as her next-of-kin, receives everything. Shortly before Mrs Welman's death, Mary Gerrard, an old friend of the family, reappears after a long absence. Roddy falls for her and this ends his engagement to Elinor. Elinor is openly resentful of Mary ending her relationship with Roddy and says she wished Mary was dead. One afternoon, Mary stops by for tea and sandwiches with Elinor and a short while later is found dead, poisoned. After a thorough investigation, which Poirot assisted in, Elinor is charged with and ultimately found guilty of the murders of Mary and Mrs Welman. She is sentenced to hang. Doctor Lord insists that Elinor is innocent ...

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Plot Keywords:

hercule poirot | doctor | sandwich | salmon | detective | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

26 December 2003 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Sue Ryder Hospice, Nettlebed, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

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

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min 100 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Kodak Vision Color Negative Film)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Canadian French Title: ( Je ne suis pas coupable).

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Goofs

When Poirot gets into a taxi he asks to be taken to 'The British Library.' This was not created until 1973. He should have asked for 'The British Museum' or 'The British Museum Library.'

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Quotes

Elinor Carlisle: Aunt Laura, tell me something -honestly. Do you think love is ever a happy thing?
Mrs. Welman: Oh, Elinor. Perhaps it always brings more sorrow than joy. But who could do without it? Anyone who has never really loved hasn't lived.

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Connections

Version of Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie: Je ne suis pas coupable (2010)

User Reviews

Excellent!

This movie was just shown on the Biography Channel although it was released in 2003!

I agree that Suchet is 'slowing down' a bit as Poirot and I definitely do not like his current mustache!

However, I don't agree with one commenter on the roles of Japp, Hastings & Ms. Lemon re: their interaction with Poirot.

I personally think Ms. Lemon was in love with Poirot.

Hastings was the perfect 'foil' to Poirot in that he was so very 'English' and much more relaxed to Poirot 'fussiness'! Japp is a definite 'cop' and brought the police's role into the mix full bore. Police usually take the line that the simplest reasoning is the answer so again it's a great 'foil' to Poirot's little 'gray cells' which have to ferret out the idiosyncrasies of the different characters.

The movie was excellent! I knew who was going to die but the rest of it was a 'mystery' to me! I loved the ending - Suchet did a great 'dying' scene!