The Clocks 

Four clocks surround an unidentified corpse in a blind woman's house, and a young typist is summoned to the crime scene. However, Poirot is convinced that the complicated setup is merely hiding a simpler solution.

Director:

Charlie Palmer (as Charles Palmer)

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), Stewart Harcourt (screenplay)

Stars:

David Suchet, Olivia Grant, Anna Skellern

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Suchet	...	Hercule Poirot
Olivia Grant	...	Annabel Larkin
Anna Skellern	...	Fiona Hanbury
Tom Burke	...	Lt. Colin Race
Andrew Havill	...	Sven Hjerson
Victoria Wicks	...	Mrs Swinburne
Jaime Winstone	...	Sheila Webb
Sinéad Keenan	...	Nora Brent (as Sinead Keenan)
Lesley Sharp	...	Miss Martindale
Anna Massey	...	Miss Pebmarsh
Phil Daniels	...	Inspector Hardcastle
Ben Righton	...	Constable Jenkins
Beatie Edney	...	Mrs Hemmings
Abigail Thaw	...	Rachel Waterhouse
Guy Henry	...	Matthew Waterhouse

Storyline

Investigating a spy-ring, Lt. Colin Race comes to Wilbraham Crescent, where he literally bumps into agency typist Sheila Webb, as she comes flying out of number 19, the home of blind receptionist Millicent Pebmarsh. Sheila has discovered the body of a man whose identity proves hard to confirm, surrounded by four clocks, stopped at the same time. Miss Pebmarsh does not know the man and did not ask for the services of Sheila, who is the initial chief suspect. However, as Poirot is brought in to assist Inspector Hardcastle in the case, and the murderer strikes again, Poirot comes to realize that the man was killed elsewhere and brought to Miss Pebmarsh's house. The neighbors claim to have seen nothing but Poirot believes one of them may have had a secret which was worth killing for and sets out to unmask them, as well as explaining the significance, if any, of the clocks. At the same time, Colin solves his investigation with Poirot's help.

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Plot Keywords:

hercule poirot | clock | blind woman | typist | spy | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original novel "The Clocks" was published in 1963, and featured a Cold War-themed spy story. The spy ring of the novel is affiliated with the Soviet Union. The television adaptation moves the setting to the late 1930s, and the spy ring featured is affiliated with Nazi Germany.

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Goofs

Two of the characters step out of an office to smoke their cigarettes on the pavement outside. This is a very modern phenomenon. Back then, they would simply have smoked in the office.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Fiona Hanbury: Good night, Annie.
Annabel Larkin: Good night, Fee.
Fiona Hanbury: Oh, Annie, are you going down the Bluebell tonight?
Annabel Larkin: No, not tonight. Tired.
Fiona Hanbury: Early night.
Annabel Larkin: Ah, I wish it was early. See you tomorrow.

User Reviews

The Clocks

There are two plots into one here, plenty of coincidences and a lot of red herrings offered here as well. At least there is enough plot to justify the longer running time which I felt was not always the case with the longer Poirot stories.

Lt Colin Race is investigating a spy ring when he finds a distraught young woman who has come across a stabbed man in the home of a blind lady, a home with lots of clocks showing the wrong time.

Lt Race's father was an acquaintance of Poirot and he asks for his help and Poirot comes down to Dover to investigate with Inspector Hardcastle who is a little out of his depth. The young woman worked for a company providing secretarial services. The Crescent where the dead body was found contains a host of colourful but slightly sinister characters.

It is nicely shot and for the later Poirot adaptations it contains more humour.

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

26 June 2011 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Thornhill Crescent, Islington, London, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

ITV Studios, WGBH, Agatha Christie

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min (DVD) 89 min (9 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16 : 9