THE THIRD FLOOR FLAT
UK, 1989, 50 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran, Suzanne Burden, Nicholas Pritchard, Robert Hines.
Directed by Edward Bennett.
This is one of the earliest of the short films based on Agatha Christie stories, part of the television series with David Sichet as Poirot.
This quite a domestic story, the focus on the apartment block where Poirot lives, the flats below him. There is some comedy with Poirot reacting against the treatment for his cold, insisted on by Miss Lemon. Hastings is preoccupied with his new car. However, they go to the theatre and Hastings makes a bet with Poirot about the solution to the murder on stage – with Poirot entirely wrong and making excuses for his solution.
The audience sees a new tenant and her agitation. When the young group returns from the theatre and cannot get into their flat, the two young men go down to the basement and come up in the lift, entering the wrong flat and discovering the body. Chief Inspector Japp does arrive and makes a contribution but Poirot solves the case fairly quickly – one of the escorts, the dead woman being his wife and his wanting a divorce, his shooting her.
And there is some action drama in the finale as he tries to make his escape through the lift shaft and into Hastings car – and crashing it!
1. The popularity of the television series of Agatha Christie mysteries with David Suchet as Poirot? This as one of the earliest films?
2. The London settings, Poirot’s office, the flats in his building, the visit to the theatre? The interiors of the flats? The musical score?
3. The introduction to Mrs Grant, the desk moving in, the music and noise from above, her impatience, the letter under the door? Her visitor? Her being found dead, moved? The maid not noticing anything? The issue of mail delivery?
4. Poirot and Hastings, Poirot and his cold and the treatment? The bet with Hastings about the play and whodunnit? Attending the play, seeing the group at interval? Poirot’s solution, his excuses, entirely wrong, and his paying his debt?
5. Patricia and the group, the background, dancing upstairs, theatre? Singing on the steps? The missing key? The two men, escorting the women, going to the basement, coming up in the lift, Poirot and Hastings watching? Getting into the flat, the wrong flat, the discovery of the body?
6. Poirot and Hastings coming down, discussions with the girls, the body, the letters, investigation and questions? Chief Inspector Japp and his arrival, contribution?
7. Poirot and the ether, Donovan’s collapse, recovery? Jimmy and his questions? Donovan going upstairs to rest?
8. Poirot and his solution, the flashbacks revealing Donovan and his being the husband, wanting the divorce, infatuation with Patricia, coming for the letter about the divorce and marriage, shooting Mrs Grant? Poirot getting the key from his pocket, the letter?
9. Donovan escaping, hiding in the lift, Hastings searching the street, Donovan getting into Hastings’ prized car, the crash?
10. Explanations and happy ending?
