HICKORY DICKORY DOCK
UK, 1995, 103 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran, Paris Jefferson, Jonathan Firth, Damian Lewis, Gilbert Martin, Elinor Morriston, Polly Kemp, Jessica Lloyd, Sarah Badel, Rachel Bell, David Burke.
Directed by Andrew Grieve.
The title comes from the nursery rhyme, the mouse ran up the clock. In fact, right throughout the film, there is the visual motif of the mouse. And the hiding of the poison in the mouse’s hole.
It is set in the 1950s but, in accordance with the settings for the whole television series, the setting is now in the 1930s – with reference to the political upheavals of the time, a march from workers to London and the leadership of the politician, Sir Alfred Stanley (whom Inspector Japp had under suspicion for 10 years for the murder of his wife).
However, the focus is on a hostel for university students on Hickory Road, managed by Miss Lemon’s sister who invokes her help with some thefts, asking Poirot to intervene and his coming to dinner and giving a lecture to the students.
The owner of the boarding house, Mrs Nicoletis, is unmasked as participating in a diamond smuggling ring, in connection with a relative who manages a shop across the street.
The mystery of the kleptomania is quickly solved but then there are some murders. There is a range of students, the young man studying to be a doctor (Damian Lewis in an early role), a student studying psychology, a well-connected student, and some young women, one studying chemistry, and other politics, another fashion, and a scholarship student from the United States.
There are several murders, Poirot investigating, Chief Inspector Japp intervening (with flashbacks to Sir Arthur Stanley’s wife’s murder). There is also a great deal of humour because the chief Inspector’s wife is away, he has to do the housework himself, Poirot invites him to stay – and there are some problems with what is served up in the meals, the chief inspector finally cooking a proper English meal, including mushy peas and Spotted Dick!
There are various complications, each student being a possible suspect, except the American student who is revealed to be part of the team investigating diamond smuggling. The murderer is a surprise, is unmasked, Sir Arthur Stanley’s son, who also murdered his mother.
1. The popularity of Agatha Christie mysteries? The television series? David Suchét as Poirot?
2. 1955 novel? Transferred to the 1930s? University education? Boarding houses? The social context? The workers, the march to London? Sir Alfred Stanley and his political position?
3. The London setting, Hickory Road, the London streets, shops, fashion, the boarding house, interiors? The musical score?
4. Miss Lemon, her sister and the boarding house, her seeking advice, asking Poirot to help? His being invited to the meal, to give a lecture? The audience? Mrs Hubbard, Mrs Nicoletis and her hesitation? The range of the students? The responses?
5. The thefts, the audience seeing one of the thefts, the range of things stolen? The reappearance of the diamond in the soup? Celia, kleptomaniac, the support of Colin, his attraction towards her, also a case? Her confession? Her being murdered?
6. The men, Colin and his psychology course, interesting cases, the hypothesis of a murder, not been discovered? Leonard, his medical studies, the stethoscope stolen? His trip to the continent, the return with Sally? At customs? His rucksack? Nigel, his studies, confiding in Poirot? The decision about the case study, the taking of the poison, concealing it, its being substituted, Celia’s death?
7. The women, Patricia and her interest in politics, Sir Arthur Stanley, the visit to the archives, the photo? Her death? Celia, studies, kleptomania, the attentions from Colin? Her death? Valerie, fashion, the close-up of her stitching, the diamond in her soup?
8. Mrs Nicoletis, running the boarding house, her cousin in the shop across the street, the revelation about the diamond smuggling, Poirot examining the rucksack, the stitching, the special compartment? Mrs Nicoletis being murdered?
9. Sally, the trip with Leonard, the American, her English studies, her mistaking the Shelley quotation for Keats? The mysterious man watching the house? The revelation that they were investigating smuggling? Sally’s role?
10. Nigel, coming to Poirot, the explanation of the poison and concealing it, the phone call from Patricia?
11. Poirot confronting the group, the possibility for each of them to be the criminal? The revelation about Nigel, his father, and the suspicion of his wife’s murder?
12. Chief Inspector Japp, involvement in the case, the flashbacks to the situation with Sir Alfred Stanley, Japp overhearing conversation, his suspicions, 10 years?
13. Nigel, his animosity towards his parents, stealing, murdering his mother? And his presence at his father’s funeral? His arrest?
14. And the comedy with Japp staying with Poirot, the issue of continental meals – and the British food and Poiorot’s disdain?
15. The title? And the visualising of the mouse throughout the film?
