ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE
UK, 1992, 103 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Philip Jackson, Joanna Phillips- Lane, Peter Blythe, Carolyn Colquhoun, Christopher Eccleston, Karen Gledhill, Laurence Harrington, Rosalind Knight, Sarah Stewart, Helen Horton.
Directed by Edward Bennett.
This is one of the earlier television versions of Poirot’s solving of murder mysteries, with Agatha Christie’s ingenuity and David Suchet embodying Poirot.
The setting is visits to the dentist – who, it seems, kills himself soon after Poirot’s appointment. However, there were a number of other appointments and some manipulation of the timeframe of the alleged suicide.
Chief Inspector Japp works with Poirot on the case, especially in an encounter with a former actress now involved in charity work but returning from India. Not only does the dentist die but this woman also disappears – and the body of another dead woman is discovered.
The main suspect, played by Christopher Eccleston who in 12 years time was to be Doctor Who, arrested, a surly man, but loved by the assistant to the dentist. As always, there are quite a number of complications, a prologue in India becoming important, the central character, a financier, involved with American relations, a dead wife, an assistant who turns out to be the solution to the mystery.
1. The title? The nursery rhyme? The motif of the girls playing it on the footpath?
2. The popularity of Agatha Christie’s mysteries? The television series with David Suchet?
3. The London setting, the atmosphere of the 1930s, costumes and decor? Banking? Dentistry? The musical score?
4. The prologue in India, Much Ado, the performance, Blunt and Gerda, the friendship with Mabelle, the announcement of the engagement? Marriage? The shift to 12 years later? (And the footage of the visit of the Prince of Wales to India and the atmosphere of British Empire?)
5. The focus on the dentist? Poirot and his teeth, visits? Friendship with Mr Morley? The other patients? Blunt? Mabelle? Amberiotis? The presence of Frank Carter? The timeframe for the visits? The death of the dentist? The decision about suicide? Mr Morley as a cheerful dentist? The interviews with his sister?
6. Gladys, her being away for the day, the false message? Her relationship with Frank? His being out of work, recruited as a fascist, working as a gardener? His arrest? In prison? His angers? The discussions with Poirot, Poirot his only hope?
7. Mabelle and her story, acting, charity work, returning to England, wanting to see Gerda? The discussions with Amberiotis? Her cheering as with Poirot and the Chief Inspector? Her disappearance? The visit to the house? The dead woman? The false name and address and the married couple?
8. Blunt, his in-laws, very American, the haughtiness of the sister-in-law? Looking down on Poirot? The issues of money and support?
9. Poirot going to the mansion, Blunt and his wealth, his secretary? The story of his wife, her illness and death? The portrait in his office?
10. Frank Carter working as a gardener, his cover, the attempt on Blunt’s life, his assistant overcoming Carter, Carter’s arrest?
11. Poirot, with the chief inspector? The interrogations? The mystery of Mabelle? Finding the alternate body? The issue of stockings, the visit to the room, the body and the buckle on the shoe? The buckle coming loose in the street?
12. The gathering everybody, the explanation of the case, the vindication of Frank Carter? The truth about the events and the time frame? The revelation that the secretary was Gerda, bigamy on the part of Blunt? The resolution?
