The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor

When the story begins, Susan Maltravers appears to be a bit of an...eccentric. She claims that the blackbirds are screaming at her and that they are the spirit of some woman who killed herself many years ago on the property. And, throughout the story, she seems very odd to say the least.

One day, Mrs. Maltravers' sickly husband is found dead near that same tree where she claimed blackbirds were screaming at her. Naturally, Poirot investigates and comes up with some startling results...of which you'll have to see for yourself!

This is a decent installment of "Poirot" and although the ending didn't surprise me too much, it was an interesting story and is well worth seeing.

From 1991, "The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor" is an excellent Poirot, with he and Hastings headed to meet a man who has a case for them to solve. When they arrive at the hotel where they are to meet him, they learn he has a case all right -- his own. He's written a book, has written his characters into a corner and wants Poirot to help him come up with an ending. Poirot is livid.

However, a real case does appear, that of the death of the owner of Marsdon Manor, Jonathan Travers. He was suffering from an ulcer and is found dead. His wife, Susan, insists that he died of fright and that the grounds are haunted by the ghost of a young woman who was killed there. In fact, Mrs. Maltravers is terrified and keeps seeing her sitting in a tree. It looks like a good case for Poirot.

Really delightful, with Poirot visiting himself in the local wax museum and also visiting a doctor to learn about the late man's condition. When he announces his name to the receptionist, she tells the doctor, "Doctor, there is a gentleman outside who is suffering from Hercule Poirot." With Suchet as Poirot, there is no such thing as suffering.

Like many of the Poirot episodes, this came from a short story, and the writers needed to invent a number of details in order to fill things out. In this case they chose to add details both spooky and silly. On the spooky side, the wife of the dead man seems to be obsessed with the ghosts that allegedly haunt the house. The atmosphere is made darker through the effective use of both the soundtrack and an especially sinister looking cedar tree. On the other hand, comic relief comes in by way of a local innkeeper who invites Poirot and Hastings to have a look at the mystery novel he's in the middle of writing. Add in a painting and a local wax museum (where a room with statues of Poirot and Charlie Chaplin provides an excellent backdrop for the amusing final moments of the episode) and you have all the elements of a charming case for our favorite detective to solve.

It's ok. None of them are bad but a few aren't very faithful adaptations. This is one of them. The plot lines and sub plots felt very contrived for TV. It didn't feel too much like Poirot or Christie.

There are Christie's works (essentially short stories) which deal with supernatural.Some of her best novels ,although "rational", have a "horror and fantasy " side: "And then there were none" "Peril at end house" "five little pigs" ....

"Tragedy at Mardson Manor" is a delight for Christie's fans :it features a good dose of humor (the innkeeper who calls Poirot cause there are murders in his village : actually he is writing a novel),a mansion which may be haunted ,a young woman in distress,and even a man who rises from the dead ,à la "les Diaboliques" .

Poirot(David Suchet) is in top form,his interpretation of the painting is brilliant.And last but not least ,in the wax museum ,when he hears his colleagues go into raptures over a statue,he is as vain as ever ...until he realizes they're speaking of Charlie Chaplin's one.