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Poirot's Early Days

Bundle_ 22 Oct 09 at 5:31 p.m. GMT

Wouldn't it be great if instead of the producers, screenwriters, etc. messing w/ some of the orinigal plots of Poirot books (i.e. Roger Ackryod), that they made an adaptation of when Poirot was an police officer in Belgium?! The only problem w/ this is, though, that it would have been betetr for them to do this BEFORE the Poirot series officaly started.

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GKCfan 22 Oct 09 at 7:25 p.m. GMT

Who could you see as playing the young Poirot?

In the canonical Christie, we only see a few references to Poirot's early cases.  The only case recounted in depth is "The Chocolate Box," which has been filmed.  We also see a couple of references to the soap-manufacturer who poisoned his wife to marry a blonde secretary.  We also know of the Abercrombie Forgery Case, where Poirot and Japp first met.  Other than another case where Poirot was forced to shoot and kill a criminal in the line of duty, I think that's all we know about Poirot's early years.

Bundle_ 22 Oct 09 at 7:40 p.m. GMT

Yeah, but if they want to put their own stamp on Christie's work like they do w/ the Marple adaptations and some of the Poirot's then why don't they just do something different altogether? Like Chris Chan said in The Blog: why don't they do a series w/ Ms. Oliver's detective Sven Hjerson? I think the same idea would apply to adapting Poirot's earlier days.

As for who they would get to play him, I have no idea. But that's why I mentioned that it would have been better if they had done this before they delved into his known mysteries. But I'm sure they could find somebody. I was not suggesting a full series of it, btw, just maybe one or two episodes.

yamifannetje 17 Dec 09 at 7:19 p.m. GMT

Indeed! That would be great! I would like to see the first meeting of Poirot with Japp. And I would love to know the start of his friendship with Hastings. And what about the reaction of the Belgium police force on his succes in England? Proud? Jealousy? sadness he never came back? Or just relief that he was gone?...

But they can do your ideas also after the series, you know. David Suchet is up to play all the planned episodes, included Curtain! So can it be easier? After that, they can place Hastings in the head rol, who cannot get over the death of his dear friend and as his memories, stories he read and heard in  Belgium (where can he better go than finally seeing the land of his dear friend)(and I would like to see Poirot-episodes in my own land!) you have your Belgium police-period of Poirot and even a possiblity to go back to his youth.

Tommy_A_Jones 18 Dec 09 at 5:15 p.m. GMT

With bregards to the Makers putting their own stamp on Christie's work I think it is too late as they say That ship has sailed with only a handful of Poirot's left to go the best idea is to either Televise Ariadne's Detectives Cases which could mean Zoe Wanemaker at the start of each Episode like Hitchcock or Roald Dhal or move on to different dtories but that is near imposdsible because ITV has put MM in so many. 

Yana 19 Dec 09 at 6:50 p.m. GMT

 why don't they do a series w/ Ms. Oliver's detective Sven Hjerson?

Yep! A good idea.. Yet in this instance they'd have to.. well make things up.. I reckon we don't know much about him but for being a veggi)). For this to be a hit it should be an extraordinary piece of writing on the makers' part.. Christie didn't write about him much so there's lots to be done by those who'll set up their mind on it..

But this idea made me think that it'd be nice (though daring see the above mentioned) to have a couple of series spotlighting Mrs. Oliver... Might be exceptionally interesting, thought not 'a Christie's piece', alas..

Bundle_ 19 Dec 09 at 9:35 p.m. GMT

yamifannetje

But they can do your ideas also after the series, you know. David Suchet is up to play all the planned episodes, included Curtain! So can it be easier? After that, they can place Hastings in the head rol, who cannot get over the death of his dear friend and as his memories, stories he read and heard in  Belgium (where can he better go than finally seeing the land of his dear friend)

Oh! You're right, yami! After Curtain Hastings can go for a 'walk on memory lane' by traveling to Belguim.

And what would also be a good idea is if one of the reasons he's doing this is because he plans on writing a biography of Poirot so for his inspiration he goes back to Belgium where they first met! And on his trip he can interview people who knew Poirot and they can recount his early days ....which we would then see a much younger Poirot.

Tommy_A_Jones 20 Dec 09 at 12:49 p.m. GMT

What an excellent Idea Bundle but would Hugh Fraser want to Carry on and could they find someone who looks sufficiently like David Suchet?

Yana 20 Dec 09 at 8:51 p.m. GMT

Tommy_A_Jones

What an excellent Idea Bundle but would Hugh Fraser want to Carry on and could they find someone who looks sufficiently like David Suchet?

Yep. Add to this time is running and the actors are not getting yonger quite on the contrary... I mean the longer if it all it takes them to decide to shoot smth the less is the chance of Mr.Suchet and Mr.Fraser taking part...

Tommy_A_Jones 21 Dec 09 at 12:53 p.m. GMT

If thgey were Poirot's very early stories that he had just recounted to Hastings then suyrely it wouldn't need David Suchet because a Younger looking Actor would appear which would mean a Diffferent Actor and Hastings would only appear at the Beginning and possibly at the end like the Bookmark Episodes of MSW so afew of Hastings bitsd could be done in a day so Hugh Fraser wouldn't need to have to spend much time on them at all.

Bundle_ 21 Dec 09 at 2:46 p.m. GMT

I think Hugh Fraser would definitely want to be apart of Poirot's early stories, why not? And as you said Tommy they wouldn't even have to use him in the mini series all that much. As for finding a younger Poirot I'm sure they can do it.

Tommy_A_Jones 21 May 10 at 4:44 p.m. GMT

I have just finished reading Dumb Witness and it mentions some Characters in earlier Poirot books but they are ones where Hastings who Narrates Dumb Witness doesn't appear in so Poirot must have told him about those cases so it is Concsiveable that Poirot would have told Hastings about his time before meeting Hastings so So The idea of a series where Hugh Fraser as Hastings tells of Poirot's adventures back then is a Credible one.

MissQuin 21 May 10 at 4:56 p.m. GMT

It's a fun idea, but I expcet alot of fans would nitpick details, rake over every phrase etc. Plus TV producers seem pretty incapable of giving Chrisite fans what they want. They are more interested in rating as a figure, rather than if die hard fans really enjoyed an adpatation.

But when the Suchet serires finnishes, we need something to fill the big empty gap!

Tommy_A_Jones 22 May 10 at 5:02 p.m. GMT

Any chance of anything filling the gap was Destroyed the day they came up with the idea of putting Miss Marple in Books she shouldn't be in, If they hadn't done that ITV could have done all the non-Poirot books properly but OH NO! ITV had to destroy any possible cjance of that happening for a long time, I suppose WE COULD have an Adaptation of 'And Then There Were None' one Christmas or bank Holiday but that is it, I personally think Poirot pre-Hastings or The Bundle Brent Mysteries as people suggested ages ago are Great Ideas and should be taken up but IO doubt if they will because They didn't come from Matthew Pritchzard or ITV or the American Executives.

MissQuin 22 May 10 at 5:15 p.m. GMT

Theyve gone and parachuted Miss Marple into The Secret Of Chimneys, so too late! A middle aged Bundle, whatever next?

I bet they can't wait to film The Labours Of Hercules though "The apples of the Hesprerides", there are NUNS in it!! As if we havent endured enough, the ironic thing is the only Poirot story I remember with nuns, probably won't have any on TV!

The labour of Hercules should be done in a light hearted style, it's not meant to be overtly serious. No serious faced actors, gloomy and refelctive Poirot or sad looking pekes shown in blueish light.

Tommy_A_Jones 25 May 10 at 3:19 p.m. GMT

WHAT!!!!! That is hurtful, spieful and stupid, To do this just Confirms to me that ITV are Philistines! It is one of the best Non-Poirot/Miss Marple/T&T books Agatha Christie wrote, If they have to include the Bundle Books the least they can do is cast someone more appropriate, I like Dervla Kirwen but she is not the right person to play Bundle. I would rather they scrap the series than dom the Bundle bookswhich are more worthwhile than all the ITV Staff put to gether 10 times over (I don't mean the Thesps) If the treatment of Agatha Christie's work is anything to go by.

MissQuin 26 May 10 at 2:45 p.m. GMT

 "I like Dervla Kirwen but she is not the right person to play Bundle."

I do agree, she was miscast. Bundle should be young, lively. It's true her character migt not be the flapper girl we know and love, seeing as the stories now set 50's. But still, it's madness. Oddly enough it's usually the other way around. A older character is replaced by some attractive youngster. With The Pale horse the delectable young JJ Feild is playing a character who was about 60 and nonsctipt.  

I also read Tredwell is now a woman! This means sex changes are now added to the list of alterations. This will lead to some odd storylines..