Have Your Say

Discuss Poirot

Talk about everything Poirot related!

Hickory Dickory Dock

(Contains spoilers!)

Bundle_ 26 Aug 09 at 2:03 p.m. GMT

This contains spoiler information. Show

I thought we could discuss not only the book but the adaptation as well. What did everyone think of both?

Login or register to add posts and reply

18 replies

Reverse order

Frndorfoe 26 Aug 09 at 2:37 p.m. GMT

Hickory Dickory Dock is one of my favorite Poirot books. Even though the book is full of young, energetic people they do not behave like idiots like they sometimes do in other books. They are quite real, sensible characters. They are characters that I can identify with. Even the romances seemed real to me, both the successful ones and the unsuccessful ones. My favorite character from the book is Akibombo. He was rather a funny character. He had a certain innocence which I really liked. I also enjoyed the relationship he had with Sally. Their friendship was a bright spot in the novel. I'd give this book 7/10. A good and enjoyable read.

go_leafs_nation 26 Aug 09 at 4:37 p.m. GMT

I tend to agree. There are no silly "Don't-you-love-me-Haryy?-Of-course-Meredith-!-Then-why?" scenes. The students behave considerably maturely, and not like a couple of cardboard teen stereotypes from soap operas. Young people are probably among the hardest to convincingly write about, and Agatha did it best in Hickory, Dickory, Dock. The solution is also considerably clever. I liked this book a lot-- haven't read it in a while. I probably should.

Lone_Wolf 26 Aug 09 at 5:01 p.m. GMT

A rather mediocre work for me. Also, I remember founding the solution a bit unfair to the reader. I liked Akimombo, but you have to admit that the guy's a bit stereotypical.

Frndorfoe 26 Aug 09 at 5:25 p.m. GMT

Yeah I suppose Akibombo is stereotypical. But I am rather a simple minded person. I don't really look for underlying political and social views while reading a murder mystery. I just try to enjoy it. If I like a character I just like him/her. I never try to spot the underlying theme or try to perceive whether the characters are something more then what they seem to be.

Bundle_ 26 Aug 09 at 7:35 p.m. GMT

I appreciated the novel a few months after I read it -- and now I consider it one of the greatest of the Poirot novels. I think the best part of the book were all the characters, too. And I agree w/ most of you: it was nice to read about young people like a lot of us on the forum who can hold intelligent conversations. 

As for the characters I particularly liked Sally Finch and Leonard Bateson. It was nice to see them end up together. I too liked Sally's friendship w/ Mr. Akibombo. I only wish that they had portrayed Sally and Leonard's relationship in the adapt but they didn't. And the actress they got to play Sally didn't look like how AC described at all let a lone her personality! Leonard looked like how I imagined him though. I do like who they got as Nigel Chapman- he was as attractive as AC described him.

Lone_Wolf 27 Aug 09 at 12:39 p.m. GMT

I don't understand why they usually write Akibombo out from the adaptions, though. Just correct all his Engrish and give him a couple of "deep" remarks from other characters.

Frndorfoe 27 Aug 09 at 2:50 p.m. GMT

But then Akibombo won't be Akibombo anymore. He would be an entirely different character altogether. I hate the way these adaptations mutilate my favorite books and characters! What Dame Agatha wrote is good enough for me. As if anyone could do better than her! If they are so chalk full of new ideas for murder mysteries then why don't they write their own stories and film them? It's because they need to use Agatha Christie's name. That's why.

Lone_Wolf 27 Aug 09 at 3:05 p.m. GMT

"As if anyone could do better than her! If they are so chalk full of new ideas for murder mysteries then why don't they write their own stories and film them?"

It's possible to be a bad original creator, but a good modifier.

"But then Akibombo won't be Akibombo anymore. "

At any rate, it's better then writing him out completely.

Frndorfoe 27 Aug 09 at 3:14 p.m. GMT

I like adaptations to be faithful to the original creations. I'm not saying they have to copy everything the book says. But changing basic plotlines, the motives of the characters and sometimes even switching the characters (like they did in Cards on the Table) is just too much. Agatha Christie did not become one of the best selling authors of all time for nothing. There must be something remarkable about her works. Maiming her works beyond recognition is not something that should be done.

And I still say that rather then see my favorite characters get mutilated out of shape I would not have them in any adaptation at all!

go_leafs_nation 27 Aug 09 at 3:14 p.m. GMT

I disagree. He won't be himself anymore, so what was the point of keeping him? Rewriting characters dramatically often (but not always) hinders the story rather than helping.

Cases in point (and this is not just from Poirot):

• The Murderer in Taken at the Flood
• Mrs. Lorrimer, Anne Meredith, Dr. Roberts, Superintendant Battle (Cards on the Table)
• Nearly everyone in The Mystery of the Blue Train
• Nearly everyone in Nemesis
• Nearly everyone in At Bertram's Hotel
• Nearly everyone in Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
• The murderer and several others in Murder is Easy
• Nearly everyone in Appointment With Death
• Making Tuppence an alcholic in By The Pricking of My Thumbs (an adaptation I generally enjoyed, but I hated this move)
• Nearly everyone in The Pale Horse (again, an adaptation I enjoyed, but one that so vaguely resembles the novel, it can get distracting)

go_leafs_nation 27 Aug 09 at 3:16 p.m. GMT

Oh, and I forgot about the Luxmores in Cards on the Table. That was... weird. AC's original scenario was clever because of its simplicity. Now, they had to add drugs, a machete, and a screaming hysterical, "innocent" to it all.

Lone_Wolf 27 Aug 09 at 3:21 p.m. GMT

"I disagree. He won't be himself anymore, so what was the point of keeping him?"

So the thing that makes him himself is Engrish?

"Rewriting characters dramatically often (but not always) hinders the story rather than helping."

And therefore, we should judge on case-by-case basis, rather then going all "They've Changed It, Now It Sucks".

go_leafs_nation 27 Aug 09 at 3:38 p.m. GMT

True, but I suspect it wouldn't help in this case. All you've done is added another "mysterious", shady character for some mysterious "fun". Yes, his rather poor English really makes up a lot of his character. He's an innocent.

Bundle_ 27 Aug 09 at 3:38 p.m. GMT

You know what it is? These screenwriters are using AC's name and her books and characters to showcase their own "talent". 

I think the worst case when characters were taken out or modified in an adaptation (looking at Go leafs list) is Murder is Easy.

Lone_Wolf 29 Aug 09 at 8:48 a.m. GMT

Me no thinks me am more innocent if me writes my postes liek that.

belgian_in_ireland 01 Sep 09 at 12:41 p.m. GMT

I have only just rewatched this episode and I must admit I like it.  It's been years since I last read the book. Apart from the fact that some students were left out, it seemed to be pretty close to the book from what I remember. Although I must admit I don't really like the portrayal of Patricia Lane.  From what I remember from the book, she was a lot pushier.

go_leafs_nation 01 Sep 09 at 12:48 p.m. GMT

Lone_Wolf

Me no thinks me am more innocent if me writes my postes liek that.

Still, you take away Akimbobo's struggling English, and what are you left with? What do you do with his character? Have him crouch in the shadows and act suspiciously (which he never does in the book), like Snake Boy in Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Dianala 02 Sep 09 at 11:19 a.m. GMT

Hello I want to say that this book was the first I read of AC and I really like it the second book i read was They came to Bagdad and it was great too.