THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD

UK, 2000, 99 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Philip Jackson, Oliver Ford Davies, Malcolm Terris, Selena Caddel, Daisy Beaumont, Flora Montgomery, Jamie Bamber, Roger Frost.
Directed by Andrew Grieve.

This is one of the 70 television features, novels and short stories, mysteries by Agatha Christie with David Suchet embodying Poirot.

This is one of the earliest novels by Agatha Christie and had enormous shock value when readers got to the end of the book and discovered who the murderer was. The literary device was a journal by one of the several characters – and final revelation that he had killed Roger Ackroyd. To transfer this experience to the screen is very difficult and many readers will be disappointed at how the plot was handled here – although, the question arises, how else could it have been done?

Poirot is retired, he is friends with an industrialist, Roger Ackroyd, who is murdered. Chief Inspector Japp is also called in and they work together. The central activity focuses on the local doctor, played by Oliver Ford Davies, who has worked with Ackroyd and many of the witnesses and people in the town.

On one level, the mystery is fairly straightforward, obviously some twists, and all explained in a rather long speech by the doctor at the end of the film followed by some melodramatics with a gun.

While there is entertainment value in this film, it was very strongly criticised by devotees of the novel and of this television series.

1. The popularity of the television series of mysteries by Agatha Christie featuring David Suchet as Poirot?

2. The popularity of the original novel? The shock ending for the reader? The challenge to make a feature film preserving this shock ending? How successful here? Poirot reading the journal? The discovery of the journal? The gun? The invitation to Dr Shepherd to explain what happened? The arrogance of his journal? Critique of the police investigation?

3. Poirot, living in the country, retired, the contact with Chief Inspector Japp? His friendship with Roger Ackroyd? The visit to the plant? Discussions with Ackroyd? The report of his death? The timeframe? The witnesses? The death of the butler? His interrogating the witnesses? The false telegram about Ralph and his going to the United States? Dr Shepherd commending him on this?

4. The character of Roger Ackroyd, industrialist, ambitious, greed? His wife? Stepson? The plans for the wedding? The wife suspected of killing her husband? Her suicide?

5. The range of characters, Ackroyd’s wife, Flora and her daughter, the prospective wedding? Raymond and his work at the plant? An obvious suspect?

6. Dr Shepherd, the country doctor, his work, visiting his patients? At home with his sister? Her curiosity? His visits to Roger Ackroyd?

7. Poirot assembling the group, his having read the journal? Dr Shepherd’s sister not invited in, in the car, the journal, the gun? Dr Shepherd giving his explanation, his vanity, complacency? His double life? Setting up the record and playing it, the chair moved to disguise it, his changing things back, Parker and noticing, Parker’s death?

8. The doctor’s vanity, his sister giving him the gun, the chase, confronting Poirot and the Chief Inspector? His being shot?

9. The revelation about the maid, the marriage, the testimony, her relief that her husband returned? The happy ending?