Hercule Poirot is alarmed when he receives a yellow iris from an anonymous person. He tells a puzzled Captain Hastings and Miss Lemon about how it reminds him of a case that he could not solve. It happened in Buenos Aires, Argentina, against the backdrop of a military coup against the government. Barton Russell (played by David Troughton) and his business partner Stephen Carter (played by Hugh Ross) had struck a deal to excavate oil in the country. Poirot had observed tension between Iris Russell (played by Robin McCaffrey), the wealthy daughter of a British Labour Party peer and Barton's wife; her sister Pauline Wetherby (played by Geraldine Sommerville) and her boyfriend, a journalist called Anthony Chapell (played by Dorian Healy) and Carter. That night the five had dined at a restaurant where a vase of yellow irises had sat on their table. After drinking a toast, Iris collapsed and died as a result of her champagne being laced with cyanide. It was deemed to be suicide since a phial of the poison was discovered in her handbag. But, before Poirot could investigate, he was arrested by General Pereira's (played by Stefan Gryff) men and deported from the country. Poirot is further alarmed when he finds out that Barton is to hold another dinner party at the same restaurant, which has reopened in London under the same proprietor with the people who were present on that fatal night back in Argentina. Convinced that another death will occur, Poirot attends the dinner party and, sure enough, Pauline dies as a result of drinking champagne laced with cyanide. Poirot is convinced that both deaths were murder and sets out to trap the culprit...
A superb adaptation of Agatha Christie's short story, which is graced by fine performances by the entire cast. It is set against the backdrop of military coups, political intrigue, fraud and dodgy dealings in the world of oil excavation. There is a strong emotional element to this story since Poirot is revisiting an old case that he had been unable to solve due to circumstances beyond his control. It is ably directed by Peter Barber Fleming who also made the entertaining The Adventure Of The Egyptian Tomb. His visual flair is often in evidence, especially at the denouement where Poirot presents the solution of the case to the assembled suspects and uses a clever ruse to demonstrate how a daring crime was committed with utter simplicity. There is some amusing comedy between David Suchet's Poirot and Hugh Fraser's Captain Hastings. Poirot tells him that England has no cuisine - only food - and when the country starts making its own wines it will be the day he returns to Belgium. Then, at the climax, he asks Hastings to take him to a place where he will be able to eat late at night. He takes him to a fish and chip van and while he pretends not to like it in front of his friend we can see that he actually loves it.
A superb adaptation of Agatha Christie's short story, which is graced by fine performances by the entire cast. It is set against the backdrop of military coups, political intrigue, fraud and dodgy dealings in the world of oil excavation. There is a strong emotional element to this story since Poirot is revisiting an old case that he had been unable to solve due to circumstances beyond his control. It is ably directed by Peter Barber Fleming who also made the entertaining The Adventure Of The Egyptian Tomb. His visual flair is often in evidence, especially at the denouement where Poirot presents the solution of the case to the assembled suspects and uses a clever ruse to demonstrate how a daring crime was committed with utter simplicity. There is some amusing comedy between David Suchet's Poirot and Hugh Fraser's Captain Hastings. Poirot tells him that England has no cuisine - only food - and when the country starts making its own wines it will be the day he returns to Belgium. Then, at the climax, he asks Hastings to take him to a place where he will be able to eat late at night. He takes him to a fish and chip van and while he pretends not to like it in front of his friend we can see that he actually loves it.