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Poirot TV news?

Ms_Kylie_Menage 21 Mar 09 at 7:06 p.m. GMT

Shouldn't there be news by now, as to which books will be adapted for the latest series, and casting? I was under the impression filming was starting this month?

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GKCfan 16 Jul 09 at 12:54 a.m. GMT

I like the one-labor-a-month idea a lot.  Some of the labors could easily be linked to the war, especially Boar and Flock, and Cerberus could become about WWII spying instead of drugs.  I'm not averse to minor changes if they're in the Christie spirit and actually make sense.  I wouldn't care if someone died from drinking from the poison chalice in "Apples," for example, but the bizarre transplanted plots leave me cold.

Since Amy Caranaby makes two appearances, I would like to see a talented veteran actress take the role.

CatAmongthePigeons 15 Jul 09 at 9:25 p.m. GMT

I  don't know if this is the right place to put this, since I'd like to discuss how I'd like to see a book adapted to television -- The Labours of Hercule to be exact -- but I've been wanting to get this off my chest for a while ever since I reread it, so here goes...

On one of the previous blogs, somebody suggested it be a 12-parter, and I agree.  I'm wondering if it shouldn't take place within the span of a year -- 1938, the last full year before WWII; a couple of the tales have characters that would fit right into that time frame, even though the book was published after the war.  I can see Poirot taking on the "labours" as part of a New Year's resolution, and the last story, "The Capture of Cerebus," could, in my mind at least, be set during the Xmas season, ending New Years' Day, 1939.

The first "labour"  introduces spinster companion Amy Carmody, who reappears later on in the book.  I'm thinking Judi Dench; anybody have any other thoughts on this?

This is what I've come up with so far.  Feel free to comment

Tommy_A_Jones 10 Jul 09 at 12:59 p.m. GMT

I too am excited about The Clocks I have not that long ago read it and I agree the book is very underrated, I also agree Cat Among The Pigeons and Mrs McGinty's Dead were both Brilliantly done, I have not seen Appointment with Death or read Three-Act Tragedy, I bought the Ustinov version of Appointment with Death as a result of reading it, btw How do youu make the titles in your posts darker go_leafs?

go_leafs_nation 10 Jul 09 at 1:15 a.m. GMT

Wonderful! Three Act Tragedy and The Clocks! I am excited. But I am extremely worried as to the adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express. If the information shared earlier is correct... *shudder*

Either way, Poirot has recently been rather good, minus the horrid Appointment With Death. Cat Among the Pigeons was particularly well-adapted, as was Mrs. McGinty's Dead-- two of my favourite Poirots. I love Three-Act Tragedy and think The Clocks is underrated.

Incidentally, what ending would they use for Three-Act Tragedy? The American or British version?

wolfbridge 09 Jul 09 at 3:29 p.m. GMT

as the producers seem to be unwillingly, meself has to post this here :)

Kimberly Stewart's Poirot role

1 day ago

Kimberly Stewart is to appear alongside Poirot star David Suchet in the latest film about the Belgian detective.

The model and socialite daughter of Rod Stewart - who has tried her hand at acting in a few US shows - is among the cast for ITV1's Three Act Tragedy, which also stars Martin Shaw.

The Judge John Deed star will play Sir Charles Cartwright, a retired actor who relishes the opportunity to assist Poirot with his investigations after the death of a guest at Sir Charles' Cornish home.

Three Act Tragedy also stars Art Malik, Kate Ashfield, Cranford's Kimberley Nixon, Jane Asher and The Boat That Rocked's Tom Wisdom.

In his 21st year playing the famous sleuth, Suchet will make four new Poirot films including The Clocks and Murder On The Orient Express.

In Three Act Tragedy, Poirot visits Cornwall to attend a dinner hosted by his friend Sir Charles Cartwright. When an amiable local Reverend chokes to death on his cocktail, Poirot cannot see how murder can have been committed. There seems to be no motive for murder and as Poirot predicts, no trace of poison is found in the Reverend's glass...

Three Act Tragedy is currently being filmed in London and the Home Counties.

Copyright © 2009 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

Tommy_A_Jones 27 Jun 09 at 12:42 p.m. GMT

Mole I haven't read 7 Dials yet but if Battle is as old as he looks in the Adap I agree about Geofrey Palmer I think he is too old to be Battle in Towards Zero, I think Clive Mantle, Hugh Lawrie or Ian Lavender might be just as good if not better. 

Tommy_A_Jones 27 Jun 09 at 11:03 a.m. GMT

I finnished 'The Clocks' yesterday, I really loved it from what shanty sleuth wrote about the synopsis the writer is obviously wanting us to believe The Colin Lamb Character is a relation of Colonel Race, which I was happy to believe until Chapter 14, Does anyone know who plays Hardcastle? I do wid=sh they wouldn't change names of Characters.

I have got the Radio version of 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyed on Cassette, I see your point about the TV adapt though Miss Kylie Menage it did sort of Telegraph who the Murderer is I suppose.

Pale_Horse 27 Jun 09 at 8:56 a.m. GMT

The Orient Express was announced years ago on IMDB with a starry cast including Jean Simmons then it disappeared from the listings.

Appointment With Death still hasn't been shown in the UK yet and the way it is going the target audience will have all seen it on downloads and bootlegs by the time it is shown officially

Tommy_A_Jones 17 Jun 09 at 10:54 a.m. GMT

Afew weeks ago the TVTimes mentioned that the next series would include 'Murder On The Orient Express'

AndThenThereWereToon 16 Jun 09 at 1:24 p.m. GMT

Wikipedia seem to think that the full line-up for the next season will be The Clocks, Three Act Tragedy, Hallowe'en Party and Murder on the Orient Express ("List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes").  Sadly they don't give a source.  Anyone know where they might have got TAT and HP from, and how likely it is?

Tommy_A_Jones 03 Jun 09 at 1:48 p.m. GMT

That is a long time Sanna, but enough time to Read 'Clocks' before it appears on screen, taking into account the way I read books, Thankyou for the Information

Sanna 02 Jun 09 at 2:22 p.m. GMT

Winnebago - one article stated briefly that ITV expected/hoped to broadcast next year! So we have plenty of time to catch up with the novel :-) - but frankly, that's an awful long time to wait, I hope they will put it on air long time before, hopefully in the Autumn, but that's just wishfull thinking...

S_Sigerson 01 Jun 09 at 2:07 p.m. GMT

They are filming The Clocks? How terribly exciting!!!! I can't wait to see it. I do so hope the adaptation is as lively as the book was. It was a thriller and not a straight mystery after all. However, I have faith in David Suchet and the entire production team (especially the talented writers) to bring this little gem to the little screen.

Noah 01 Jun 09 at 1:57 a.m. GMT

Apparently Anna Skellern will be in The Clocks as well as I stumbled across something that said she would be playing Fiona in a Poirot directed by Charles Palmer.

TheMole 31 May 09 at 4:10 p.m. GMT

Also starring in The Clocks are Jaime Winstone, Tom Burke, Lesley Sharp, Anna Massey, Geoffrey Palmer and Beatie Edney.

So Geoffrey Palmer will be in The Clocks. It's too bad that he hasn't play Battle; that I would have really liked to see.

Ms_Kylie_Menage 31 May 09 at 1:55 p.m. GMT

Sorry, Winnebago, but I can't agree with you on Roger Ackroyd. That episode was a wasted opportunity. It needed to be narrated to work, and the BBC radio play showed just how successful it could have been.

As for Cat Among The Pigeons, I thought that the fact that the second murder was an attempted murder worked well, as our sympathies with Chaddy were evoked, not having been successful in her attempt. And Miss Vansittart ended not being a necessary character, with Miss Rich taking her place. The javelin murder was spectacular, and appropriate considering that murder happened in the gym, where one would expect to find a javelin.

The endings of Cat Among The Pigeons, A Pocketful Of Rye, Five Little Pigs and Towards Zero have all been extremely moving, and more so because of the fact that they are true to the emotion of the books.

Tommy_A_Jones 31 May 09 at 12:59 p.m. GMT

I agree with you about Kevin Ellyot and Mark Gattiss but I think very few changes are worthy I can only think of 1 and that was in 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd', having Porot read the Manuscript in the Murderers Prison Cell was a Great idea.

Ms_Kylie_Menage 31 May 09 at 12:53 p.m. GMT

I have just read on imdb.com that the screenplay for Murder On The Orient Express has been written by Guy Andrews. I do so hope this isn't true as I hated what he did with Taken At The Flood, Appointment With Death and The Mystery Of The Blue Train. He is clearly not interested in honouring Dame Agatha's legacy, but instead making his own mark. I thought those three films were are all a disgrace. Taken At The Flood was the closest to the book, but the second half unravelled into silliness. I was hoping for Murder On The Orient Express the job of adapting would go to Kevin Elyot (who has written some of the most successful and faithful films, such as Five Little Pigs, Death On The Nile, and for Miss Marple, Towards Zero and A Pocketful Of Rye, with all the plotlines intact) or Mark Gatiss (whose adaptation of Cat Among The Pigeons had changes, but they were worthy.)

McGinty 29 May 09 at 8:36 p.m. GMT

Oh well at least we now finally know that they are being filmed. The Clocks is probably my least favourite story, but I guess we really believe that ALL the books are going to be filmed. I pray they'll include Dead Man's Folly in the new series,plus Three Act Tragedy, presuming Murder on the Orient is the fourth.Still don't understand why Appointment With Death hasn't been shown on ITV

shanty_sleuth 29 May 09 at 6:54 p.m. GMT

David Suchet returns to his most famous of roles, Hercule Poirot, alongside an exciting cast including Phil Daniels as Inspector Hardcastle.

The Clocks is currently being filmed in London and Dover.  It is adapted by Stewart Harcourt, directed by Charles Palmer  and the producer is Karen Thrussell.

Also starring in The Clocks are Jaime Winstone, Tom Burke, Lesley Sharp, Anna Massey, Geoffrey Palmer and Beatie Edney.

Lieutenant Colin Race (Tom Burke) is investigating the death of two Navy personnel when a distraught Sheila Webb (Jaime Winstone) runs out of 19 Wilbraham Crescent and into his arms. Poirot (David Suchet) arrives in Dover to help Colin determine if Sheila is responsible for the murder of the middle-aged man found stabbed on the sitting room floor.  Sheila claims not to know the murdered man or Miss Pebmarsh (Anna Massey), the blind woman who owns the house.  Miss Pebmarsh was not at home when the murdered corpse was found and denies having requested the secretarial services of Sheila by telephone earlier that day.  Poirot observes the mounting complications to the case – the four clocks frozen at the time of 13 minutes past four in the room where the body was found, an unidentified murder victim and a host of neighbours who don’t seem to have seen  anything.  Colin is determined to find a connection with the recent death of his fiancée and a German mole from within the Navy but in his state of grief he becomes increasingly involved with Sheila.  A wall of evidence begins to build against Sheila and the clock ticks for Poirot when another innocent victim is found brutally murdered.

http://www.rapidtalent.co.uk/buzz_story.asp?StoryID=162