THE KING OF CLUBS
UK, 1989, 50 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Niamh Cusack, Jonathan Coy, David Swift, Sean Pertwee.
Directed by Renny Rye.
A short story in the television series of Agatha Christie mysteries starring David Suchet as Poirot.
The initial setting is a film studio, a bullying producer, a novice director, an actress being threatened, a veteran actor fluffing his lines. This leads to the story of the death of the producer – and the twist is that it actually was an accident being reconstructed as a murder. Captain Hastings accompanies Poirot to the film studio. Chief Inspector Japp is called in to investigate the case.
Enjoyable to watch but rather minor in comparison to other cases.
1. The popularity of Agatha Christie mysteries? The television series with David Suchet as Poirot?
2. The title, the clue, discovering the behaviour of the family, the lies, the conspiracy?
3. The London setting, the film studios, the mansions, the countryside and roads? The musical score?
4. The filming, the style of 1936? Performance, the role of the producer, the role of the young director? The ageing actor and his failure? The humiliation of the actress? The visit of Poirot and Hastings? The anonymous Prince? The role of the actress, the confrontations with the producer? His demands?
5. The countryside, the director driving, the actor drunk, the crash?
6. The discovery of the producer’s body? The room, the position of the body, the open curtain? The manservant? Poirot and Hastings examining the room? The neighbours and family, and the actress taking refuge? The card game and the explanations? The missing card and an hour’s play? Facing the window?
7. Poirot and the truth, the story about her father, financial difficulties, the producer blackmailing the actress? Her family home? The family all helping? The visit of the actress and her brother to the producer? The accident of his falling? Then moving the body, to make it seem like murder?
8. Poirot, the discussions with the family, his discretion? Hastings bewildered?
9. The filming being renewed, success all round?
