THE PLYMOUTH EXPRESS
UK, 1991, 50 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran, John Stone, Kenneth Haigh, Julian Wadham, Alfredo Michelson, Marion Bailey, Shelagh Mc Leod, Steven Mackintosh.
Directed by Andrew Piddington.
This is a short film in the popular television series of Agatha Christie mysteries with David Suchet as Poirot. It has an Australian background, an Australian mine, the head of the company, his daughter. The daughter has married a man that the mining chief (John Stone, a Welsh actor doing an Australian accent) does not approve of, (Julian Wadham in an early role). There is also a French count who pays the daughter attention.
The daughter goes on a trip on the Plymouth Express, accompanied by her maid, a mysterious man jumping on the train as it leaves the station. Then she disappears. She has decided to take all her jewels with her – which seems the motivation for her death.
Poirot and Hastings travel on the train the next day, interrogate the newsboy (an early role for Steven Mackintosh) and find that the missing woman had wanted the late edition of a newspaper. Poirot and Hastings investigate the newspaper, finding information about the Australian mine. The French count is a suspect, runs but is arrested, in jail, perpetrating inside information and financial fraud. The former husband is interviewed by Hastings, found to have lost all his money at the races.
Poirot goes to see a previously convicted jewellery fence (veteran Kenneth Haigh) – and the revelation about what happened on the train, the murder of the young woman by the maid, the stealing of the jewels.
1. The popularity of Agatha Christie mysteries? The television series, with David Suchet as Poirot?
2. Poirot at the office, the discussions about investments, Hastings and Miss Lemon?
3. The Australian background, the mine, reports, speculation, Halliday and his building up his empire, bluff and demanding manner? Florence, wealthy, spoilt, her marriage to Carrington, his coming to visit, her break with him, his asking for money? Florence, her maid, the jewels, taking them all to Plymouth? The past encounter with the French count, his visit to London, his meeting with Florence, Halliday asking Poirot to observe and evaluate? Warren Hastings watching the hotel?
4. The count, his visit to London, his financial documents, showing them to Florence, with his banker, the report, buying the shares cheaply, the later profit? His running from the police, in jail? Innocent of the murder but guilty of fraud? Chief Inspector Japp accusing him?
5. Florence, the Plymouth express, with her maid, the anonymous man, running for the train, his being a passenger? Halliday disturbed, Florence’s disappearance, at Bristol, on the train, the man?
6. Chief Inspector Javert and his involvement, the various suspects, interrogations?
7. Poirot and Hastings, on the train, the discussion with the newsboy at the station, the information about Florence and the paper? The maid waiting at the station?
8. Poirot and the information about jewel fencing criminals, the visit, the interview, the possibility of selling the jewels, Hastings and Japp waiting, the arrest?
9. Hastings, the encounter with Carrington, the discussion about betting, his losing all his money? Proof that he did not have the jewels because he was at his club, in need?
10. Poirot and the revelation of the criminal, everyone assembled the house, the count not guilty, Carrington not guilty, Halliday and his exasperation? The revelation about the maid, the collaboration with the jewel fence? The early murder of Florence, the maid in impersonating her? Wanting the late edition – and Poirot discovering the report about the Australian
mine?
