MRS McGINTY’S DEAD
UK, 2008, 93 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Zoe Wanamaker, Joe Absalom, Richard Hope, David Yelland, Sarah Smart, Racquel Cassidy, Richard Dillane, Simon Shepherd, Emma Amos, Bill Geraghty, Ruth Gemmell, Mary Stockley, Paul Rhys, Sian Phillips, Catherine Russell, Amanda Root, Richard Lintern.
Directed by Ashley Pearce.
As always, there is a complicated scenario for this Agatha Christie murder mystery. Mrs McGinty? is a cleaning woman and her nephew is accused of her murder. Inspector Spence does not believe he is guilty and asks Poirot to help. Poirot is also persuaded.
This means Poirot going to a country town, very uncomfortable accommodation, the range of eccentric characters, several couples for whom Mrs McGinty? cleaned. And, for extra complications, Ariadne Oliver is also in town, collaborating with the young man who is writing a play based on one of the detective stories – and they clash.
Poirot investigates as usual, does a range of interviews, discovers an article in a newspaper that Mrs McGinty? had read – and was ready to expose somebody’s true identity. There are various misunderstandings, drive scenario where there is a second murder, and Poirot seen behind the suggestions that the murderer was woman to the fact that the murderer was a man.
As always, a strong cast, especially of British character actors, including Sian Phillips and Paul Rhys.
1. The popularity of Agatha Christie mysteries? The television series? David Suchet as Poirot?
2. Poirot and Scotland Yard? The request to investigate, the man on death row? Going to the village, the uncomfortable accommodation, social gatherings, the range of people? Interviews? The final expose?
3. Inspect dispense? Friendship with Poirot? Doubting James Bentley’s guilt? Poirot interviewing him? His relationship with Mrs McGinty? Quiet type, writing problems? Innocent? The young woman attracted to him and supporting him?
4. Poirot visiting the town, Mrs Summerhayes and her background, unhealthy housekeeping, her severe husband, the Major? Poirot and the cold, the food and the coffee? Mrs Summerhayes coming in and out all the time?
5. Mrs Oliver, her presence in the town, Robin Upward and his helping with writing the play on her novel? The humorous scenes, his suggestions, her rejections? Frustrations? Her various theories for Poirot? Going to the theatre? Driving Poirot around?
6. The range of characters that Poirot met? The social? The couples? The doctor and his neurotic wife and her medication? The Carpenters, Eva and her snobbery? The Burches? Mrs Upward, in her wheelchair, depending on Robin?
7. The various tangles? The relationship with Mrs McGinty? and her doing the cleaning?
8. The information about the photos, in the newspaper, Poirot visiting the author and her not worried about accuracy? His producing the photos? Mrs Upward and the identification, misleading? The background story of the two women and their involvement in murders?
9. Mrs Upward recognising one of the women, the three phone calls to the women, Mrs Summerhayes arriving, the others not going? Presumption that the murderer was a woman? Poirot’s steering the revelations that the murderer was a man?
10. The background of the men, their personalities, relationship with their wives?
11. Poirot, the revelation about the photo, the mother, going to Australia, the book with the inscription, the photo in Mrs Summerhayes drawer, her thinking that it was her mother?
12. The unmasking of Robin, his background, theatre, his contriving the situation to kill Mrs Upward, with Mrs Oliver, going back into the house, killing her, the phone calls and the pretense, the mistake about the lipstick, Mrs Carpenter’s scent?
13. The young woman, Poirot talking with her, her connection with the photo, mistaking Mrs Upward and not shooting her? James Bentley and his being released, the reunion?
