THE MYSTERY OF THE SPANISH CHEST

UK, 1991, 50 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, John Mc Enery, Caroline Langrishe, Pip Torrens, Malcolm Sinclair, Peter Copley.
Directed by Andrew Grieve.

This is one of the earliest films in the television series from Agatha Christie’s stories featuring Poirot. It is not one of the striking murder mysteries because of the murderer looks and acts suspiciously right from the beginning.

However, the mystery is in how he did it rather than that he did it.

The film opens with a fencing duel which is relevant to the characters and is repeated in the culmination of the story.

Poirot is seen at the Opera, is approached by a friend from the past, is persuaded to go to a party to meet the husband of an attractive young woman who seems to be flirting with another man. At the party, in the corner, there is a Spanish chest – and, later blood is seen to seep from it.

The woman is suspect but the man with whom she is involved is arrested for murder. For the culmination, Poirot is invited to the exclusive club and its gym where the murderer confronts Poirot with his rapier – but has to fight the accused man. And the film ends romantically. Veteran actor, John Mc Enery, is the scarred, supercilious racist villain.

1. The popularity of Agatha Christie’s mysteries? The television series with David Suchet?

2. The short story, one of the earliest of the television series? The presence of Hastings accompanying Poirot? The presence of chief Inspector Japp?

3. The prologue, the duel, and the fencing, the wound? Black-and-white? The later reprise of this sequence?

4. Poirot at the Opera, Lady Chatterton and her approach, the appointment, her flattery? Hastings and his criticism of Poirot’s vanity – and the final comment of Poirot claiming luck, and that he would be the best at humbility?

5. The introduction to Edward Clayton, tense, his work, the relationship with his wife, the clash with Major Rich, at the club, the discussions with Curtis, at home, the trip to Edinburgh, visiting Major Rich? His disappearance?

6. The party, Lady Chatterton, Edward Clayton not present? Poirot, the talk, dancing the Charleston? The next morning, Inspector Japp interrogating Poirot as a witness?

7. The Spanish chest, the blood seeping? Poirot and Hastings visiting, the empty chest, cleaned, the remains of the drilled hole, examining the contents of Clayton’s pocket, the screwdriver?

8. Marguerite, her relationship with her husband, with Major Rich after the death of his wife, nothing improper? Curtiss and his discussions with Rich?

9. The chief Inspector and his theories? Poirot and Marguerite? Her public arrest?

10. The set-up, Rich and his guilt, the butler and his testimony, the macabre aspects of the party with Clayton dead in the chest?

11. Curtiss, his arrogant racial superiority, the scar, his participation in the duel? Relationship with Clayton, with Rich?

12. His summoning Poirot to the club, the gymnasium, with his rapier? The explanation of his plot, Clayton as victim, the cruel death? The threat to Poirot? Rich, arrival, the fencing duel?

13. The happy ending, Rich and Marguerite, united? Poirot humble?