Poirot - Murder on the Orient Express

[CeliaChristmasFate]

Wow! I loved it. Much darker and more "adult" than previous Poirots I thought - to see Poirot so broken because he'd made a decision that went against everything he lives for was quite emotional. Excellent acting by David Suchet too! A really gripping adaptation.

It was brilliant. Did you see the documentary with Suchet travelling on the Orient Express himself? Very interesting.

Yes, it was good wasn't it? I'd love to go on the Orient Express, but it would have to be just a day trip as I didn't realise there were no showers! (and a shared toilet like on a normal train, spoiled it a bit for me )

So glad to see this thread on here. I absolutely loved this version. I thought it was fabulous. Really well acted and very emotional too. Quality television!

I watched this last night and thought it was fabulous. Amazing acting all round and David Suchet is just the best Poirot.

Just saw the denouement on itv player. Excellent piece of television, well acted and written. Ambiguous ending too.

Celia, I agree - would love to go on the Orient Express but a bit put off by communal toilet situation!!

Are people also looking forward to Marple? Unlikely to be as dark or atmospheric as last night's Poirot, but still a lovely TV treat, IMHO!

I can only watch the ITV Marples if I don't think of them as Agatha Christie novels! They're so heavily altered anyway, it's as if they were written by someone else. Joan Hickson all the way for me!

Although I enjoy them, again you're completely right. It's quite odd when they alter novels that didn't even have Miss Marple in them, but I do find it easier to 'forget' the story and just enjoy the TV version as something in its own right.

I still picture Joan Hickson when I read Miss Marple (or listen on my iPod) - I'm warming to the new woman, whose name momentarily escapes me, but she's not the same!

I didn't much care for it the performances were all great but the Poirot-in-the-film had completely different reactions to the Poirot-inthe-book, which annoys me.

I may try Marple although we may be at my in-laws' in-laws tonight instead.

Think Marple is on tomorrow, not tonight!

Although have read a lot of Marple, I have to confess I haven't read much Poirot. In what ways do the two Poirots differ, IYSWIM? How did their reactions differ? Do you think Suchet is usually better?

Sorry for the Qs, SIMLS - just interested as I have no frame of reference for this one!

I've started reading MOTOE today, as a result of watching yesterday. I think in other books certainly, Poirot has allowed a "natural" justice rather than doggedly sticking to the letter of the law. I can't remember the names now, but I'm sure there are some where the murderer makes his/her intentions clear that now they've been rumbled they're going to kill themselves and Poirot's been ok with that.

Joan Hickson was brilliant as Miss Marple. I love watching the versions with her in on Alibi or UK Gold etc.. Julia Mackenzie is an improvement on Geraldine McEwan but I am not too keen on these new ITV Marples. They are far too camp and over the top for my liking.

I vaguely recall that there's one Marple on tonight and one tomorrow, possibly one a repeat and one a new one? I may have completely misremembered, though.

I did think Suchet was excellent in terms of acting the Poirot in the script. But the Poirot in the book is much more at ease with letting them get away with it -- as Celia says, Poirot in general doesn't have too much trouble with "natural" justice. And then there are books like Curtain where that's taken further (would love to see Suchet in Curtain one day, if you could even adapt that properly).

Ah, no, apparently one Marple tomorrow and one on Wednesday. I must have got my days muddled.

Wintera - I agree that Julia Mckenzie is better than Geraldine McEwan. I'd forgotten about Geraldine actually - I wasn't keen on her at all as Miss Marple. Too smiley and giggly, among other things. However, I'm not adverse to the OTT/ campness of the new TV versions but perhaps that is because, as I said earlier, I disassociate them from the books, to a certain extent.

SIMSL - I certainly thought they emphasised Poirot's moral dilemma on justice last night, so I can see why this would bother you!