MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
The penultimate episode of Poirot, which was broadcast on 6th November 2013, was adapted by Guy Andrews, directed by Andy Wilson and produced by David Boulter. Here is what I thought of the episode:
Story
When Poirot fails to capture the murderer and art thief Marascaud, a young girl is killed. A depressed Poirot is encouraged back to hiss life of detection by the plea of a young and heart broken chauffeur, Ted Williams (Tom Austen), who wants the great sleuth to find his missing love Nita. His quest takes him to The Hotel Olympos in Switzerland, which happens to be the hideout of the deadly Marascaud. Poirot must work out which one of the guests is the killer and unmask them before they kill again.
Guy Andrews had a herculean task ahead of him when adapting this collection of 12 intertwined short stories, and he does a magnificent job. "The Erymanthian Boar" is the central story here, but the plots of "The Augean Stables," "The Stymphalean Birds," "The Girdle of Hippolyta" and "The Capture of Cerberus" are added as subplots. The adaption works really well, the plot appears to have little faults and is a gives us a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes. The short story The Lemesurier Inheritance is added, which is the only other story not to be filmed. This now means that we can safely say David Suchet has filmed every story Agatha Christie wrote about Poirot. What an achievement!
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Andy Wilson's direction is sublime. This episode is very dark and very fitting for the penultimate episode. Wilson really utilizes Poirot's sense of guilt at the death of Lucinda through his direction. The colours are colourless; dark and grey, foreboding. Thee hotel has a very dark atmosphere that makes it seem like an unpleasant place. When in Switzerland, in the snow, you feel cold. It reminds me very much of Murder on the Orient Express in terms of tone. The denouement is skillfully directed. Certainly the darkest and the greatest direction the series has ever had. Halton House is used for the Hotel Olympos, but the bedroom scenes were filmed at Pinewood Studios. The Funicular, Saint Hilaire de Touvet, France, is used as the Funicular in Switzerland that Poirot and his fellow guests use to get to Hotel Olympos. I must say, the production designer Jeff Tessler has done a tremendous job with this film. Although the hotel looks as if it's really in Switzerland, it's actually filmed in England with the mountains superimposed in the background. Christian Henson's score is as usual, very effective, but I would have liked a reference to Gunning's score 'The Double Clue'.
Cast and Characters
This episode certainly feels like the penultimate one because of its character development for Poirot. Poirot, after failing to protect Lucinda Le Mesurier, falls into a deep depression and has to consult Dr Burton. This is definitely a good piece of character development for Poirot, as it shows he's nearly at the end of his career and has grown too fond of his reputation.
Another excellent piece of character development is the reunion between Hercule Poirot and Countess Vera Rossakoff, the only women to have stirred his heart. They apparently haven't seen each other for 20 years, and she now has a daughter, Alice Cunningham. I think it's wonderful that we get to see the Countess one last time, and she is certainly utilized well here and has some moving interaction with Poirot. Orla Brady is outstanding in the role, and her resemblance to Kika Markham us uncanny. There is a heart breaking moment at the end of the film where Rossakoff begs Poirot to spare her daughter, but Poirot refuses. "Poirot he is not your love. He is Poirot." and the countess replies "A love like ours could have brought down cities. Such a waste." Poirot is clearly heart broken to have to turn down the woman he loves, and this is clear when he reunites Ted Williams with Nita at the very end. A heartbroken Poirot looks at his cuff-links (a gift from Rossakoff), and reflects on what he has missed out on. This is very fitting and perfect for the penultimate film.
Of the guest cast, Simon Callow is great as the creepy Austrian Dr Lutz, Eleanor Tomlinson is outstanding as Rossakoff's daughter Alice Cunningham, Rupert Evans is fantastic as the shifty Harold Waring and Morven Christie and Sandy McDane play the two wicked sisters perfectly.
Another moving and tremendously filmed episode.
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