Peril at End House

Well done Poirot mystery has all the elements that make an Agatha Christie story an intriguing puzzle to solve. Even the famous detective cannot make any sense of the events surrounding a beautiful heiress whom he suspects is being systematically targeted for murder so someone else can inherit her fortune.

I have to confess that I suspected who the culprit was long before the revelation is made, although along the way there were a few surprise twists that I hadn't counted on.

As the young heiress, POLLY WALKER is excellent and all the others in the British cast give her fine support. HUGH FRASER is again on hand as Hastings, as is PHILIP JACKSON as Inspector Jaff. PAULINE MORAN is a breath of fresh air as Miss Lemon.

The plotting is typically full of red herrings but manages to hold up to inspection when the tale is ended. The clues are few and far between and the ending will no doubt come as a surprise to most viewers.

Well worth watching.

I had a little trouble finding this production on IMDB because I was looking for a recent entry, I find it hard to believe this movie is 14 yrs old as I write this. David Suchet is ageless. I won't so much comment on this episode as I will on the series in general. There are some who think a 2 hr Poirot movie is about 1 hr too long. I don't agree. For those of us who appreciate beautiful and intriguing locations - this is it. For those who appreciate period planes, cars, and especially wardrobe - this is it. There is a flavor and atmosphere about this series that reminds one of the Jeremy Brett version of Sherlock Holmes or The Great Gatsby. Not so much the period as the loving attention to detail.

I admit that these entries can be hard to follow. If you have a tendency to nod out or run to the fridge for a snack, you will probably lose it. If you are looking for blood and gore or high energy explosions, tune into the latest Bruce Willis flick. Poirot makes you think. You have no choice. A&E has been importing these English mysteries to the US for years. Film food for thinking people. If the Brits can do it, why can't we. Hollywood was the benchmark for quality film production since the silent days. Today, our movies are digitized and cartoon like. We have forgotten how to tell a story. We have sacrificed originality and quality for the corporate bottom line. Shame on us.

As for this particular story, it's as convoluted as the others. We have the whole ensemble. Poirot, Hastings, Miss Lemon, and Inspector Giapp. As for the other principals, they are competent and professional - just as you would expect. One little quirk worth mentioning. Although the female leads are interesting to watch, they usually fall into one of two categories. They are either cute and coquettish or intimidating and horsey. This movie is no exception. This is not a criticism, it's a compliment. It disproves the theory that you have to inject a traditional sexpot into the movie to fill some kind of void.

These imports along with Inspector Frost, Inspector Barnaby, Sherlock Holmes, Cracker, and a few others provide a touch of class that we seem to have lost. I urge anyone who needs a break from the mindless junk we are being fed in prime time, to tune in. You will be rewarded - and with luck, be transported back to a kinder and gentler time when a mystery was a mystery.

The first feature length episode is such a goody, the first in a format that we'd come to love for many a year. I understand there were a few amendment from the book, but they are so minor, it's a very faithful adaptation.

I love the whole chocolate poisoning sequence, it looks so effective, re-written from the book, but it works so well.

The highlight of the episode is undoubtedly the ending, the revelation sequences work incredibly well, they are very poignant.

The scenery is breathtaking, it is such a beautiful setting. The episode is a visual treat, the scenes in the hotel, the clothes, Freddie in particular gets to wear some great outfits. Wonderful music throughout, it feels so authentic.

Polly Walker literally left me speechless in this episode, one of her very first TV appearances, she is absolutely spellbinding, terribly sweet throughout. When I read the book, she is the character I see in my mind's eye.

Miss Lemon is put to great use, and is particularly good, at last we get to see her glammed up, and her séance scenes are brilliant.

For anyone seeing this mystery for the first time, and unaware of the plot the solution will come as a surprise, it's such a cleverly written story.

I think it's an excellent episode, truly enjoyable. 8/10

I had seen this movie about a year ago and vaguely recollected that there was something about it that I didn't enjoy, but upon rewatching I couldn't find anything that bothered me unduly. From the opening moments, when we see Poirot and Hastings in an airplane, Poirot's hand gripping the armrest like a claw, the witty dialogue begins. Hastings compares the view of the landscape and clouds to a patchwork quilt and cotton wool. When Poirot, who is clearly terrified, refuses to play along, Hastings accuses him of having no imagination. "That is true", Poirot says, "but you have enough for both of us." The plot line is clear enough. Poirot and Hastings, on vacation in Cornwall, meet a young lady who has apparently just escaped being killed more than once. When the lady's cousin is mistaken for her and shot in consequence, the lady, Nick Buckley, retreats to a nursing home for her own protection, but the attempts on her life continue. Poirot and Hastings, along with Chief Inspector Japp and Miss Lemon, need to find out who killed Nick's cousin Maggie before Nick herself is killed.

The solution to the mystery is clever, but not extraordinary for Christie. What makes the movie charming is a combination of the stunning location shooting and the light-hearted writing. From the Majestic Hotel where the pair are staying, to the grounds of the titular End House, to the shots of the coastline, the episode is a feast for the eyes. And, although some of the best lines are borrowed straight from the original novel (Poirot asks Hastings to tell Nick what a great detective he is. When Hastings responds with a dull description, Poirot says, "Mais dis donc, that I am a detective unique, unsurpassed, the greatest who has ever lived!" Hastings: "Well, there's no need now, you've told her yourself." Poirot: "Yes, but it is agreeable to maintain the modesty.") there are also several scenes written for the screenplay that shine, especially when Poirot assures everyone at the table that Miss Lemon is psychic and she has to suddenly pretend to be a medium and conjure up Miss Buckley's spirit.) Overall an entertaining entry in the Poirot series.

I really liked this adaptation of Peril At End House, actually it's one of my favourites. In fact, my only complaints are some slow moments, and they seemed to have left out the character of Frederica Rice's husband. Although the latter is forgivable, seeming as in the book Frederica's husband is only treated as a suspect, and you don't meet him properly until the denouncement. That said, this is one of the more faithful adaptations of the Queen of Crime's brilliant books. Visually it is a marvel to look at, the Cornish coast was like looking at a work of art, and the music is absolutely beautiful. The script and plot are both solid and complex in construction, and so is the acting, with David Suchet impeccable as Poirot and Hugh Fraser and Phillip Jackson sterling as Hastings and Japp. Everyone else was fine as well, but I have to mention the debut of Polly Walker. What a debut it was! Polly looked stunning beyond words, and was a revelation as Mademoiselle Nick Buckley. The part when Nick "comes back from the dead" was one of the most dramatic scenes in the entire adaptation, perhaps even the most dramatic, and it was such an effective scene. Here, there are plenty of poignant moments and some laugh out loud ones too, making this along with Five Little Pigs and Sad Cypress one of the better Poirot adaptations. 9/10 Bethany Cox