thekingschild-65274

My wife and I watch this movie every Christmas season. Yes , it begins with the inconvenience of a broken radiator for Poirot. But when Poirot is mysteriously summoned by a wealthy and universally reviled patriarch of a family, who cowers before him and caters to his every salacious whim, the stage is set for a murder which is most challenging. The brilliance in this episode is the fact the depravity and darkness of human nature is presented undisguised. Simoen Lee is a vile reprobate , who boasts of his life of sin and debauchery without apology. His children all nurture a deep seated resentment for him but are too financially dependent on his vast fortune to intiate even a quiet rebellion against his perverse antics. The ending will surprise the casual viewer who is unfamiliar with the superb mystery. But David Suchet as Poirot, who is at first stymied by the execution of the brutal crime ( once it happens) finds an innocuous clue that leads to the unraveling of the deep seated motive. The final solution of this murder, removed from the mistletoe, is both satisfying and thought provoking.

"North by Northwest" sets the ultimate standard for spy thrillers with a "chaser". Cary Grant is the befuddled executive sucked into a circumstance he did not create and with an identity which may be non-existent. Pursued by spies with a murderous agenda and on the run for a murder he did not commit, he boards a train and meets a mysterious blonde (Eva Marie Saint) who can ooze both passion and icy detachment. James Mason is th epitome of polished, sophisticated villiany as he seeks Grant's demise in whatever strategy he can devise. Leo G Carroll is a spymaster who can orchestrate scenarios behind the scenes and is seemingly one step ahead of every player in this espionage game. This film is a vehicle for social satire, breathless chase scenes and a hair-raising escape sequence under the brooding gaze of the Presidents carved on Mount Rushmore. Yet an overlooked component of this masterpiece is the gradually unfolding love story between Roger Thornhill and Eve Kendall and how thay are willing to sacrifice even their lives to have a chance at a life together if their parts in global espionage can ever be resolved. "North by Northwest" is a classic that can always be savored not just for Alfred Hitchcock's trademark suspense but for the overriding truth that virtue, honor and loyalty can survive no matter how great the obstacle and how awesome the challenge can be.

This episode featured a woman betrayed occupationally, emotionally, and intimately. Passed over for a promotion by her boss/lover, she resorts to murder to avenge her hurt. Methodical and attentive to every detail in her comission of (according to her own perception) a perfect crime, she did not count on the presence of Lieutenant Columbo, who will inevitably sift through layers of deceit and misdirection. Kay Freestone (played expertly by Trish VanDevere) is a television producer, consumed by ambition who allows her life to be curdled by resentment and grievous rejection. Obviously, I do not sanction murder as an appropriate prescription to avenge personal pain, but I did like Kay's commitment to excellence and could understand her getting mystified when advancement passed her by. I admired her love and devotion for her sister (Lainie Khazan) who struggled with substance abuse. I could appreciate her respect for nostalgia when she revisited the hovel where she spent her childhood. Even Lieutenant Columbo treated her with a special respect no matter what stage of the case he was occupied with. It was an episode which frankly depicted the complexities of human nature as well as the many complications in the TV industry. This episode is acting and execution at its best.