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Poirot, Five Little Pigs
ITV, UK
Directed by Paul Unwin
Written by Kevin Elyot
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Cast:
David Suchet as Poirot
Rachel Stirling as Caroline
Crale
Aidan Gillen as Amyas Crale
Aimee Mullins as Lucy
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Julie Cox as Elsa Greer
Toby Stephens as Philip Blake
Gemma Jones as Miss Williams
Sophie Winkleman as Angela |
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Synopsis
In 1925 Caroline Crale (RACHAEL
STIRLING) is hanged for the murder of her husband, the famous
bohemian painter Amyas Crale (AIDAN GILLEN). Their daughter Lucy is
sent away to Canada, the awful truth hidden from her. Fourteen years
later Lucy (AIMEE MULLINS), now a sophisticated twenty-one year old,
approaches Poirot (DAVID SUCHET), brandishing a letter that her
mother wrote on the eve of her death. It claims that she is
innocent. Poirot agrees to dig up the past and find out the truth,
warning Lucy that it may not be what she wants to hear.
The crime was thought to be a
crime of passion. Amyas made no secret that he had affairs but
Caroline always knew that he would come back to her. This time it
was different. Elsa Greer (JULIE COX) was a beautiful and bold
eighteen-year-old and Amyas appeared infatuated. He brought her to
the family house, Alderbury, and spent hours painting her against
the backdrop of the water garden. It was his finest painting to date
and he would stop at nothing to finish it. Tensions began to rise
between Amyas, his wife and his mistress until the cruel Elsa blurts
out that Amyas and she want to get married. Amyas can’t deny it.
Caroline is heart broken. The guests, including Philip Blake (TOBY
STEPHENS), who is Amyas’s best friend, Philip’s brother Meredith
(MARC WARREN), who owns the house across the creek from Alderbury
and Miss Williams (GEMMA JONES), the governess, are all shocked and
acutely embarrassed. Only the children, naughty Angela (SOPHIE
WINKLEMAN) Caroline’s younger half sister and little Lucy, remain
oblivious to the dark cloud hanging over the household.
The group pay Meredith a visit
and are given a tour of his amateur laboratory. The following day
Meredith realises that a dangerous poison is missing. After lunch,
he discovers the use that it was put to. After drinking some
poisonous beer, Amyas is found dead in front of his precious
painting of Elsa. All the evidence points to Caroline and she is
arrested and charged.
Poirot acquaints himself with
the facts of the trial and realises that there are five other
suspects – five little pigs. He sets about interviewing them
individually finding that they each have slightly different accounts
regarding the events of the summer of 1924. The shifts in emphasis
between their stories will eventually lead him to the true identity
of the murderer. With great cunning and flexing of his little grey
cells, he pieces together snatches of misinterpreted conversation
and draws out secrets and telling letters that those involved hardly
thought were relevant.
Poirot then invites the main
suspects back once more to Alderbury, which is now filled with
fourteen years of dust and memories and prepares for a grand
denouement.
Was the killer Philip, who was
secretly in love with Amyas? Or Miss Williams, who would do anything
to protect Caroline, including withholding what she thought was
incriminating evidence? As the clues start to point to Angela, who
did indeed tamper with Amyas’s beer on the fateful day and for whom
Caroline, mistakenly but willingly, went to the gallows for, Poirot
plays his ace card... |
