Hercule Poirot Discovers Death in the Clouds

David Suchet as Hercule Poirot.

When a passenger sitting across from him on a Paris-to-London flight is murdered, Hercule Poirot becomes determined to find the killer. It's not just a matter of bringing the criminal to justice, the timing of the crime is a personal affront to the famed Belgian detective!

Cathryn Harrison as Lady Horbury.

The victim, the mysterious Madame Giselle, turns out to be a moneylender (and blackmailer) to affluent society members on both sides of the Channel. The suspects consist of:  Lady Horbury (one of Giselle's clients), her friend Venetia, an archaeologist, a dentist, a mystery writer, and the two flight attendants. The murder weapon appears to be a poison dart shot from a blowgun. But how could anyone have committed the crime within the confines of the first-class cabin with no one noticing? As for Hercule Poirot, he was napping!

Death in the Clouds was one of three feature-length episodes of Agatha Christie's Poirot that aired in 1992 during the series' fourth season. It's a mostly faithful adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1935 novel of the same title. A few characters are omitted, but the murderer's identity, method, and motive remain unchanged. In its simplicity, Death in the Clouds is one of Dame Agatha's most ingeniously-plotted  Poirot books.

Philip Jackson as Inspector Japp.

Although Poirot's friend Captain Hastings (wonderfully played by Hugh Fraser) is sadly absent, Philip Jackson's Inspector Japp takes up the slack. The beauty of Jackson's performance is that he makes a believable Scotland Yard inspector while also supplying a light dose of comic relief. For Poirot fans familiar with Jackson's work in the series, I recommend seeking out Raised By Wolves, an offbeat family sitcom in which the veteran actor is hilarious as Grampy.

Of course, the highlight of every episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot is David Suchet's portrayal of the title character. Agatha Christie didn't live to see Suchet as her Belgian detective, but her family approved his casting. Indeed, Christie's daughter Rosalind Hicks once told Suchet: "My mother would have been absolutely delighted with what you've done." Interestingly, prior to playing Poirot, Suchet was cast as Inspector Japp opposite Peter Ustinov as Poirot in the 1985 made-for-TV movie Thirteen for Dinner.

Death in the Clouds is one of the best episodes in the Agatha Christie's Poirot series. Boasting a great setting, a clever mystery, and an impeccable cast, it's a fine introduction for newcomers and a certain delight for Agatha Christie fans.

A Double Case of Murder on the Orient Express

Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot.

The 1974 adaptation of Agatha Christie's controversial mystery Murder on the Orient Express spawned a string of theatrical and made-for-TV films based on her works. I recently revisited Orient Express and, for comparison purposes, also watched the 2010 version starring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot. It was an interesting exercise in which each film boasted certain strengths. In the end, though, it came down to which Poirot was the best and, for me, the choice between Suchet and Albert Finney is a no-contest.

The plots of each version closely mirror Christie's 1934 novel. While aboard the Orient Express en route back to England, Poirot is approached by a wealthy, distasteful man named Ratchett, who fears for his life. Ratchett tries to hire Poirot to protect him, but the Belgian detective refuses. Two nights later, Ratchett's bloody corpse--which features, significantly, twelve knife wounds--is found in his compartment. The obvious solution is that the murderer disposed of Ratchett, then departed the train. However, Poirot quickly makes a connection to the kidnapping and subsequent death of young Daisy Armstrong, which occurred five years earlier (an obvious nod to the real-life Lindbergh case).

The snowbound train.

The 1974 Murder on the Orient Express boasts a running time of 128 minutes, which surprisingly works to the plot's advantage. First, it allows director Sidney Lumet to open the film with a well-constructed montage that encapsulates the Armstrong kidnapping and its aftermath. This sequence not only piques the viewer's interest from the beginning, but its eliminates the need for lengthy flashbacks later or incorporation into Poirot's explanation. The second advantage of the long running time is it affords Poirot time to reveal the mystery's solution in detail (indeed, the "reveal" scene lasts almost 25 minutes).

Wendy Hiller.

The casting of big-name stars as the suspects may be entertaining, but it actually adds little to the mystery. I suppose one could argue that it's easier to tell the suspects apart, because they're played by performers such as Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Jacqueline Bisset, Ingrid Bergman, and others. However, with the exception of Wendy Hiller as the elusive and deathly pale Princess Dragomiroff, no one has enough screen time to add any depth to their character.

Ingrid Bergman.

Albert Finney, as Poirot, dominates Murder on the Orient Express and that's unfortunate because he's a poor choice to portray Christie's sleuth. Finney may have mastered Poirot's manners, but there's no passion in his interpretation. I also have no idea what accent he was using--it certainly didn't sound Belgian French. Apparently, I hold a minority opinion of Finney's portrayal; he received both Oscar and BAFTA nominations for Best Actor. (Incidentally, Ingrid Bergman won those two awards for supporting actress, though I think it was more for her career than for her performance in this picture.)

Eileen Atkins as Princess Dragomiroff.

The 2010 Murder on the Orient Express, made by Britain's ITV network, lacks the grand scale of the 1974 version. Still, it looks expensive for a made-for-TV movie. In lieu of an all-star cast, many of the suspects are played by actors familiar to fans of British drama: Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Eileen Atkins (Doc Martin), and Toby Jones (Midsomer Murders). Perhaps, the most recognizable face for U.S. audiences is Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), who was still relatively unknown in 2010.

At a zippy 89 minutes, this adaptation moves almost too quickly, making it difficult for viewers to differentiate among the large number of suspects. In lieu of the 1974 film's opening montage, Poirot explains the connection to the Daisy Armstrong case as part of his climatic "reveal." It's a lot of information to absorb at one time and I wonder if individuals unfamiliar with Christie's plot will be able to fully follow Poirot's explanation.

David Suchet as Poirot.

Despite these minor misgivings, I probably prefer this version for one reason alone. David Suchet is--as always--superb as Hercule Poirot. One of Suchet's great gifts was being able to find the humor in the Poirot character, while never mocking the detective nor making him intentionally funny. Thus, we may smile when Suchet's Poirot measures his eggs to ensure they're the same size, but we never laugh at him. (In contrast, when Finney races down a train car to question a suspect, he looks like Charlie Chaplin).

The 2010 version also ends on a stronger note with the religious Poirot pondering the impacts of a personal moral dilemma. Interestingly, the same theme is explored at the conclusion of Curtain: Poirot's Last Case, the excellent 2014 film that marked the last of Suchet's 70 appearances as Hercule Poirot.

Agatha Christie, Sue Grafton, and Peter Ustinov (Oh my!)

In the 1980s, CBS broadcast several contemporary adaptations of Agatha Christie novels for U.S. television. Peter Ustinov, who first played Hercule Poirot in the theatrical Evil Under the Sun (1982), reprised his portrayal in three made-for-TV films starting with 1985's Thirteen for Dinner. Helen Hayes debuted as Miss Jane Marple in CBS's A Caribbean Mystery in 1983 and appeared in the follow-up Murder With Mirrors (1985). Hayes was also in a third Christie film, the earlier Murder Is Easy, but she didn't play Miss Marple.

Helen Hayes as Jane Marple.

A Caribbean Mystery finds Miss Marple (Helen Hayes) vacationing for health reasons at the tropical Golden Palm Hotel, a long way from her beloved St. Mary Mead. The first hotel guest to befriend her is Major Palgrave (Maurice Evans), a would-be writer who recounts the true story of a wife murderer. He is about to show Miss Marple a photo of the killer when he's distracted by the sight of one of the other guests. That night, the Major dies in bed, the apparent victim of mixing alcohol and high blood pressure medicine. But, as Miss Marple suspects, the Major is a victim of foul play--and he's not the only victim.

Major Palgrave (Maurice Evans) spots
the murderer.

Although it's fun to watch Miss Marple in a very different setting, A Caribbean Mystery is not one of Agatha Christie's best works. There's a minor plot twist that may surprise some viewers, but Christie fans will instantly recognize one of the author's favorite plot devices. Sue Grafton, prior to writing her bestselling Kinsey Milhone novels (e.g., A Is For Alibi), penned the screenplay with her husband Steven Humphrey. They set up the mystery well and establish the characters quickly, which is no small feat. Christie's novels contain no shortage of suspects and it can be challenging to differentiate between them in a movie with a running time of 100 minutes or less.

The biggest problem with A Caribbean Mystery is Helen Hayes. Although she is likable, as always, her character bears little resemblance to Jane Marple. She doesn't even try to muster a British accent. It's almost as if Hayes is reprising her sleuth from her 1973-74 TV series, The Snoop Sisters, with Mildred Natwick.

In contrast, Peter Ustinov makes a fine Hercule Poirot in Thirteen at Dinner. I know that most Christie purists prefer David Suchet and quibble that Ustinov plays some of Poirot's quirks for comedy. I love Suchet, too, but I also appreciate Ustinov's portrayal of the Belgium detective (as previously discussed at the Cafe).  Plus, in Thirteen at Dinner, you get the best of both worlds: one of Ustinov's co-stars is David Suchet...as Inspector Japp.

The film opens with Lady Jane Edgware (Faye Dunaway), an actress, seeking Poirot's help with obtaining a divorce. Surprisingly, Poirot agrees--only to discover that Lord Edgware has no qualms about splitting from his wife. The divorce becomes moot, though, when Lord Edgware is found murdered in his study--and all the suspects have solid alibis.

Faye Dunaway as Lady Edgware.

The main problem with this adaptation of Christie's 1933 Lord Edgware Dies is that a key casting choice gives away the ingenious nature of the crime much too early. I won't say more at the risk of spoiling the plot. A secondary issue is the decision to update the novel from the 1930s to the 1980s. Hearing characters utter expressions like "dude" in a Christie mystery just doesn't seem right. And Lee Horsley's action movie star, played broadly for comedic effort, decreases the menace in a film that should reflect at least a modest tone of danger. Finally, it's also jarring to see Poirot looking at a model's posterior and remarking" "Not bad." Yes, Hercule admired ladies, but always in a respectful fashion.

David Suchet as Inspector Japp.

Weaknesses aside, Thirteen At Dinner benefits from location filming in England, a clever mystery, and the presence of Ustinov and Suchet. The latter, without his mustache and sporting an English accent, may be unrecognizable to fans of his Poirot series. He and Ustinov work well together and it's also fun to see a young Bill Nighy as one of the suspects.

Still, Ustinov's next Poirot appearance, 1986's Dead Man's Folly, is a significant improvement. And if you want to see a better version of Lord Edgware Dies, then I recommend you seek out the 2000 adaptation with Suchet. It make take some liberties with the novel, too, but it's the better of the two films.

A Pair of Poirots: Suchet and Ustinov Discover "Evil Under the Sun"

Peter Ustinov.

David Suchet.

The case of the preferred Poirot is an easy one to solve. I suspect that most Agatha Christie purists favor David Suchet over Peter Ustinov as the Belgian (not French!) detective. Personally, I adore them equally. Ustinov may place a little more emphasis on Hercule Poirot's humorous traits, but he can deliver an accusation just as crisp as Suchet.

Peter Ustinov first appeared as the famed detective in Death on the Nile (1978), an all-star follow-up to 1974's Murder on the Orient Express (which starred Albert Finney). Ustinov played Poirot five more times in two theatrical films and three movies made for American television. In contrast, David Suchet, who made his debut in the role in 1989, has starred in dozens of one-hour TV episodes and 90-minute movies for both the British network ITV and A&E. Interestingly, prior to playing Poirot, Suchet appeared opposite Ustinov's Poirot as the detective's Scotland Yard colleague Inspector Japp in 1985's Thirteen for Dinner.

The hotel in the 1982 film.

Both actors starred in adaptations of Agatha Christie's 1941 Poirot novel Evil Under the Sun (the title was derived from a verse in Ecclesiastes). After a prologue involving a seemingly unrelated murder, Hercule Poirot journeys to a secluded island hotel where all the guests share one thing: a hatred of wealthy, former actress Arlena Marshall. When her corpse is discovered on the beach, the Belgian detective sets out to uncover the identity of the murderer. At the climax, he assembles all the suspects, confronts the culprit, and explains (aided by flashbacks) how the ingenious crime was committed.

Diana Rigg as Arlena.

Both adaptations have their virtues and both make significant deviations from Christie's novel. The superior version is Ustinov's film, which was written by Anthony Shaffer, a playwright (Sleuth) and screenwriter (Frenzy) who understands how to condense a character-heavy book. Shaffer reduces the number of suspects by merging two into one and eliminating two minor characters altogether. This makes it easier for viewers to distinguish between the suspects and also allows Shaffer to flesh out their personality traits better. It helps that many of the characters are played by well-known performers: Maggie Smith, James Mason, Roddy McDowall, and Diana Rigg.

Poirot observes the crime scene.

The 1982 film also gets a boost from its stunning locations and a score comprised of Cole Porter songs. While the novel takes place in Devon, England, the movie shifts the action to an island in the Adriatic Sea. It was actually shot in Majorca, Spain, which features breathtaking landscapes and crystal blue waters. As for the score, it's a matter of taste, but Cole Porter tunes such as "You're the Top" give the picture a nice period feel (even if the songs become a bit repetitious).

Louise Delamere as Arlena.

David Suchet's 2001 version of Evil Under the Sun keeps the mystery in England, sending Poirot to the Sandy Ridge Hotel after being pronounced "medically obese." In addition to retaining more of the novel's suspects, it includes a drug smuggling subplot and expands the roles of Poirot's colleagues: Captain Hastings, Inspector Japp, and Miss Lemon. In the end, it's just too much plot and too many characters to track given a running time of 100 minutes.

The Sandy Ridge Hotel in the 2001 film.

The island setting, while not as beautiful as in the earlier film, is still lovely (and perhaps not as distracting). As with Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians, the isolated locale is central to the plot (though it's easier to reach a nearby village than in Ustinov's film). A cove, a ladder along the rocks leading to the beach, and the many island paths play a crucial part in a crime where impeccable timing is mandatory.

As for the mystery, it's clever enough--though Christie often seems to delight in straying from detective fiction conventions (if you've never read S.S. Van Dine's short essay "Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories," I strongly encourage it...Agatha breaks a couple of key "rules"!).

In the end, one's preference for Suchet or Ustinov may tip the scales toward one version or the other of Evil Under the Sun. For me--assuming parity among the Poirots--I'll stick with the 1982 adaptation.