David Suchet ~ Murder on the Orient Express ~ Poirot X (12.4) PBS Masterpiece Mystery

We have been waiting for this one for 10 years~the Albert Finney film performance was wonderful, but Suchet is the master, Agatha Christie must beam from heaven each time David Suchet films another novel or short story!

check your local listing for the air time tonight on PBS’ Masterpiece Mystery ~ it is airing on KAET in Metro Phoenix~

Poirot investigates the murder of a shady American businessman stabbed in his compartment on the Orient Express when it is blocked by a blizzard in the Serbian mountains.

July 11, 2010. Tags: , , , , , . Detective Stories, Entertainment, Fiction, Film, Mystery, Popular Culture, Suspense.

11 Comments

  1. Alex replied:

    Of course, we all expected the portrayal of Poirot to be consistent with the movies and TV series. So this version of MOTOE would have been a bitter shock initially and a disappointment to many.

    Also, anyone who has seen the highly entertaining version featuring Albert Finney would no doubt be hard pressed not to compare the two.

    But I tried very hard to shove all this aside and just absorb the film as it was. It is a remarkable movie.
    To see Poirot shaken and yet still able to solve the crimes flashes of pinache restricted by the tormenting experience of the soldier’s suicide and the adulteress’ stoning was mind bending. MOTOE is a hideous twisted perverse murder committed by a group of tormented
    vigilates. It’s horrible even to Poirot. The movie succeeds in making that clear.

    Certainly, it’s an adaptation that deviates from everything Agatha Christie and even David Suchet has shown us Poirot is about. But that’s what makes it fun. This movie will get better in everyone’s estimation with multiple viewings.

    It’s dark and wonderful.

    Like

    November 13, 2010 at 5:06 pm. Permalink.

    • ginaswo replied:

      having watched it several times now I agree with your assessment. Once I was over the shock I was able to embrace the different presentation, the darker season of films has taken us on a whole new journey with Poirot. It also makes sense leading up to Curtain.

      Like

      November 14, 2010 at 7:59 am. Permalink.

  2. Michael replied:

    I didn’t like the subtle changes that were added to the Poirot character at all. Christie was not a dark and haunting writer, and neither were her characters.

    Poirot would (and did) have accepted his judgement without question. After all, he was Poirot!

    The religious aspect also was totally over played. I have read Poirot again and again for over 50 years and this was never a strong trait of the character.

    I’m very disappointed in Suchet for taking Poirot down the darker path in this new series. The twinkle in the eye of Poirot and the self confidence he always demonstrated are sorely missed.

    Like

    August 31, 2010 at 12:27 pm. Permalink.

  3. Brian Lusted replied:

    So sorry for the mis-spellings!!!!

    Like

    August 4, 2010 at 6:33 am. Permalink.

  4. Brian Lusted replied:

    My wife and I are also very disappointed in this! We have watched all the Poirot DVDs many, many times and love themn all until we saw this. Adn we were so looking forward to seeing David Suchet paly Poirot in “Murder on the Orient Express”! I can’t believe anyone thought it was a good idea to have Poirot played as this cold, dark, grim, unsympathetic and self-righteous person.
    The tortured soul that has to follow the letter of the law act is the complete opposite of the book. The crime here is this production! And what is it with this sudden religiousness? As Hastings would say – Good Lord!

    Like

    August 4, 2010 at 6:31 am. Permalink.

  5. Arnold Cohen replied:

    So if we have various stations showing Suchet in the Orient Express, why can’t we buy in on a DVD ourselves?

    Like

    July 20, 2010 at 3:44 pm. Permalink.

  6. Jane Victor replied:

    I disagree with the two above reviews. I think this adaptation was wonderful. David Suchet is Poirot incarnate. I never cared for the Albert Finney film, although I have seen it a few times, always hoping that it would improve. I love the subtle changes to Poirot’s character. I feel that Poirot did, indeed, make an exception to murder. He was just a bit louder than in preveious adaptations, but consistant with the book (depending on who is doing the reading!)

    Like

    July 18, 2010 at 8:41 pm. Permalink.

    • ginaswo replied:

      I liked the emotion of his coming to terms with letting them go and justice at the end, but the number of angles in the film are INCREDIBLE INCROYABLE! and Agatha loved Finneys portrayal, but I agree Suchet is the best. I liked his Third Girl this past weekend, again the emotion
      we shall see, I had a lot of expectations for MOTOE so it let me down a bit..anticlimactic and all that.

      Like

      July 20, 2010 at 4:44 pm. Permalink.

  7. MaryJo Dawson replied:

    this adaptation was a huge disappointment. whatever happened to the heirs of Agatha Christie making sure the character of Poirot was not tampered with? there were huge liberties taken with the story, the behavior of the characters [the concierge of the celebrated Orient Express would have been that young, that rude? the etiquette which would have been a reality in that setting was mutilated.]
    in the book Poirot made a huge exception to what he normally would have done because of the unusual situation but he never agonized over it. the dapper and well adjusted detective was made to look like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown! and when did Mr. Ratchett ever show any remorse? what was That? the poor interpretation of Christian/Catholic doctrine was also very offensive. the Only good thing to be said about the presentation was Suchet’s acting. too bad he wasn’t allowed to play the role the way it was written.

    Like

    July 15, 2010 at 3:44 pm. Permalink.

    • ginaswo replied:

      Agree! wondering how they will handle ‘Curtain’!!

      Like

      July 17, 2010 at 8:48 am. Permalink.

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