Hercule Poirot meets Lady Chatterton (played by Antonia Pemberton) whilst at the opera. She tells him that she believes her friend, the glamorous Marguerite Clayton (played by Caroline Langrishe) will be murdered by her husband Edward (played by Malcolm Sinclair). Clayton buys a knife and confides in his friend, Colonel Curtiss (played by John McEnery), that he believes his wife is having an affair with Major Rich (played by Pip Torrens). Poirot is invited to a party at the home of the latter through Lady Chatterton. Clayton had appeared there earlier to see Major Rich, but disappeared soon after. On the morning after the party, the butler Burgoyne (played by Peter Copley) discovers Clayton's body concealed in a huge Spanish chest, which sits in the very room that the party occurred hidden behind a screen after blood had seeped through onto the carpet. Chief Inspector Japp visits Poirot and tells him that Clayton had been stabbed through the eye with a sword and, chillingly, his body must have sat in that chest whilst the party was in full swing with the revellers being none the wiser. He also reveals that he has Major Rich in custody for the murder. Poirot believes him to be innocent, however, and discovers that there was nothing between Major Rich and Marguerite other than friendship. On examining the Spanish chest, Poirot discovers a tiny hole that appears to have been made with a hand drill. Meanwhile, Poirot and Captain Hastings only just prevent Marguerite from committing suicide. With the co-operation of Japp, Poirot stages a plan to force the killer to show his or her hand.
All in all, The Mystery Of The Spanish Chest is another excellent dramatization of one of Agatha Christie's short stories. Performances are first rate all round with John McEnery particularly good as the arrogant Colonel Curtis. Caroline Langrishe and Pip Torrens also score in their roles as Marguerite Clayton and Major Rich while veteran character actor Peter Copley is also good in a minor role as the accused man's butler Burgoyne. David Suchet is as good as ever as Poirot and, by now, he had firmly established himself as the best actor to have played the role. Hugh Fraser and Philip Jackson offer their usual excellent support as Captain Hastings and the Yard man, Chief Inspector Japp. Directed with drive by series stalwart Andrew Grieve, the final confrontation between Poirot and the murderer is a good one and there is a spirited swordfight between the latter and the framed man who comes to the detective's aid.
All in all, The Mystery Of The Spanish Chest is another excellent dramatization of one of Agatha Christie's short stories. Performances are first rate all round with John McEnery particularly good as the arrogant Colonel Curtis. Caroline Langrishe and Pip Torrens also score in their roles as Marguerite Clayton and Major Rich while veteran character actor Peter Copley is also good in a minor role as the accused man's butler Burgoyne. David Suchet is as good as ever as Poirot and, by now, he had firmly established himself as the best actor to have played the role. Hugh Fraser and Philip Jackson offer their usual excellent support as Captain Hastings and the Yard man, Chief Inspector Japp. Directed with drive by series stalwart Andrew Grieve, the final confrontation between Poirot and the murderer is a good one and there is a spirited swordfight between the latter and the framed man who comes to the detective's aid.