Here’s another reminder… Appointment with Death, is the last of the first-run Agatha Christie episodes featuring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot this summer. After tonight’s showing, PBS Masterpiece Mystery! will be airing “encore” presentations of one more Poirot episode, followed by three “encore” presentations of Inspector Lewis, with Kevin Whately… who is absolutely fabulous in this role! If you missed those three episodes, I urge you to watch them (or record them) this summer. There will be one first-run Inspector Lewis episode on August 29. Terrific! I’m looking forward to it already!
Appointment with Death is based on the 1938 Agatha Christie mystery. And yes, I do know that in the late 1980s, Peter Ustinov starred in a movie based on this Agatha Christie mystery. That version was yet another “Who’s Who” from earlier Hollywood movies: Lauren Bacall, Piper Laurie, Hailey Mills, even Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher)!
This 90 minute version of Appointment with Death will (of course) star David Suchet… AND Tim Curry… who happens to be wonderful in every role he undertakes.
Will Hercule’s little gray cells enable him to solve the mystery? Will Hercule sift through all of the clues and be able to reach the correct solution? And last, but not least (perhaps only for me!), will Hercule be the same Hercule we have all grown to love over the last few decades, and, incidentally, the same Hercule Poirot that Agatha Christie wrote about >>>OR Will Hercule be a different (albeit still very convincing Belgian detective), more soul-searching Monsieur Poirot?
nan says
The best of the new Poirot Mystery episodes! David Suchet is Poirot incarnate – excellent cast and gorgeous archaeological dig (wherever it was filmed). Really a splendid show and one of the greatest Agatha Christie mysteries. Many thanks to PBS!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Nan,
I enjoyed The Third Girl quite a lot last week, also. I was so glad to see David Suchet play Hercule the way we have all become accustomed to.
We haven’t watch tonight’s showing of Appointment with Death… yet. Hopefully we’ll get to it tomorrow night. I was really looking forward to seeing it, and after reading your comment, I am REALLY looking forward to viewing it!
Robert says
I think Christie would be confused, and put out, by the addition of characters. This show gave new life to the meaning of “BASED ON.”
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Robert, I have gotten to the point that I just expect this new production group to make all sorts of changes to Christie’s mysteries. While her daughter was alive, the estate simply would not allow changes. That has all (apparently) changed since her grandson took over the reigns of the Golden Age’s Queen of Crime’s estate…
Rosie says
I have never been that impressed with the 1988 version with Peter Ustinov. It is my least favorite of the Christie adaptations from the 1970s and 80s.
But . . . it is a masterpiece in compared to this adaptation. I don’t know. I have been very dissatisfied with the Poirot movies during the past few weeks. They’ve been written in such bizarre ways.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Oh, oh, Rosie >>> Now I have simply GOT to watch this adaptation tonight!
Carolyn says
Not at all impressed with this latest round of Christie adaptations. David Suchet tries his best and he is wonderful but there is simply no romance, no intrigue, only a huge gap where there should be magic.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Carolyn, this last series sure has been different from the past ones. I wonder, since the Agatha Christie recent productions take such liberties (putting Miss Marple in a Tommy & Tuppence mystery, changing one of the culprits in the Orient Express, ETC) why they don’t take more positive liberties like adding Inspector Japp, Capt. Hastings, and Miss Lemon. Why not?
Janet says
Does anyone know where one could find more information about where Appointment with Death was filmed.
Murder on the Orient Express showed a new and different Poirot to what I had seen before — with the rosary beads!
Is the Director the same in all of them? Is the Director the one who sets up the shots, lighting, etc.?
I agree Danna, add Japp, Capt. Hastings and Miss Lemon!
Kit says
In the end credits, some of the letters in the names are red. The red letters spell CONSTANTINE, if I remember right. Does anyone know what that refers to? Did the other X episodes have similar red letters?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Janet,
After my last fiasco about identifying the setting for one of the recent Agatha Christie episodes, I think I will pass on this one! I hope that someone can come up with the location…
I have a feeling that this is a whole new production company.
Kit,
That is really an interesting observation! I hope that someone can come up with this, also…
Martina says
The Poirot stories aren’t the same without Capt. Hastings! Poirot has no one to talk with so we know what he’s thinking. What happened to Hugh Fraser?
He was the best Captain Hastings ever. I miss Japp and Miss Lemon as well…but Hastings was essential to the plot. Poirot Producers…are you listenting?
Victoria says
I too would love to know the location for the filming of Appointment with Death. I have tried to research to find the answer but so far without success [except for finding this wonderful blog!!]. I hope someone can share the answer here.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Victoria,
The most I can “get” on the location of the 2008 Hercule Poirot Appointment with Death are two port cities in Morocco… Casablanca and El Jadida… but based on the last time I ventured to identify a mystery city, I could be wrong!
(By the way, I am really sorry there wasn’t more air time for Tim Curry…)
Douglas says
As inveterate Morocco-philes (as well as Agatha-philes), we, too, would like more precise information about the filming locations.
Specifically, does anyone know – or, perhaps, their ‘little gray cells’ will help them discover – where/what actual place (if any) serves as the so-called “Hotel Constantine”?
And can anyone confirm that the marvelous “fort” is actually the medieval Portuguese fortifications at El Jadida, 90 kM SW of Casablanca?
Thanks!
Mystery Maggie says
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION?! That’s my question too. It looks like filmed the faux Hotel Constantine scenes inside a courtyard at Real Alcazar in Sevilla, Spain. I just visited there & it’s SO familiar. However, moorish designs are very common in this part of the world so I could be anywhere. Anyone have any other clues? I can’t find anything on internet to confirm film location or to credit any specific sites.
EricJM says
Hotel Constantine was filmed at Mahkama du Pacha in Casablanca and the dig site was Kasbah Boulaouane in Boulaouane, Morocco.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mystery Maggie, I sure wish the producers would make the locations public. Thank you for telling us about the interior scenes taking place in Sevilla. How lucky for you to have just visited there!
J77313 says
I believe some of the scenes were shot at the Hotel Constantine.
This may begin to answer Kitt’s query about the red letters.
Verdi says
I’m curious if anyone has insight into why so many of the Poirot/Marple PBS series is dominated by the colors red and green.
Look at the costumes, the walls, the pillows, the blankets… sure it’s not everything, but when you start looking for it, it’s everywhere.
Any significance?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Verdi, I’ll make a note to watch for the red and green. I have never noticed these colors being used more than others in the Agatha Christie Masterpiece Mystery! shows…