An arrogant art dealer called Gervase Chevenix (played by Iain Cuthbertson) outbids Hercule Poirot (played by David Suchet) for a pretty antique mirror at an auction. The detective is flabbergasted when Chevenix asks him to investigate a fraud case on his behalf in a manner that suggests he thinks he can order people around as though they are mere servants. His initial instincts are to refuse, but Poirot is intrigued and, accompanied by Captain Hastings (played by Hugh Fraser), he goes to Chevenix's country house. That night Chevenix is found dead in his study, apparently having committed suicide since he was found with a gun in his hand, the said mirror smashed and the doors and windows locked from the inside. However, it isn't long before Poirot convinces Chief Inspector Japp (played by Philip Jackson) that Chevenix was murdered because he was right handed and the gun was found clenched in his left hand. In addition, the mirror was out of the line of fire and the bullet is nowhere to be found. Poirot discovers that just about everybody had a motive for murder. They include Chevenix's adopted daughter, Ruth (played by Emma Fielding), who has secretly married John Lake (played by Richard Lintern), an architect who Chevenix had suspected of defrauding him over a non-existent development project. In addition, Chevenix wanted Ruth to marry his nephew Hugo Trent (played by Jeremy Northam), and threatened to cut them both out of his will if they did not do as he wished. Poirot, in his usual way, sets a trap for the killer...
Dead Man's Mirror, adapted from an Agatha Christie short story, measures up to the high standards of the other episodes in this marvellous series. As ever, production values are high and the screenplay by Anthony Horowitz plays fair with the audience piling on the red herrings and clues before neatly tying them all together for a satisfying denouement. The cast are impressive with Zena Walker shining as the murdered man's superstitious wife, Vanda, who is into ancient Egyptian mythology. She has a "spiritual guide" in the form of Safra who was a servant to an ancient god called Amenhotep. She tells Poirot that Safra had predicted death within the Chevenix household. Walker's dreamy performance, complemented by Christopher Gunning's incidental music and Norman Langley's photography give the proceedings a genuinely creepy atmosphere. Iain Cuthbertson is excellent as Chevenix while Fiona Walker also deserves praise as the latter's research assistant, Miss Lingard, who is more involved in the case than her job role would imply evoking a real depth of feeling. The very assured direction is by Brian Farnham who made several outstanding contributions to this series.
Dead Man's Mirror, adapted from an Agatha Christie short story, measures up to the high standards of the other episodes in this marvellous series. As ever, production values are high and the screenplay by Anthony Horowitz plays fair with the audience piling on the red herrings and clues before neatly tying them all together for a satisfying denouement. The cast are impressive with Zena Walker shining as the murdered man's superstitious wife, Vanda, who is into ancient Egyptian mythology. She has a "spiritual guide" in the form of Safra who was a servant to an ancient god called Amenhotep. She tells Poirot that Safra had predicted death within the Chevenix household. Walker's dreamy performance, complemented by Christopher Gunning's incidental music and Norman Langley's photography give the proceedings a genuinely creepy atmosphere. Iain Cuthbertson is excellent as Chevenix while Fiona Walker also deserves praise as the latter's research assistant, Miss Lingard, who is more involved in the case than her job role would imply evoking a real depth of feeling. The very assured direction is by Brian Farnham who made several outstanding contributions to this series.