THE YELLOW IRIS
UK, 1993, 50 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Pauline Moran, David Troughton, Dorian Healy, Geraldine Somerville, Yolanda Velazquez, Robin Mc Caffrey, Hugh Ross, Joseph Long.
Directed by Peter Barber Fleming.
The Yellow Iris offers an opportunity for Poirot to say that he had not solve the case. Hastings and Miss Lemon are surprised – as is the audience. The occasion is a yellow Iris left at his door and the announcement of a new Argentinian restaurant in London.
At the core of the film is an extended flashback to Poirot’s experience in Argentina. The period is re-created with costumes and decor, the situation of prosperity, oil exploration, but a military coup. The audience is given some background to the central characters (remembering that the oil and businessman and the dead woman’s sister were seen at the opening of the film putting yellow irises on the dead woman’s tomb). There is a murder in full sight in a restaurant, Poirot observing, unable to solve the crime because he is arrested and deported as a spy. Quite a humiliation for Poirot as he is shuffled off unceremoniously, in prison, interviewed and suddenly deported.
Two years later, the new restaurant is opened with the same proprietor, the oil businessmen wants to recreate the dinner atmosphere of the first murder and his partner, the investigating journalist, the dancer present at the original dinner are all present. Suddenly, the young woman dies in exactly the same way as her sister. Audiences would suspect that she is not dead but that Poirot has contrived it – as, of course, he has. He is supremely confident, the murderer is unmasked and the young woman is seen alive.
1. The popularity of Agatha Christie mysteries? The television series? David Suchet as Poirot? The presence of Captain Hastings and Miss Lemon?
2. The London settings, Poirot’s office, the new restaurant? The cemetery setting? The contrast with the atmosphere of Argentina, the city of Buenos Aires, the 1930s, accommodation, the restaurant? The musical score?
3. The title, Iris herself, her favourite flower, yellow? The opening sequence? Her husband and sister at the cemetery? His assistance that he solve the mystery?
4. The iris at Poirot’s door? The announcement of the new restaurant, the same name as in Argentina? The case he did not solve? His telling the story?
5. When a saris, Hastings in Argentina, Poirot’s visit, in the city, the hotel, the restaurant, the group celebrating? The singer and the lyrics… until I die? The host, the hospitality? Poirot observing? Iris and Carter and the threatening conversation, Poirot overhearing?
6. The financial situation, the oil search, Russell and Carter, their partnership, the tensions between them? Iris and her marriage? The money? Her sister? The journalist, the interview with Pauline? Her denouncing him? His coming with the dancer? The toast? Iris collapsing, dead?
7. Investigations, the military situation, the coup, Russell and his deals with the general? Carter and his warning Poirot to leave? Poirot arrested, in prison, the interview, bundled away, deported?
8. Two years later, the anniversary, the group at the table? Poirot and his discussions with the journalist, the background of the financial deals, the general and his being arrested, his execution? The businessmen and their loss of money? The journalist, his relationship with Pauline? The dancer, going to her rehearsal? The invitation to the dinner?
9. Poirot, meeting Luigi again, coming to the table, Russell and his bluster? The tensions? The toast, Pauline collapsing, the parallel death? The audience knowing Agatha Christie and suspecting Pauline was not dead?
10. Poirot, the range of suspects, going through them all, the possibilities? The solution, Russell himself, finance, planting the cyanide, and the capsule in iris’s purse, in Carter’s pocket? Russell himself, moving unobtrusively during the song? His not noticing the waitress – the revelation of Pauline?
11. A different twist in terms of the murder, the flashbacks, the possibility for solution two years later?
