The Million Dollar Bond Robbery

A fair part of this sublime episode takes place on the maiden voyage of the RMS Queen Mary sailing from Southampton to New York, leaving on May 27th 1936.

At the end of day two of the voyage, before seeing some of the men playing cards, we see the wake of the ship and further away the sun setting. The ship is evidently sailing away from the sunset, so the direction must be due east - not the straight route to New York...!

• No wonder the speed record wasn't broken at this occasion ;^)

(Actually IRL the ship made a "pit stop" in Cherbourg-Octeville, France just south of Southampton but that will not explain going due east).

Poirot is called in by a bank to help transfer $1 million in Liberty Bonds to America. The gentleman who is to take the bonds and travel on the Queen Mary with them has had an unfortunate series of events. He is almost run over by a car, and then he's poisoned.

Unfortunately the young man next in line has gambling problems, but he's what the bank has, so they ask Poirot to accompany him. Hastings goes along as well and he's thrilled as this is the Queen Mary's maiden voyage. Sadly the bonds are stolen.

Great episode, with newsreel footage accompanying the episode. All of the acting is top-notch. Exciting and entertaining - you can't ask for much more.

Series 3 of Poirot seems to involve any story that had strychnine poisoning featured in it. This also adds a 'double' to it as well although it is done rather well here.

Miss Lemon mentions that Poirot had problems with his previous bank, in fact he got the bank executive arrested.

Now Poirot is hired by the London & Scottish Bank to beef up the security of a large bond transfer across the Atlantic and this involves a trip on the new liner Queen Mary something which Hastings is looking forward to.

The person accompanying the bonds is poisoned so his unsuitable deputy Philip Ridgeway takes his place and he spends more time on the ship gambling.

When the bonds are stolen suspicion lands on Mr Ridgeway who was deemed unfit to lead by the bank's own head of security.

A nice nifty mystery but not too deep with a lull in the middle. It was sad to see Hastings get sea sick as he was so looking forward to the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary and his genuine disappointment that someone so glamorous could also be so dowdy as well.

"The Million Dollar Bond Robbery" is very different from the Agatha Christie story...very. One of the differences is that someone supposedly consumes Strychnine...a story element used in the two previous episodes of "Poirot"! Yes, this is the third strychnine poisoning episode in a row...which is odd because there are many other sorts of poison.

Poirot has been called to meet with a bank president. It seems one of their people was nearly run over...and it seems intentional. The next day, this same man is supposedly poisoned as well! THis is tough because he was supposed to take a million dollars with of bonds across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary...but now the job is given to a man who is a compulsive gambler! So, it's not all that suprising when the bonds are reported stolen...even though Poirot is aboard this ship, the Queen Mary. What really happened here?

The big question never answered is the exact whereabouts of the bonds by the end of a show...a strange omission to say the least. Add to that the problem that the show is VERY different from the Agatha Christie story make this a weak episode...enjoyable but weak.

That is alongside the likes of Wasp's Nest, The Chocolate Box, Adventure of the Italian Nobleman, The Third Floor Flat and Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb. I may be biased as I love the series and hate to criticise it, but this was really an exceptional episode. The episode could have been longer perhaps, but the final solution at least did feel satisfying in the way episodes like King of Clubs and The Double Clue underwhelmed on first viewing and improved I think on the (if my memory serves correct) on the somewhat abrupt ending of the short story. When I watch Poirot I look forward to classy production values, great music, funny moments, intelligent, compelling story telling and solid-at-least acting. All of those are here in The Million Dollar Bond Robbery. It looks elegant and is beautifully shot, and right from the iconic theme tune to the haunting undertones of the background music the music is typically great. I always look for clever dialogue and funny moments(mostly with Hastings' naivety or Poirot's sarcasm), and The Million Dollar Bond Robbery has that too, as well as a story that grabs you right in and never lets go. The acting I can't fault, David Suchet continues to be the definitive Poirot, and everybody supports him to the very best of their ability. Nobody is bad, and I also have very little bad to say about the episode, it is one of my favourites of the short story adaptations and also one of the better ones of the entire series. 9/10 Bethany Cox