Hallowe'en Party

Episode aired Jul 3, 2011
Not RatedNot Rated
1h 29min

7.9/10

S12.E2

During a village's Hallowe'en party, a young girl boasts of having witnessed a murder from years before. No one believes her tale until her body is found later on in the evening, drowned in ... Read allDuring a village's Hallowe'en party, a young girl boasts of having witnessed a murder from years before. No one believes her tale until her body is found later on in the evening, drowned in the apple-bobbing bucket.During a village's Hallowe'en party, a young girl boasts of having witnessed a murder from years before. No one believes her tale until her body is found later on in the evening, drowned in the apple-bobbing bucket.

7.9/10

1.8K

Director
- Charlie Palmer
Writers
- Agatha Christie(novel)
- Mark Gatiss(screenplay)
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

26User reviews

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David Suchet and Mary Higgins in Poirot (1989)

Vera Filatova and Georgina King in Poirot (The Halloween Party)

Deborah Findlay and Vera Filatova in Poirot

David Suchet and Zoë Wanamaker in Poirot (1989)

Director
- Charlie Palmer
Writers
- Agatha Christie(novel)
- Mark Gatiss(screenplay)
All cast & crew

See production, box office, & company info

When Ariadne Oliver and her friend, Judith Butler, attend a children's Halloween party in the village of Woodleigh Common, a young girl named Joyce Reynolds boasts of having witnessed a murder from years before. Joyce's story is heard by all the party, including her strange brother Leopold, the impeccable hostess Rowena Drake, her bookish son Edmund, and the local Reverend Cottrell. Mrs Whittaker, the church organist, and Frances Drake, Rowena's feisty daughter, are dismissive of her story, but later that evening Joyce's lifeless body is discovered face-down in the apple-bobbing bucket. At Mrs Oliver's behest, Poirot travels down to Woodleigh Common to investigate the murder. Although the local police and Joyce's stepmother dismiss the dead girl's claim, Poirot takes Joyce's story seriously. Mrs Goodbody, a gossiping charwoman, tells Poirot there have been a number of suspicious deaths in the village in recent years which Joyce could indeed have witnessed, and that old curses still haunt the village - a claim supported by the affable gardener, Michael Garfield. While Poirot is busy piecing together the facts, another child is found drowned in a river. He realizes that he needs to act quickly in order to save Judith's daughter, Miranda, who is also in danger. —shanty_sleuth

guy fawkes day hercule poirot character reference to franklin d. roosevelt stabbed in the stomach october 31st 49 more

Trivia
Fenella Woolgar, who plays Miss Whittaker in this episode, previously had a small role in the episode Lord Edgware Dies (2000) and also played Agatha Christie herself in an episode of "Doctor Who" The Unicorn and the Wasp (2008).

Goofs
The green witch makeup and decorations at the party, while appropriate if the episode had been set in the 1960s (as was the book), are out of place for a story set in the 1930s. Green was not a color associated with witches until Margaret Hamilton make to look famous in as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939), where the green makeup was designed to take advantage of the Technicolor look of the movie.

Quotes
Judith Butler: You sure you're going about this the right way, Monsieur? Shouldn't you be looking for Joyce's killer in the here and now?
Hercule Poirot: Old sins cast long shadows, Madame.

Connections
Version of Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie: Meurtre à la kermesse (2014)

Top review

10/10

Old sins cast long shadows.

Ariadne Oliver attends a Children's Halloween Party put on by Mrs Rowena Drake, during a game of snapdragon young Joyce Reynolds is drowned in the bobbing apple basin. Joyce had earlier stated in front of a room full of people that she had witnessed a murder. Ariadne calls in Poirot to solve the crime.

Absolutely spot on production, Hallowe'en Party is one of the best in the series, Mark Gatiss knows how to spin a good old horror yarn. He was the perfect person to do this episode, touches of humour work well against the macabre. Slick and interesting camera work, I love the night time shots, they work perfectly.

One of the later stories Dame Agatha wrote, I like the book, but I'd go so far as to say I prefer the TV adaptation. It is beautifully shot, the accompanying score works terrifically well. The story is engaging, and yet tragic, the death of one child in a show is tough, but two.

Wonderfully acted, Suchet is at his best, particularly in the summing up of the case, it's just flawless. Zoe Wanamaker has by now made the part of Ariadne Oliver her own, always with a slight twinkle in the eye. Julian Rhind Tutt is a tremendous actor, I could watch him for hours, he is so charismatic and fascinating to watch, he gave Garfield the necessary coldness, his scene where he's about to sacrifice Miranda is perhaps my favourite part, so dark. A mention for the glorious Paola Dionisotti and Fenella Woolgar, fabulous, and also for the utter brilliance of Deborah Findlay, she is an actress of formidable talent, hugely underrated, perfect for the part of Rowena Drake, class!

These later Poirot's were much more serious in tone, and this is one of the finest examples. outstanding. Great watch on a late stormy night. 10/10

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