The Lost Mine

Very good, amusing, and tricky episode.

Poor Hercule, he knows his bank balance to the farthing but the bank clerk insists he's overdrawn. Poirot is furious. On the home front, he and Hastings are playing a vicious monopoly game.

When the head of the bank, Lord Pearson, comes to visit Poirot, Poirot thinks it's to straighten out the incorrect balance deficit. Instead, it's to hire him. A Mr. Wu Ling was due at a bank meeting that morning, but has disappeared. He was to sell the bank a deed to a silver mine.

Unfortunately, when Wu Ling is located, it's too late. He's dead. Poirot now has to find the killer. The killer seems to be Charles Lester, an American, but for Poirot, that's too easy an answer.

This episode reminds us of how people lived and banked in the 1930s. Real people instead of machines at the bank and no television in the home. People talked with each other and played games. Also, there were some interesting locations here, including Chinatown.

Great episode with an obvious clue to the killer that everyone misses.

I have always loved Poirot, and I love The Lost Mine just as much. There are a couple of clues that are so obvious on re-watch that you I agree do wonder how on earth you could've missed first time. But I have to say, that is what I loved about this episode, as well as the fact that it seemed difficult at first, but actually it is really quite simple. The story is very clever and always gripping, with a thrillingly unexpected twist. I also liked seeing how the police worked then, and the scene where Poirot makes his trip to the bank is after from the ending my second favourite scene of the episode. The Lost Mine is technically, sumptuously made with splendid photography and period detail and hauntingly scored, complete with droll, thoughtful writing. The acting is as good as can be, David Suchet I cannot praise enough, he really is the embodiment of the dapper detective. Overall, a really fine episode, one of the stronger earlier episodes to me. 9/10 Bethany Cox

As a child I played Monopoly in the late 60s/early 70s, with my siblings. All our 'men' the boot, dog, racing car, and top hat were all made of silver metal. I've never known them to be made of anything else.

A man of Chinese descent but from Burma arrives in town to conduct a business deal. Apparently, he has a map of a lost silver mine and he's planning on selling it. But the Asian guy is soon found dead and Poirot investigates his killing. Inspector Japp is ready to arrest a guy who sure seems like the killer, but Poirot isn't convinced he is the man they want and perhaps he's been set up to take the fall. So who DID commit the crime?

This is an okay episode...not bad but certainly not one that stands out in any way apart from learning that Poirot and Hastings like playing Monopoly together. The acting and sets are the usual high quality you'd expect...and it IS worth seeing despite being not especially memorable.

Han Wu Ling arrives at a top London Hotel, his business to sell a map of a mine to a bank, but when the board meet and Mr Wu Ling is not present alarm bells start ringing.

I love Poirot's frustrations with Monopoly, and his annoyance at Hastings style of play. Poirot is right, why can't you build a hotel at the Train station?

The scenes around China town look really smart, Mr Lester's scenes inside the Opium den also look harshly realistic.

As a mystery it's not the greatest, it has to be said, if you don't get it first time around something's up, but as a production it is glorious. It has a good mix of humour and drama, the ending is utterly brilliant. The performances are excellent, Anthony Bate in particular is excellent, I've always found him an actor of huge charisma, with such a strong presence. 9/10