Product Description

Studio: Acorn Media Release Date: 08/07/2001 Rating: Nr

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19711 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-08-07
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 103 minutes

From the Back Cover
Poirot accompanies Hastings to Lake Windermere where Hastings' friend Charles is attempting to set a world speedboat-racing record. The atmosphere of their holiday turns from frolic to foreboding when two sisters watching the race tell Poirot they have had premonitions that both Charles and his Aunt Emily are in danger. Poirot finds the sisters' warnings all too accurate. Soon he must solve a crime by communicating with a single, silent witness. Wherever evil lurks, Christie's brilliant detective Hercule Poirot is on the case. As played by DAVID SUCHET in this British television production, Poirot's matchless deductive powers and charming eccentricities have made him the most-watched detective in the history of the PBS Mystery! series and an A&E favorite. Also starring Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES AND EXTRAS INCLUDE biographies of Agatha Christie and David Suchet, Poirot trivia, cast filmographies, Agatha Christie materials, interactive menus and scene index.

Customer Reviews

Suchet shines as Poirot
An elderly lady collapses and dies after green smoke is seen pouring out of her body. Earlier that week, she almost tumbles to her death on the stairs. The only witness to that earlier attempt is a fox terrier named Bob. What follows is another delightful PBS and A & E Agatha Christie adaptation in which Hercule Poirot must solve another strange murder. As always, David Suchet is the definitive Poirot, combining humor and humanity in his performance. Hugh Fraser is solid as his befuddled sidekick, Capt. Hasting, and the dog in the title role has loads of cuteness to spare. A must for any Agatha Christie or murder mystery fan. Highly recommended.

What about Bob......
Bob the Fox Terrier has a problem. His kindly mistress was a gentle old lady named Emily who lived in a beautiful house in the Lake District before her untimely end. Bob knows who killed her, but he has been warned by the not-so-kindly physician who attended Emily before her death that it's curtains for him if he doesn't come up with a new human attachment. Clever Bob finds a way to enlist the services of the famous Belgian dectective Hercule Poirot.

Hastings is visiting the Lake District because he wishes to see his old school chum Charlie break the one-minute speed-boat record. Poirot does not share Hastings enthusiasm for mechanical things, and he certainly cannot see the humor in Charlie's nickname for Hastings..."Battle" as in the battle of..."You wouldn't underdstand" says Hastings, "It's English humor." Poirot has allowed himself to be talked into viewing the race because he has become a British subject who wants to see all parts of England including the beautiful Lake District.

Anglophiles will vicariously enjoy Wordsworth's old stomping grounds, in fact, at times it's hard to concentrate on the story because the mountains and lakes and sunsets are so spectacular..to say nothing of the fine old prewar country architecture. One morning Poirot, sitting in the sun on the hotel terrace overlooking the nearby lake, breaks into poetry..well sort of.."Where are these daffodils Hastings??" he says as he glances over the top of a little book he holds in his hand. "...Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.." Hastings responds on cue.

The DVD is beautiful, clear, crisp and well made. Even my husband who tends to doze off when I watch British dramas woke up at several points and said "What a beautiful picture" (He does this to make me think he's watching the film, but the advantage for me is that I can watch it over and over and he can't tell the difference.)

And what about Bob...in the end, after he helps Poirot identify his mistress' killer, Bob acquires the home every dog dreams of, surrounded by love, affection, and comfort including his afghan lined basket and plenty of good food. As Poirot is rowed away into the sunset he looks back wistfully and bids a fond farewell to his canine friend...the not-so-dumb witness.

A DOGgone Good Mystery!!!
+++++

I watched this movie without reading the 1937 Dame Agatha Christie novel that it was based on. I'm glad I did this! Why? Because it forced me to really watch the movie in order to try and deduce who the murderer was.

Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) accompanies Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) to Lake Windermere (England's largest lake located in the north-west part of England) for a holiday and to see Hastings' friend attempt to break a world speedboat-racing record. A wealthy socialite invites Poirot to her estate called "Little Green House" where this socialite has an accident (?) and then she is eventually murdered. The only witness to this murder is a Fox Terrier dog. At a séance, a trained medium accuses the dog of killing the socialite. Eventually another murder takes place.

The dog helps Poirot solve the murder of the socialite. (This proves that this dog is not so dumb after all!)

Who are the people (and other life-forms) associated with this estate? They are as follows:

1. Emily Arundell, wealthy socialite and the estate's owner (Ann Morrish)
2. Charles Arundell, nephew to Emily and speedboat-racer (Pat Ryecart)
3. Theresa Arundell, niece to Emily (Kate Buffery)
4. Dr. Jacob Tannis (Paul Herzberg)
5. Bella Tannis, another niece to Emily and Jacob's wife (Julia St. John)
6. Wilhemina "Mini" Lawson, Emily's aid (Norma West)
7. Dr. Grainger (John Newth)
8. Isabel Tripp, a trained medium (Pauline Jameson)
9. Julia Tripp, aid to her sister Isabel (Muriel Pavlow)
10. Robert "Bob" Arundell (`Snubby,' the Fox Terrier)

As usual, Suchet's performance stands out. He gives a stellar performance as the super sleuth. Also keep your eye on Snubby, the Fox Terrier.

The cinematography is visually stunning. All costumes are authentic looking. As well, the background music adds to each scene.

The DVD has the usual text extras. Newcomers to the series may find these interesting.

Finally, this is the best Poirot in this series I have seen. Why? Because it kept me guessing right to the end and left no "loose ends" in the final deduction scene.

In conclusion, this is a fun movie even if you have read the novel it's based on!!

(1996; made for TV; 100 min: full screen; 10 scenes; British drama; color)

+++++