Because my Detective Fiction class is going to take an exam later this week, they have a much lighter assignment for the first half of this week: watch and discuss Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile.
I’m team David all the way. The light hearted moments are what delight me when watching his series, a nice contrast to the darkness of humanity within each episode. Plus not having a star studded cast allows actors to just act, and gives us the pleasure of seeing them in the early stages of their career, such as Emily Blunt or Polly Walker.
However, the later seasons are much darker, which helps me understand the passage of time for Poirot as a human being and detective, that maybe those earlier cases were more “fun” for him, but with time and age there comes a certain wisdom, exhaustion, and maturity. You can feel that being a detective and fighting evil has taken its toll on Poirot, which speaks to the character himself, his convictions, his morals, his purpose for being. David played the character in such a way where you could feel this, sense his humanity and Agatha Christie’s own convictions beyond the fun of solving of a mystery. It’s what makes Poirot and David’s series so enduring for me, a beautiful study on the human condition, while having a little fun along the way.
Clearly, I'm in that Team David along with you! The short story productions are especially light-hearted, and they gave me a warm-and-fuzzy feeling to see the camaraderie between Poirot, Hastings, and Japp.
I have students watch (of course, Suchet's) Death on the Nile in one class and Murder on the Orient Express in a different class. It's interesting to have students who take both classes compare Poirot from Nile to the darker vision of more tortured Poirot at the end of Orient Express.
This semester's Detective Fiction class watched Death on the Nile, and a few students from that class had taken another class last year in which we studied Murder on the Orient Express. Students this semester noted how Poirot displayed a lot of compassion for Jacqueline in Nile.
Students thought both movies were fantastic, but some were initially turned off by Poirot's seeming heartlessness at the beginning of Orient Express. They came around though by the time we finished discussing that particular version's exploration of varied and contentious understanding of "justice." It was a fabulous discussion!
I am a huge Christie fan and my favorite is Poirot. For no one plays him better than David Suchet. 😀
Absolutely agree. When I saw my first David Suchet production as Poirot, I thought to myself: Finally, a perfect Poirot!
I’m team David all the way. The light hearted moments are what delight me when watching his series, a nice contrast to the darkness of humanity within each episode. Plus not having a star studded cast allows actors to just act, and gives us the pleasure of seeing them in the early stages of their career, such as Emily Blunt or Polly Walker.
However, the later seasons are much darker, which helps me understand the passage of time for Poirot as a human being and detective, that maybe those earlier cases were more “fun” for him, but with time and age there comes a certain wisdom, exhaustion, and maturity. You can feel that being a detective and fighting evil has taken its toll on Poirot, which speaks to the character himself, his convictions, his morals, his purpose for being. David played the character in such a way where you could feel this, sense his humanity and Agatha Christie’s own convictions beyond the fun of solving of a mystery. It’s what makes Poirot and David’s series so enduring for me, a beautiful study on the human condition, while having a little fun along the way.
Clearly, I'm in that Team David along with you! The short story productions are especially light-hearted, and they gave me a warm-and-fuzzy feeling to see the camaraderie between Poirot, Hastings, and Japp.
I have students watch (of course, Suchet's) Death on the Nile in one class and Murder on the Orient Express in a different class. It's interesting to have students who take both classes compare Poirot from Nile to the darker vision of more tortured Poirot at the end of Orient Express.
Yes! What are their observations?
This semester's Detective Fiction class watched Death on the Nile, and a few students from that class had taken another class last year in which we studied Murder on the Orient Express. Students this semester noted how Poirot displayed a lot of compassion for Jacqueline in Nile.
Students thought both movies were fantastic, but some were initially turned off by Poirot's seeming heartlessness at the beginning of Orient Express. They came around though by the time we finished discussing that particular version's exploration of varied and contentious understanding of "justice." It was a fabulous discussion!
I agree on all counts!
Me too!!
Kenneth Branagh
It's true that Branagh's star-studded productions are very popular, especially these days. Thanks for stopping by and casting a "vote"!
David Suchet, all day long. Though my friend, Stephen Maestas, played Poirot masterfully in a Denver production of Black Coffee.
It must have been so fun to be able to see a friend inhabit the role of such a beloved figure. Lucky you! :-)