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Agatha Christie's Poirot

2025-05-26T23:08:11Z

62.255.15.82: /* Multiple roles */

{{Short description|British television detective series (1989–2013)}}
{{Use British English|date= December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Agatha Christie's Poirot (title card).png
| caption =
| genre = Crime drama
| runtime = {{Plainlist|
* 36 x ~50 minutes
* 34 x ~89–102 minutes
}}
| based_on = {{Based on|[[Hercule Poirot]] stories|[[Agatha Christie]]}}
| screenplay = [[Clive Exton]] and others
| producer = [[Brian Eastman]] and others
| composer = {{ubl|[[Christopher Gunning]] (series 1–9)|[[Stephen McKeon]] (series 10–11)|[[Christian Henson]] (series 12–13)}}
| starring = [[David Suchet]]
| language = English
| country = United Kingdom
| company = {{ubl|[[London Weekend Television|LWT]] (1989–2002)|LWT Productions (1989–1996)|[[ITV Studios|Granada Productions]] (2002–2008)|Agatha Christie Ltd. (1989–2013)|ITV Productions (2008–2009)|[[ITV Studios]] (2009–2013)|[[WGBH-TV|WGBH]] Boston (2008–2013)|Carnival Films (1993–1994)|Mittal Productions (1990–2009)|Picture Partnership Productions (1994–1996)}}
| network = [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|1989|01|08|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2013|11|13|df=yes}}
| num_series = 13
| num_episodes = 70
| list_episodes = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes}}
'''''Agatha Christie's Poirot''''', or simply '''''Poirot''''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|p|w|ɑːr|oʊ}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Definition |url=https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/hercule-poirot |access-date=5 January 2019 |publisher=Oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com}}</ref>), is a British mystery drama television programme that aired on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] from 8 January 1989 to 13 November 2013. The ITV show is based on many of [[Agatha Christie]]'s famous crime fiction series, which revolves around the fictional private investigator [[Hercule Poirot]]. [[David Suchet]] stars as the title character. Initially produced by [[London Weekend Television|LWT]], the series was later produced by [[ITV Studios]]. The series also aired on [[VisionTV]] in Canada, and on [[PBS]] and [[A&E (TV channel)|A&E]] in the US.

The programme ran for 13 series and 70 episodes in total. Each episode was adapted from a novel or short story by Christie that featured Poirot. In each episode Poirot is both the main detective in charge of the investigation of a crime (usually murder) and the protagonist at the centre of most of the episode's action. At the programme's conclusion, which finished with "[[Curtain: Poirot's Last Case]]", based on the 1975 novel of the same name,<ref>{{cite news |first=Stuart |last=Kemp |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/agatha-christies-poirots-final-season-434752 |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot''s' Final Season Snags Healthy Pre-Sales |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=25 May 2013 |date=8 April 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614054711/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/agatha-christies-poirots-final-season-434752 |archive-date=14 June 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> every major literary work by Christie that featured the title character had been adapted.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15726320 |work=BBC News |title=David Suchet to star in final ''Poirot'' adaptations |date=14 November 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925154314/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15726320 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

== Cast ==

[[David Suchet]] was cast as the eponymous [[Hercule Poirot]]. He was portrayed, especially in the earlier series, alongside [[Hugh Fraser (actor)|Hugh Fraser]] as the closest friend of Poirot, [[Arthur Hastings|Captain Arthur Hastings]], as well as [[Pauline Moran]] playing Poirot's clever secretary [[Hercule Poirot#Miss Felicity Lemon|Felicity Lemon]] and [[Philip Jackson (actor)|Philip Jackson]] depicting Poirot's long-standing associate [[Inspector Japp|Inspector James Japp]].

Towards the later series, other characters such as Poirot's English butler, George, played by [[David Yelland (actor)|David Yelland]], and crime novelist [[Ariadne Oliver]], played by [[Zoë Wanamaker]], feature and become prominent. Several actors played multiple parts specific to certain episodes, including [[Nicholas Farrell]] and [[Beatie Edney]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of main and recurring ''Poirot'' characters, with actors, by series (season)
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Character
! scope="col" colspan="13"| Series
|-
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 1 (1989)|1]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 2 (1990)|2]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 3 (1991)|3]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 4 (1992)|4]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 5 (1993)|5]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 6 (1995–96)|6]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 7 (2000)|7]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 8 (2001–02)|8]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 9 (2003–04)|9]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 10 (2006)|10]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 11 (2008–09)|11]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 12 (2010–11)|12]]
!scope="col"| [[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 13 (2013)|13]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hercule Poirot]]
|colspan="13" | [[David Suchet]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[Arthur Hastings|Captain Arthur Hastings]]
|colspan="8" | [[Hugh Fraser (actor)|Hugh Fraser]]
|colspan="4" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|colspan="1" | Hugh Fraser
|-
!scope="row"| [[Inspector Japp|Chief Inspector James Japp]]
|colspan="8" | [[Philip Jackson (actor)|Philip Jackson]]
|colspan="4" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|colspan="1" | Philip Jackson
|-
!scope="row"| [[Felicity Lemon|Miss Felicity Lemon]]
|colspan="3" | [[Pauline Moran]]
|colspan="1" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|colspan="4" | Pauline Moran
|colspan="4" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|colspan="1" | Pauline Moran
|-
!scope="row"| Detective Inspector Jameson
|colspan="2" | John Cording
|colspan="11" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|-
!scope="row"| Countess Vera Rossakoff
|colspan="2" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|colspan="1" | [[Kika Markham]]
|colspan="9" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|colspan="1" | [[Orla Brady]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[Ariadne Oliver]]
|colspan="9" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|colspan="4" | [[Zoë Wanamaker]]
|-
!scope="row"| George
|colspan="9" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|colspan="4" | [[David Yelland (actor)|David Yelland]]
|-
!scope="row"| Superintendent Harold Spence
|colspan="9" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|colspan="2" | [[Richard Hope (actor)|Richard Hope]]
|colspan="2" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|}

== Episodes ==
{{Main|List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes}}{{Series overview
| infoA = {{Abbr|Ave.|Average}} UK viewers (millions)
| color1 = #40E0D0
| link1 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 1 (1989)
| episodes1 = 10
| start1 = {{Start date|1989|1|8|df=y}}
| end1 = {{End date|1989|3|19|df=y}}
| color2 = #DDA0DD
| link2 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 2 (1990)
| episodes2 = 9
| start2 = {{Start date|1990|1|7|df=y}}
| end2 = {{End date|1990|3|4|df=y}}
| color3 = #228B22
| link3 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 3 (1990–91)
| episodes3 = 11
| start3 = {{Start date|1990|9|16|df=y}}
| end3 = {{End date|1991|3|10|df=y}}
| color4 = #FF0000
| link4 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 4 (1992)
| episodes4 = 3
| start4 = {{Start date|1992|1|5|df=y}}
| end4 = {{End date|1992|1|19|df=y}}
| color5 = #FF8C00
| link5 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 5 (1993)
| episodes5 = 8
| start5 = {{Start date|1993|1|17|df=y}}
| end5 = {{End date|1993|3|7|df=y}}
| color6 = #4B0082
| link6 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 6 (1995–96)
| episodes6 = 4
| start6 = {{Start date|1995|1|1|df=y}}
| end6 = {{End date|1996|3|16|df=y}}
| color7 = #1E90FF
| link7 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 7 (2000)
| episodes7 = 2
| start7 = {{Start date|2000|1|2|df=y}}
| end7 = {{End date|2000|2|19|df=y}}
| color8 = #FAEBD7
| link8 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 8 (2001–02)
| episodes8 = 2
| start8 = {{Start date|2001|4|20|df=y}}
| end8 = {{End date|2001|7|8|df=y}}
| color9 = #ADFF2F
| link9 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 9 (2003–04)
| episodes9 = 4
| start9 = {{Start date|2003|12|14|df=y}}
| end9 = {{End date|2004|4|26|df=y}}
| color10 = #FFFF00
| link10 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 10 (2006)
| episodes10 = 4
| start10 = {{Start date|2005|12|11|df=y}}
| end10 = {{End date|2006|4|2|df=y}}
| infoA7 = 9.12
| infoA8 = 7.21
| infoA9 = 7.27
| infoA10 = 6.98
| color11 = #F08080
| link11 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 11 (2008–09)
| episodes11 = 4
| start11 = {{Start date|2008|9|1|df=y}}
| end11 = {{End date|2008|9|22|df=y}}
| infoA11 = 5.18
| color12 = #00BFFF
| link12 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 12 (2010–11)
| episodes12 = 4
| start12 = {{Start date|2009|12|30|df=y}}
| end12 = {{End date|2010|7|11|df=y}}
| infoA12 = 5.12
| color13 = #000066
| link13 = List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series 13 (2013)
| episodes13 = 5
| start13 = {{Start date|2013|6|9|df=y}}
| end13 = {{End date|2013|11|13|df=y}}
| infoA13 = 5.53
}}

== Production ==
[[File:Filming Poirot in London-3740213028.jpg|thumb|Filming ''Poirot'' in London, from the episode "The Clocks" (Season 12, Episode 4)]]
[[Clive Exton]] in partnership with producer [[Brian Eastman]] adapted the pilot. Together, they wrote and produced the first eight series. Exton and Eastman left ''Poirot'' after 2001, when they began work on ''[[Rosemary & Thyme]]''. Michele Buck and [[Damien Timmer]], who both went on to form [[Mammoth Screen]], were behind the revamping of the series.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kanter |first=Jake |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/in-depth/damien-timmer-and-michele-buck-mammoth-screen/5046522.article |title=Damien Timmer and Michele Buck, Mammoth Screen |work=BroadcastNow.co.uk |date=13 September 2012 |access-date=28 April 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104025232/http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/in-depth/damien-timmer-and-michele-buck-mammoth-screen/5046522.article |archive-date=4 January 2014}}</ref>

While Christie's novels are set contemporaneously with the time of writing (between the 1920s and 1970s), 1936 was chosen as the year in which to place the majority of ''Poirot'' episodes; references to events such as the [[Jarrow March]] were included to strengthen this chronology.<ref name="screenonline.org.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/976390/|title=BFI Screenonline: Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989–)|publisher=Screenonline.org.uk|access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref> With some exceptions, the series as a whole is set in roughly chronological order between 1935 and 1939, just prior to the [[World War II|Second World War]]. Numerous references in early episodes place the series primarily in 1935, progressing to 1936 by series four. Most references remain in 1936, moving slowly forward to 1937 by series eleven and 1938 by ''[[#Series 12 (2010–11)|Murder on the Orient Express]]''. ''[[#Series 13 (2013)|The Big Four]]'' is set explicitly in early 1939. The most notable exceptions to this chronology are ''[[#Series 3 (1990–91)|The Mysterious Affair at Styles]]'', which narrates Poirot's first case in 1917, and ''[[#Series 13 (2013)|Curtain: Poirot's Last Case]]'', which is set primarily in 1949. ''[[#Series 5 (1993)|The Chocolate Box]]'' shows Poirot in the early 1900s, though the framing narrative remains consistent with the series' usual timeframe.

The opening titles were designed by Pat Gavin, and feature [[Art Deco]]–[[Cubist]]–style iconography, partly inspired by [[Cassandre]], including images of [[Battersea Power Station]], biplanes, boats, and a train with Poirot's name formed by the wheels.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perkins |first1=Will |title=Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989) |url=https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/agatha-christies-poirot/ |website=Art of the Title |publisher=Art of the Title, LLC. |access-date=4 March 2025 |date=26 March 2013}}</ref>

The episodes aired from series 9 in 2003 featured a radical shift in tone from the previous series. The humour of the earlier series was downplayed, with each episode being presented as serious drama and saw the introduction of gritty elements not present in the Christie stories being adapted. Recurrent motifs in the additions included drug use, sex, abortion, homosexuality, and a tendency toward more visceral imagery. The visual style of later episodes was correspondingly different: particularly, an overall darker tone; austere modernist or [[Art Deco]] locations and decor that were widely used earlier in the series were largely dropped in favour of more elaborate settings (epitomised by the re-imagining of Poirot's home as a larger, more lavish apartment).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24914782 |work=BBC News |title=Goodbye to the splendid 1930s world of ''Poirot'' |date=15 November 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116130826/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24914782 |archive-date=16 November 2013}}</ref>

The series logo was redesigned (the full opening title sequence had not been used since series 6 in 1996), and the main theme motif, though used often, was usually featured subtly and in sombre arrangements; this has been described as a consequence of the novels adapted being darker and more psychologically driven.<ref name="Screenonline.org.uk" /> However, a more upbeat string arrangement of the theme music is used for the end credits of "[[Hallowe'en Party]]", "[[The Clocks]]" and "[[Dead Man's Folly]]". In flashback scenes, later episodes also made extensive use of [[fisheye lens]], distorted colours, and other visual effects.

[[File:Florin Court (2).jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[Florin Court]] was used to represent Whitehaven Mansions.]]
Series 9–12 lack [[Hugh Fraser (actor)|Hugh Fraser]], [[Philip Jackson (actor)|Philip Jackson]] and [[Pauline Moran]], who had appeared in the previous series (excepting series 4, where Moran is absent). Series 10 (2006) introduced [[Zoë Wanamaker]] as the eccentric crime novelist [[Ariadne Oliver]] and [[David Yelland (actor)|David Yelland]] as Poirot's dependable valet, George — a character that had been introduced in the early ''Poirot'' novels but was left out of the early adaptations to develop the character of Miss Lemon. The introduction of Wanamaker and Yelland's characters and the absence of the other characters is generally consistent with the stories on which the scripts were based. Hugh Fraser and David Yelland<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0947379/|title=David Yelland|website=IMDb|access-date=28 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218160807/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0947379/|archive-date=18 February 2017}}</ref> returned for two episodes of the final series (''[[The Big Four (novel)|The Big Four]]'' and ''[[Curtain (novel)|Curtain]]''), with Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran<ref name="ITV Moran Returns 2013">{{cite web |url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/hugh-fraser-philip-jackson-and-pauline-moran-are-reunited-david-suchet-agatha |title=Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran are reunited with David Suchet for ''Agatha Christie's The Big Four'' |work=ITV Press Centre |date=18 February 2013 |access-date=29 May 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301112003/http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/hugh-fraser-philip-jackson-and-pauline-moran-are-reunited-david-suchet-agatha |archive-date=1 March 2013}}</ref> returning for the adaptation of ''The Big Four''. Zoë Wanamaker also returned for the adaptations of ''[[Elephants Can Remember]]'' and ''Dead Man's Folly''.

Clive Exton adapted seven novels and fourteen short stories for the series, including "[[The A.B.C. Murders|The ABC Murders]]" and "[[The Murder of Roger Ackroyd]]",<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/clive-exton-462048.html |title=Clive Exton – Obituaries, News |work=The Independent |date=18 August 2007 |access-date=3 March 2009 |location=London |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024063137/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/clive-exton-462048.html |archive-date=24 October 2009}}</ref> which received mixed reviews from critics.<ref name="Screenonline.org.uk">{{cite web |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/976390 |title=BFI Screenonline: ''Agatha Christie's Poirot'' (1989–) |publisher=Screenonline.org.uk |access-date=3 March 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611075800/http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/976390/ |archive-date=11 June 2009}}</ref> [[Anthony Horowitz]] was another prolific writer for the series, adapting three novels and nine short stories,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://anthonyhorowitz.com/work/television.html |title=Work: Television |publisher=Anthony Horowitz |access-date=3 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213145056/http://anthonyhorowitz.com/work/television.html |archive-date=13 February 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> while [[Nick Dear]] adapted six novels. Comedian and novelist [[Mark Gatiss]] wrote three episodes and also guest-starred in the series,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/Drama/classiccrime/poirot/Episodeguides/Catamongthepigeons/default.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126194415/http://www.itv.com/Drama/classiccrime/poirot/Episodeguides/Catamongthepigeons/default.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 January 2013 |title=Cat among the Pigeons |work=ITV.com |access-date=3 March 2009}}</ref> as have [[Peter Flannery]] and [[Kevin Elyot]]. [[Ian Hallard]], who co-wrote the screenplay for "The Big Four" with Mark Gatiss, appears in the episode and also in "Hallowe'en Party", which was scripted by Gatiss alone.

[[Florin Court]] in [[Charterhouse Square]], [[London]], was used as Poirot's London residence, Whitehaven Mansions.<ref>[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/976390/index.html "''Agatha Christie's Poirot'' (1989–)"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923212533/http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/976390/index.html |date=23 September 2009 }}. ''Screenonline.org.uk''. Retrieved 19 June 2007.</ref> The final episode to be filmed was "Dead Man's Folly" in June 2013 on the [[Greenway Estate]] (which was Agatha Christie's home) broadcast on 30 October 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway/visitor-information/article-1355807820842 |title=Poirot investigates his last mystery at Greenway |work=NationalTrust.org.uk |access-date=28 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629174354/http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway/visitor-information/article-1355807820842/ |archive-date=29 June 2014}}</ref> Most of the locations and buildings where the episodes were shot were given fictional names.<ref>{{cite web|title=On location with Poirot - End house |url=http://tvlocations.net/endhouse2.htm |website=www.tvlocations.net |publisher=TV Locations |access-date=27 June 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627110604/http://www.tvlocations.net/endhouse2.htm |archive-date=27 June 2017}}</ref>

=== Casting ===
Suchet was recommended for the part by Christie's family, who had seen him appear as Blott in the TV adaptation of Tom Sharpe's ''[[Blott on the Landscape]]''.<ref name="Telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news |last=Walton |first=James |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/3560217/David-Suchet-Poirot.html |title=David Suchet: Poirot |work=Telegraph.co.uk |date=9 September 2008 |access-date=3 March 2009 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312015243/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/3560217/David-Suchet-Poirot.html |archive-date=12 March 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> Suchet, a [[Method acting|method actor]], said that he prepared for the part by reading all the [[Hercule Poirot in literature|''Poirot'' novels]] and every short story, and copying out every piece of description about the character.<ref>Dillin, John (25 March 1992). [http://www.csmonitor.com/1992/0325/25141.html "The Actor Behind Popular Poirot"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930043956/http://www.csmonitor.com/1992/0325/25141.html |date=30 September 2007}}. ''[[The Christian Science Monitor]]''.</ref><ref>Dudley, Jane. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/wk18/feature_maxwell.shtml "Award-winning actor David Suchet plays Robert Maxwell in a gripping account of the dramatic final stage of the media tycoon's life"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814022453/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/wk18/feature_maxwell.shtml |date=14 August 2007}}. ''BBC.co.uk''.</ref><ref>Dudley, Jane (27 April 1997). [http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features?articleid=2738631 "Inside the mind of a media monster"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928171004/http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features?articleid=2738631 |date=28 September 2007}}. ''[[Yorkshire Post]]''.</ref> Suchet told ''[[The Strand Magazine]]'': "What I did was, I had my file on one side of me and a pile of stories on the other side and day after day, week after week, I ploughed through most of Agatha Christie's novels about Hercule Poirot and wrote down characteristics until I had a file full of documentation of the character. And then it was my business not only to know what he was like, but to gradually become him. I had to become him before we started shooting".<ref>{{cite web |author=J.D. Hobbs |url=http://www.poirot.us/suchet.php |title=Suchet's Poirot |work=Poirot.us |access-date=3 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090311043229/http://www.poirot.us/suchet.php |archive-date=11 March 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

During the filming of the first series, Suchet almost left the production during an argument with a director, insisting that Poirot's odd mannerisms (in this case, putting a handkerchief down before sitting on a park bench) be featured;<ref>(29 October 2013). [https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/david-suchet-reveals-quit-poirot-2653419#ixzz2jH2nB3Lx "David Suchet reveals he almost quit ''Poirot'' during the first series after an argument over a hanky"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206200430/http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/david-suchet-reveals-quit-poirot-2653419 |date=6 December 2017}}. ''[[Daily Mirror|Mirror.co.uk]]''.</ref> he later said "there's no question [Poirot's] [[obsessive-compulsive]]".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/may/19/david-suchet-poirot-agatha-christie|title=Poirot and me |last=Barton |first=Laura |author-link=Laura Barton |date=2009-05-18 |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |access-date=2021-05-06 |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> According to many critics and enthusiasts, Suchet's characterisation is considered to be the most accurate interpretation of all the actors who have played Poirot, and the closest to the character in the books.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/faces/david_suchet.shtml |title=Drama Faces – David Suchet |work=BBC.co.uk |access-date=3 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203175751/http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/faces/david_suchet.shtml |archive-date=3 February 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2013, Suchet revealed that Christie's daughter [[Rosalind Hicks]] had told him she was sure Christie would have approved of his performance.<ref>[http://presscentre.itvstatic.com/presscentre/sites/presscentre/files/Curtain%20Poirots%20Last%20Case.pdf "Curtain: Press Packet"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102031625/http://presscentre.itvstatic.com/presscentre/sites/presscentre/files/Curtain%20Poirots%20Last%20Case.pdf |date=2 November 2013}}. ''ITVStatic.com''.</ref>

In 2007, Suchet spoke of his desire to film the remaining stories in the canon and hoped to achieve this before his 65th birthday in May 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/Drama/classiccrime/poirot/Castinterviews/DavidSuchetinterview/default.html |title=Meet the man behind the character |work=ITV.com |date=18 June 2007 |access-date=26 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619193207/http://www.itv.com/Drama/classiccrime/poirot/Castinterviews/DavidSuchetinterview/default.html |archive-date=19 June 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy}}</ref> Despite speculation of cancellation early in 2011, the remaining books were ultimately adapted into a thirteenth series,<ref>{{cite web |author=Morgan Jeffrey |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a350724/poirot-to-return-for-final-series-on-itv.html |title=''Poirot'' to return for final series on ITV |work=Digital Spy |date=14 November 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111116032957/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a350724/poirot-to-return-for-final-series-on-itv.html |archive-date=16 November 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> adapted in 2013 into 5 episodes, from which "Curtain" aired last on 13 November. A 2013 television special, ''Being Poirot'', centred on Suchet's characterisation and his emotional final episode.

=== Development ===
=== Actors ===
[[File:David Suchet.jpg|alt=middle aged white man, clean shaven and bald|thumb|David Suchet]]

Alongside recurring characters, the early series featured actors who later achieved greater fame, including [[Sean Pertwee]] ("[[Poirot's Early Cases#"The King of Clubs"|The King of Clubs]]", 1989; "Dead Man's Folly", 2013), [[Joely Richardson]] ("[[Poirot Investigates#The Dream|The Dream]]", 1989), [[Polly Walker]] ("[[Peril at End House]]", 1990), [[Samantha Bond]] ("[[Poirot Investigates#The Adventure of the Cheap Flat|The Adventure of the Cheap Flat]]", 1990), [[Christopher Eccleston]] ("[[One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (novel)|One, Two, Buckle My Shoe]]", 1992), [[Hermione Norris]] ("[[Poirot Investigates#The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan|Jewel Robbery at The Grand Metropolitan]]", 1993), [[Damian Lewis]] ("[[Hickory Dickory Dock (novel)|Hickory Dickory Dock]]", 1995), [[Jamie Bamber]] ("The Murder of Roger Ackroyd", 2000), [[Russell Tovey]] ("[[Evil Under the Sun]]", 2001), [[Kelly Reilly]] ("[[Sad Cypress]]", 2003), [[Aidan Gillen]] ("[[Five Little Pigs]]", 2003), [[Emily Blunt]] ("[[Death on the Nile]]", 2004), [[Alice Eve]] ("[[The Mystery of the Blue Train]]", 2005), [[Michael Fassbender]] ("[[After the Funeral]]", 2006), [[Ruth Gemmell]] ("[[Mrs McGinty's Dead]]", 2008), [[Toby Jones]] and [[Jessica Chastain]] ("[[Murder on the Orient Express]]", 2010), and [[Tom Ellis (actor)|Tom Ellis]] ("[[Dead Man's Folly]]", 2013).

Four [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nominees have appeared in the series: [[Sarah Miles]], [[Barbara Hershey]], [[Elizabeth McGovern]] and [[Elliott Gould]]. [[Peter Capaldi]], Jessica Chastain, Michael Fassbender, [[Lesley Manville]], [[Vanessa Kirby]] and [[Emily Blunt]] went on to receive Academy Award nominations after appearing on the show (with Chastain winning the Best Actress award in 2022 for ''[[The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021 film)|The Eyes of Tammy Faye]]''). Several members of British thespian families appeared in episodes throughout the course of the series. [[James Fox]] appeared as Colonel Race in "Death on the Nile", and his older brother [[Edward Fox (actor)|Edward Fox]] appeared as Gudgeon in "[[The Hollow]]".<ref name="ITV.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/Drama/classiccrime/poirot/Abouttheshow/default.html |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'' |work=ITV.com |date=13 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928174352/http://www.itv.com/Drama/classiccrime/poirot/Abouttheshow/default.html |archive-date=28 September 2008}}</ref>

Three of the Cusack sisters each appeared in an episode: [[Niamh Cusack]] in "The King of Clubs", [[Sorcha Cusack]] in "Jewel Robbery at The Grand Metropolitan", and [[Sinéad Cusack]] in "Dead Man's Folly". [[Phyllida Law]] and her daughter [[Sophie Thompson]] appeared in "Hallowe'en Party". [[David Yelland (actor)|David Yelland]] appeared as Charles Laverton West in "[[Murder in the Mews]]" and as George for the remainder of the series from Series 10 onward, and his daughter [[Hannah Yelland]] appeared as Geraldine Marsh in "[[Lord Edgware Dies]]".

==== Multiple roles ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+Actors performing in multiple roles in ''Poirot'' episodes
|-
!scope="col"| Actor
!scope="col"| Character
!scope="col"| Episode
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Nicholas Farrell]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0268297 |title=Nicholas Farrell |work=IMDb |access-date=3 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203185601/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0268297 |archive-date=3 February 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| Donald Fraser
| "[[The A.B.C. Murders|The ABC Murders]]" {{small|(1992)}}
|-
| Major Richard Knighton
| "[[The Mystery of the Blue Train]]" {{small|(2006)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Pip Torrens]]
| Major Rich
| "[[The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding#The Mystery of the Spanish Chest|The Mystery of the Spanish Chest]]" {{small|(1991)}}
|-
| Jeremy Cloade
| "[[Taken at the Flood]]" {{small|(2006)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Richard Durden]]
| Dr Matthew Pritchard
| "[[Poirot Investigates#The Case of the Missing Will|The Case of the Missing Will]]" {{small|(1993)}}
|-
| Pebmarsh
| "[[Taken at the Flood]]" {{small|(2006)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Haydn Gwynne]]
| Coco Courtney
| "[[Poirot's Early Cases#"The Affair at the Victory Ball"|The Affair at the Victory Ball]]" {{small|(1991)}}
|-
| Miss Battersby
| "[[Third Girl]]" {{small|(2008)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Geoffrey Beevers]]
| Mr Tolliver
| "[[Poirot's Early Cases#"Problem at Sea"|Problem at Sea]]" {{small|(1989)}}
|-
| Seddon
| "[[Sad Cypress]]" {{small|(2003)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Simon Shepherd]]
| David Hall
| "[[Poirot Investigates#The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan|Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan]]" {{small|(1993)}}
|-
| Dr. Rendell
| "[[Mrs McGinty's Dead]]" {{small|(2008)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Richard Lintern]]
| John Lake
| "[[Murder in the Mews#Dead Man's Mirror|Dead Man's Mirror]]" {{small|(1993)}}
|-
| Guy Carpenter
| "[[Mrs McGinty's Dead]]" {{small|(2008)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Richard Durden]]
| Dr Pritchard
| "[[Poirot Investigates#The Case of the Missing Will|The Case of the Missing Will]]" {{small|(1993)}}
|-
| Pebmarsh
| "[[Taken at the Flood]]" {{small|(2006)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[John Carson (actor)|John Carson]]
| Sir George Carrington
| "[[Murder in the Mews#The Incredible Theft|The Incredible Theft]]" {{small|(1989)}}
|-
| Richard Abernethie
| "[[After the Funeral]]" {{small|(2006)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Carol MacReady]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0534315 |title=Carol MacReady |work=IMDb |access-date=3 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131202841/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0534315 |archive-date=31 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| Mildred Croft
| "[[Peril at End House]]" {{small|(1990)}}
|-
| Miss Johnson
| "[[Cat Among the Pigeons]]" {{small|(2008)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| Miranda Forbes
| Landlady
| "[[Poirot's Early Cases#Double Sin|Double Sin]]" {{small|(1990)}}
|-
| Mrs Turton
| "[[The ABC Murders]]" {{small|(1992)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Pat Gorman]]
| Desk Sergeant
| "[[The A.B.C. Murders|The ABC Murders]]" {{small|(1992)}}
|-
| London Man
| "[[Poirot Investigates#The Case of the Missing Will|The Case of the Missing Will]]" {{small|(1993)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Beth Goddard]]
| Violet Wilson
| "[[Poirot Investigates#The Case of the Missing Will|The Case of the Missing Will]]" {{small|(1993)}}
|-
| Sister Agnieszka
| "[[Appointment with Death]]" {{small|(2008 [DVD release], 2009 [aired])}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Lucy Liemann]]
| Miss Burgess
| "[[Cards on the Table]]" {{small|(2005)}}
|-
| Sonia
| "[[Third Girl]]" {{small|(2008)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[David Yelland (actor)|David Yelland]]
| Charles Laverton West
| "[[Murder in the Mews]]" {{small|(1989)}}
|-
| George
| "[[Taken at the Flood]]" {{small|(2006)}} "[[Mrs McGinty's Dead]]" {{small|(2008)}} "[[Third Girl]]" {{small|(2008)}} "[[Three Act Tragedy]]" {{small|(2010)}} "[[Hallowe'en Party]]" {{small|(2010)}} "[[The Big Four (novel)|The Big Four]]" {{small|(2013)}} "[[Curtain: Poirot's Last Case]]" {{small|(2013)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Fenella Woolgar]]
| Ellis
| "[[Lord Edgware Dies]]" {{small|(2000)}}
|-
| Elizabeth Whittaker
| "[[Hallowe'en Party]]" {{small|(2010)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Beatie Edney]]
| Mary Cavendish
| "[[The Mysterious Affair at Styles]]" {{small|(1990)}}
|-
| Beryl Hemmings
| "[[The Clocks]]" {{small|(2011)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Frances Barber]]
| Lady Millicent Castle-Vaughan
| "[[Poirot's Early Cases#"The Veiled Lady"|The Veiled Lady]]" {{small|(1990)}}
|-
| Merlina Rival
| "[[The Clocks]]" {{small|(2011)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Sean Pertwee]]
| Ronnie Oglander
| "[[Poirot's Early Cases#"The King of Clubs"|The King of Clubs]]" {{small|(1989)}}
|-
| Sir George Stubbs
| "[[Dead Man's Folly]]" {{small|(2013)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Danny Webb (actor)|Danny Webb]]
| Porter
| "[[Poirot's Early Cases#"The Adventure of the Clapham Cook"|The Adventure of the Clapham Cook]]" {{small|(1989)}}
|-
| Superintendent Bill Garroway
| "[[Elephants Can Remember]]" {{small|(2013)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Ian Hallard]]
| Edmund Drake
| "[[Hallowe'en Party]]" {{small|(2010)}}
|-
| Mercutio
| "[[The Big Four (novel)|The Big Four]]" {{small|(2013)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Phyllida Law]]
| Lady Isabel Carrington
| "[[The Incredible Theft]]" {{small|(1989)}}
|-
| Mrs Louise Llewellyn-Smythe
| "[[Hallowe'en Party]]" {{small|(2010)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Jane How]]
| Lady at Ball
| "[[The Mystery of the Blue Train]]" {{small|(2005)}}
|-
| Lady Veronica
| "[[Cat Among the Pigeons]]" {{small|(2008)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Patrick Ryecart]]
| Charles Arundel
| "[[Dumb Witness]]" {{small|(1996)}}
|-
| Sir Anthony Morgan
| "[[The Labours of Hercules]]" {{small|(2013)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Barbara Barnes]]
| Mrs Lester
| "[[The Lost Mine]]" {{small|(1990)}}
|-
| Louise Leidner
| "[[Murder in Mesopotamia]]" {{small|(2002)}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| Tim Stern<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0827866 |title=Tim Stern (I) |work=IMDb |access-date=21 March 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115223340/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0827866/ |archive-date=15 January 2015 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| Bellboy
| "[[Poirot Investigates#The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan|Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan]]" {{small|(1993)}}
|-
| Alf Renny
| "[[Third Girl]]" {{small|(2008)}}
|-

!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[Catherine Russell (British actress)|Catherine Russell]]
| Katrina Reiger
| "[[Poirot's Early Cases#"How Does Your Garden Grow?"|How Does Your Garden Grow?]]" {{small|(1991)}}
|-
| Pamela Horsfall
| "[[Mrs McGinty's Dead]]" {{small|(2008)}}
|}

== Reception ==
=== Critical response ===
Agatha Christie's grandson Mathew Prichard commented: "Personally, I regret very much that she [Agatha Christie] never saw David Suchet. I think that visually he is much the most convincing and perhaps he manages to convey to the viewer just enough of the irritation that we always associate with the perfectionist, to be convincing!"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.agathachristie.com/story-explorer/characters/poirot |title=Agatha Christie: Characters: Poirot |work=Agatha Christie Limited |access-date=3 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227161003/http://www.agathachristie.com/story-explorer/characters/poirot |archive-date=27 February 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 2008, the series was described by some critics as going "off piste",<ref name="Blogs.TheStage.co.uk">{{cite web|last=Wright |first=Mark |url=http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/tvtoday/2008/09/square-eyes-2628-september/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003173002/http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/tvtoday/2008/09/square-eyes-2628-september/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 October 2011 |title=Square Eyes 26–28 September |publisher=Blogs.TheStage.co.uk |date=26 September 2008 |access-date=3 March 2009}}</ref> though not negatively, from its old format. It was praised for its new writers, more lavish productions, and a greater emphasis on the darker psychology of the novels. Significantly, it was noted for "[[Five Little Pigs]]" (adapted by Kevin Elyot) bringing out a homosexual subtext of the novel.<ref name="Screenonline.org.uk"/> Nominations for twenty [[BAFTA]]s were received between 1989 and 1991 for series 1–3.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://awards.bafta.org/keyword-search?keywords=poirot |title=BAFTA Awards Database |work=BAFTA.org |access-date=28 May 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130529070546/http://awards.bafta.org/keyword-search?keywords=poirot |archive-date=29 May 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

=== Accolades ===
{{Anchor|Awards}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ List of awards and nominations for ''Agatha Christie's Poirot''
|-
!scope="col"| Award
!scope="col"| Date of ceremony
!scope="col"| Category
!scope="col"| Nominee(s)
!scope="col"| Result
|-
!scope="row"| [[British Academy Television Awards|British Academy Television Awards (1990)]]
| 1990
| [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Original Music|Best Original Television Music]]
| [[Christopher Gunning]]
| {{Won}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="5"| [[British Academy Television Craft Awards|British Academy Television Craft Awards (1990)]]
| rowspan="5" | 1990
| rowspan="2" | [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]]
| Linda Mattock {{small|(series 1, episodes 2, 4, 7–8, 10)}}
| {{Won}}
|-
| Sue Thomson {{small|(series 1, episodes 1, 3, 5–6, 9)}}
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Make-Up & Hair Design|Best Make-up]]
| Hilary Martin, Christine Cant and Roseann Samuel
| {{Won}}
|-
| [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Production Design|Best Design]]
| Rob Harris {{small|(series 1, episodes 1–2, 5, 8, 10)}}
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Titles & Graphic Identity|Best Graphics]]
| Pat Gavin
| {{Won}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[British Academy Television Awards|British Academy Television Awards (1991)]]
| rowspan="2" | 1991
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| [[David Suchet]]
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series|Best Drama Series or Serial]]
| [[Brian Eastman]]
| {{Nom}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[British Academy Television Craft Awards|British Academy Television Craft Awards (1991)]]
| rowspan="2" | 1991
| Best Costume Design
| Linda Mattock and Sharon Lewis
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Sound: Fiction|Best Film Sound]]
| Ken Weston, Rupert Scrivener and Sound Team
| {{Nom}}
|-
!scope="row"| [[Royal Television Society|RTS Television Awards (1991)]]
| 1991
| Best Tape or Film Editing – Drama
| Derek Bain
| {{Nom}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[British Academy Television Awards|British Academy Television Awards (1992)]]
| rowspan="2" | 1992
| Best Original Television Music
| [[Christopher Gunning]]
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series|Best Drama Series or Serial]]
| [[Brian Eastman]]
| {{Nom}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="3"| [[British Academy Television Craft Awards|British Academy Television Craft Awards (1992)]]
| rowspan="3" | 1992
| rowspan="2" | Best Costume Design
| Robin Fraser-Paye {{small|(series 3, episodes 1, 4–5, 9–10)}}
| {{Nom}}
|-
| Elizabeth Waller {{small|(series 3, episodes 2–3, 6–8)}}
| {{Nom}}
|-
| Best Make-up
| Janis Gould {{small|(series 3, episodes 2–3, 6–8)}}
| {{Nom}}
|-
!scope="row"| [[Edgar Award|Edgar Awards (1992)]]
| 1992
| Best Episode in a TV Series
| "[[The Lost Mine]]"
| {{Won}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theedgars.com/edgarsDB/index.php |title=The Edgar Awards Database |publisher=Mystery Writers of America |work=TheEdgars.com |access-date=26 May 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811172243/http://www.theedgars.com/edgarsDB/index.php |archive-date=11 August 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"| [[Satellite Awards 2010|Satellite Award (2010)]]
| 2010
| [[Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film|Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film]]
| David Suchet
| {{Nom}}
|-
!scope="row"| [[Producers Guild of America Awards 2010|PGA Awards (2010)]]
| 2011
| Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television
| "[[Murder on the Orient Express#Agatha Christie's Poirot: "Murder on the Orient Express" (2010)|Murder on the Orient Express]]"
| {{Nom}}
|-
!scope="row"| [[67th Primetime Emmy Awards|Primetime Emmy Awards (2015)]]
| 2015
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie|Outstanding Television Movie]]
| "[[Curtain (novel)|Curtain: Poirot's Last Case]]"
| {{Nom}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/20/entertainment/emmy-awards-2015-winners-list-feat/ |title=Emmy Awards 2015: The complete winners list |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=20 September 2015 |access-date=21 September 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922162617/http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/20/entertainment/emmy-awards-2015-winners-list-feat/ |archive-date=22 September 2015 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|}

== Home media ==
In the UK, [[ITV Studios]] Home Entertainment owns the home media rights.

In Region 1, Acorn Media has the rights to series 1–6 and 11–12. Series 7–10 are distributed by [[A&E (TV channel)|A&E]], a co-producer on several of them. In North America, series 1–11 are available on [[Netflix]] and [[Amazon Prime]] instant streaming service. In Region 4, Acorn Media, distributed by ''Reel DVD'', has begun releasing the series on DVD in Australia in complete season sets. To date, they have released the first 8 series of the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/mech/quicksearch.zml?f=title&q=Poriot&x=0&y=0 |title=''Poirot'' |work=EzyDVD.com.au |access-date=27 June 2010}}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Series 1–9 and 12 are available in Spain ([[DVD region code#2|Region 2]]) on [[Blu-ray]] with Spanish and English audio tracks. [[Dutch FilmWorks]] were reported to be the first company to release series 12, in 2010.

Beginning in 2011, Acorn began issuing the series on Blu-ray discs. As of November 2014, series 1 through 13 have all been issued on DVD and Blu-ray by Acorn. The A&E DVD releases of series 7 through 10 correspond to the A&E versions broadcast in America which were missing sections of the original video as originally broadcast in the United Kingdom. The Acorn releases of series 7 through 10 restore the missing video.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Home media releases of ''Poirot'', showing series and episode numbers, with release dates
|-
!scope="col"| Release title
!scope="col"| Series
!scope="col"| No. of DVDs
!scope="col"| No. of Blu-ray discs
!scope="col"| Release date
!scope="col"| Episode no.
!scope="col"| Region no.
!scope="col"| Released by
|-
!scope="row"| ''The Complete Collection''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001NGGBDK |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'' – Complete Series 1–11 [DVD] |date=30 March 2009 |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |access-date=25 May 2013}}</ref>
| 1–11
| 28
| N/A
| 30 March 2009
| 1–61
| [[DVD region code|2]]
| [[ITV Studios]]
|-
!scope="row"| ''The Complete Collection''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Complete-1-12/dp/B004G5Z1PE |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'' – The Complete Series 1–12 [DVD] |date=15 August 2011 |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |access-date=25 May 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224123439/http://www.amazon.co.uk/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Complete-1-12/dp/B004G5Z1PE |archive-date=24 February 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| 1–12
| 32
| N/A
| 15 August 2011
| 1–65
| 2
| [[ITV Studios]]
|-
!scope="row"| ''The Definitive Collection''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EQ30DDQ |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'' – The Definitive Collection (Series 1–13) [DVD] |date=18 November 2013 |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |access-date=20 November 2013}}</ref>
| 1–13
| 35
| N/A
| 18 November 2013
| 1–70
| [[DVD region code|2]]
| [[ITV Studios]]
|-
!scope="row"| ''The Early Cases Collection''
| 1–6
| 18<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Early-Cases/dp/B008N8A3DA |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'': The Early Cases – DVD (1989) |website=Amazon |date=23 October 2012 |access-date=26 May 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913035338/http://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Early-Cases/dp/B008N8A3DA |archive-date=13 September 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| 13
| 23 October 2012
| 1–45
| [[DVD region code|1]]
| Acorn Media
|-
!scope="row"| ''The Definitive Collection''
| 7–10
| 12<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christie-Poirot-Definitive-Collection/dp/B004HJ0ZLE |title=''Agatha Christie Poirot'': Definitive Collection – DVD (2010) |website=Amazon |date=20 January 2011 |access-date=26 May 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120222107/http://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christie-Poirot-Definitive-Collection/dp/B004HJ0ZLE |archive-date=20 January 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| N/A
| 25 January 2011
| 46–57
| 1
| [[A&E (TV channel)|A&E Home Video]]
|-
!scope="row"| ''The Movie Collection – Set 4''
| 11
| 3<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Movie-Collection/dp/B001V7YZAM |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'': The Movie Collection – Set 4 (DVD) |website=Amazon |date=7 July 2009 |access-date=26 May 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218132244/http://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Movie-Collection/dp/B001V7YZAM |archive-date=18 December 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| N/A
| 7 July 2009
| 58–59
| 1
| Acorn Media
|-
!scope="row"| ''The Movie Collection – Set 5''
| 11–12
| 3<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Movie-Collection/dp/B0028AENVC |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'': The Movie Collection – Set 5 (DVD) |website=Amazon |date=27 July 2010 |access-date=26 May 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129045715/http://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Movie-Collection/dp/B0028AENVC |archive-date=29 November 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| N/A
| 27 July 2010
| 60–61, 64
| 1
| Acorn Media
|-
!scope="row"| ''Murder on the Orient Express''
| 12
| N/A
| 1<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Express-Blu-ray/dp/B003L80FLC |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'': Murder on the Orient Express [Blu-ray] |website=Amazon |date=5 August 2012 |access-date=26 May 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503021629/http://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Express-Blu-ray/dp/B003L80FLC |archive-date=3 May 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| 26 October 2010
| 64
| 1
| Acorn Media
|-
!scope="row"| ''The Movie Collection – Set 6''
| 12
| 3<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Movie-Collection/dp/B004WMOSNM |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'': The Movie Collection – Set 6 (DVD) |website=Amazon |date=12 July 2011 |access-date=26 May 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603054646/http://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Movie-Collection/dp/B004WMOSNM |archive-date=3 June 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| 3
| 12 July 2011
| 62–63, 65
| 1
| Acorn Media
|-
!scope="row"| ''The Final Cases Collection''
| 7–13
| 13<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Final-Collection/dp/B00MGSTMMG |title=''Agatha Christie's Poirot'': The Final Cases Collection |website=Amazon |date=5 August 2014 |access-date=5 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106082352/http://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Poirot-Final-Collection/dp/B00MGSTMMG |archive-date=6 November 2014 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| 13
| 4 November 2014
| 46–70
| A
| ITV Studios & Acorn Media
|-
!scope="row"| ''Complete Cases Collection''
| 1–13
| 33
| 28
| 4 November 2014
| 1–70
| 1
| ITV Studios & Acorn Media
|}

== ''Being Poirot'' ==
[[File:2011-07-26 Belgique - Ellezelles - Hercule Poirot 002.jpg|thumb|A statuette of Hercule Poirot in [[Ellezelles]], [[Belgium]]]]
'''''Being Poirot''''' is a 50-minute 2013 ITV television documentary in which David Suchet attempts to unravel the mysterious appeal of Hercule Poirot and how he portrayed him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX3ITew9Mpw|title=Being Poirot|last=kokopico|date=2 December 2014|access-date=28 April 2018|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112042318/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX3ITew9Mpw|archive-date=12 January 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was broadcast in the United Kingdom on the same evening as the final episode, "Curtain".

Suchet visits the Greenway Estate, Agatha Christie's summer home, recollecting how he met her daughter Rosalind Hicks and her husband Anthony Hicks for their approval before he began filming. He meets Christie's grandson Mathew Prichard who recounts how his grandmother found the character amongst Belgian refugees in Torquay. There's a visit to the permanent Poirot exhibition at Torquay Museum, to which he presented the cane he used in the television series.

Suchet acknowledges the first stage and film adaptations of the books with actors such as [[Charles Laughton]] on the London stage in ''Alibi'', an adaptation of ''The Murder of Roger Ackroyd'', in 1928. ''Alibi'' was filmed in 1931 with Austin Trevor but is now lost. The oldest surviving film portrayal from 1934 was ''Lord Edgware Dies'' again with Austin Trevor portraying Poirot. Suchet notes a conscious decision was made by the film company to portray Poirot without a moustache.

Films featuring [[Albert Finney]] and [[Peter Ustinov]] are also featured. Suchet reveals that he read the books and wrote down 93 notes about the character that he went on to use in his portrayal. The descriptions in the books helped him discover the voice he would use, and the rapid mincing gait.

Suchet also goes to Florin Court, a place that the production company chose to represent his home Whitehaven Mansions. There he meets first producer Brian Eastman, with whom he discusses the set that was built based on the flats, and Eastman's decision to fix the stories in 1936. Suchet also visits composer [[Christopher Gunning]] who had composed four themes for Eastman, the first being Gunning's favourite. Eastman chose the fourth after having Gunning darken the tone.

Suchet travels to [[Brussels]], where he is feted by the police chief and mayor. He then goes to [[Ellezelles]], which claims to be the birthplace of Poirot, and he is shown a birth certificate as proof. It says the date was 1 April, "[[April Fools' Day]]", with no year mentioned. Finally, Suchet travels on the Orient Express and recounts filming the episode "Dead Man's Folly" last at Greenway to finish on a high note.

==Novels or stories not included in the series==
Suchet was proud to have completed the entire Poirot canon by the time of the broadcast of the final episode, only slightly short of the target he had set for himself in a 2007 interview of completing the entire canon before his 65th birthday.<ref>Interview [https://web.archive.org/web/20090619193207/http://www.itv.com/Drama/classiccrime/poirot/Castinterviews/DavidSuchetinterview/default.html archived here].</ref>

A number of Poirot short stories were not directly adapted for the series. In most cases, these stories were subsequently reworked by Christie, and adapted for the television series in their final forms. "[[The Plymouth Express]]" was adapted in both its original short story form and as ''[[The Mystery of the Blue Train]]''.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Original Story Title || Adaptation Title || Notes
|-
| ''[[Poirot's Early Cases#"The Lemesurier Inheritance"|The Lemesurier Inheritance]]'' (1923)
| None
| The episode "[[The Labours of Hercules]]" uses the surname "Lemesurier" from the original story, but otherwise has nothing in common with the story.
|-
| ''[[Poirot's Early Cases#"The Market Basing Mystery"|The Market Basing Mystery]]'' (1923)
| "[[Murder in the Mews]]"
| Re-worked by Christie
|-
| ''[[Poirot's_Early_Cases#"The_Submarine_Plans"|The Submarine Plans]]'' (1923)
| "[[The Incredible Theft]]"
| Re-worked by Christie
|-
| ''[[While the Light Lasts and Other Stories|Christmas Adventure]]'' (1923)
| "[[The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding#The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, or The Theft of the Royal Ruby|The Theft of the Royal Ruby]]"
| Re-worked by Christie (also known as "The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding")
|-
| ''[[While the Light Lasts and Other Stories|The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest]]'' (1932)
| "[[The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding#The Mystery of the Spanish Chest|The Mystery of the Spanish Chest]]"
| Re-worked by Christie
|-
| ''[[Problem at Pollensa Bay and Other Stories|The Second Gong]]'' (1932)
| "[[Dead Man's Mirror]]"
| Re-worked by Christie
|-
| ''[[Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks#The Incident of the Dog's Ball|The Incident of the Dog's Ball]]'' (written c.1933, posthumously published)
| "[[Dumb Witness]]"
| Re-worked by Christie
|-
| ''Poirot and the Regatta Mystery'' (1936)
| None
| Re-worked by Christie as a [[Parker Pyne]] story (published as part of ''[[The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories]]'', 1939). Posthumously re-published in ''Hercule Poirot: the Complete Short Stories'' (2008).
|-
| ''[[Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks#The Capture of Cerberus|The Capture of Cerberus]]'' (written c.1939, posthumously published)
| None
| Unrelated to the better known final case of the same title in ''[[The Labours of Hercules]]''. Intended as the last of ''The Labours of Hercules'', Christie re-wrote the entire story due to its political content, retaining only the title.
|-
| ''[[The Labours of Hercules#The Nemean Lion|The Nemean Lion]]'' (1947)
|rowspan="2"| "[[The Labours of Hercules]]"
|rowspan="2"| Not directly adapted as part of the episode's combined narrative.
|-
| ''[[The Labours of Hercules#The Augean Stables|The Augean Stables]]'' (1947)
|-
| ''Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly'' (written 1954, posthumously published)
| "[[Dead Man's Folly]]"
| Re-worked by Christie
|-
| ''[[Black Coffee (play)|Black Coffee]]'' (play)
| None
| In 2012, Suchet performed a rehearsed reading of ''Black Coffee'', produced and presented by ''The Agatha Christie Theatre Company'', in aid of Chichester Festival Theatre's restoration fund.<ref>Radio Times [http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-10-07/david-suchet--there-will-be-no-more-poirots--the-moustache-is-hung-up report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224105838/http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-10-07/david-suchet--there-will-be-no-more-poirots--the-moustache-is-hung-up |date=24 December 2013}} of the reading.</ref><ref>Details of the reading of [https://agathachristiereader.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/david-suchet-performs-black-coffee/ Black Coffee] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117033549/https://agathachristiereader.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/david-suchet-performs-black-coffee/ |date=17 November 2015}} with link to review.</ref>
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{wikiquote-inline}}
*{{Commons category-inline}}
* {{itv.com|watch/agatha-christies-poirot/L0830/1a5274a0013|''Agatha Christie's Poirot''}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0094525|title=Agatha Christie's Poirot}}
* {{epguides|Poirot|Agatha Christie's Poirot}}
* {{Screenonline TV title|976390|Agatha Christie's Poirot}}
* [https://www.sonyliv.com/shows/agatha-christie-s-poirot-1700000239 Agatha Christie's Poirot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503073137/https://www.sonyliv.com/shows/agatha-christie-s-poirot-1700000239 |date=3 May 2021 }} on [[SonyLIV]]

{{Hercule Poirot}}
{{Agatha Christie}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agatha Christie's Poirot}}
[[Category:1989 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:2013 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1980s British crime drama television series]]
[[Category:1980s British mystery television series]]
[[Category:1990s British crime drama television series]]
[[Category:1990s British mystery television series]]
[[Category:2000s British crime drama television series]]
[[Category:2000s British mystery television series]]
[[Category:2010s British crime drama television series]]
[[Category:2010s British mystery television series]]
[[Category:A&E (TV network) original programming]]
[[Category:British detective television series]]
[[Category:Edgar Award–winning works|Poirot]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Hercule Poirot]]
[[Category:ITV mystery shows]]
[[Category:London Weekend Television shows]]
[[Category:Television shows based on works by Agatha Christie]]
[[Category:Television series by ITV Studios]]
[[Category:Television series produced at Pinewood Studios]]
[[Category:Television series set in the 1930s]]

Paul Chapman (actor)

2025-04-12T16:01:32Z

62.255.15.82:

{{short description|British actor|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}

'''Paul Chapman''' (born 1939) is a British actor. He made his acting debut in 1964 in the series ''Curtain of Fear'', and is best known for his recurring roles as Captain George Brent in ''[[Colditz (1972 TV series)|Colditz]]'' (1972–74) and Stephen in ''[[As Time Goes By (TV series)|As Time Goes By]]'' (1993–2005).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007b61x|title=BBC One – As Time Goes By|publisher=BBC|access-date=25 June 2019}}</ref>

Chapman was born in London in 1939 and is the brother of screenwriter and actor [[John Chapman (screenwriter)|John Chapman]], and a nephew of actor [[Edward Chapman (actor)|Edward Chapman]]. Since graduating from [[RADA]] (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in the early 1960s, he has had an extensive career on stage and on screen. He has a number of high-profile television series to his name, including ''[[The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes]]'', ''[[A Bit of a Do]]'', '' [[Fairly Secret Army]]'', ''[[Pie in the Sky (TV series)|Pie in the Sky]]'' and ''[[Midsomer Murders]]''. He starred in ''[[Colditz (1972 TV series)|Colditz]]''.

Chapman's other TV credits include ''[[Waiting for God (TV series)|Waiting for God]]'' ("The Helicopter" episode as Councillor Ferguson), and in the BBC's 1971 adaptation of Jane Austen's ''Persuasion'', as Captain Benwick. In December 1971 he created the role of Nogbad the Bad in a Birmingham stage adaptation of the animated TV series [[Noggin the Nog]]. In the early 1980s he appeared in several roles in the [[BBC Television Shakespeare]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Sue Parrill|author2=William B. Robison|title=The Tudors on Film and Television|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G-LX_jt0tsEC&pg=PA190|date=6 February 2013|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-0031-4|pages=190}}</ref>

He was known in the late 1980s for playing Harwell Mincing in ITV's children's costume drama ''[[Return of the Antelope]]''.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Mark J. Docherty|author2=Alistair D. McGown|title=The Hill and Beyond: Children's Television Drama – An Encyclopedia|url=https://archive.org/details/hillbeyondchildr0000mcgo|url-access=registration|date=26 April 2003|publisher=British Film Institute|isbn=978-0-85170-878-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/hillbeyondchildr0000mcgo/page/190 190]}}</ref> In 1998 he played Reg Buckley in Midsomer Murders "Faithful unto Death". In later years, he has become known for his portrayal of Stephen in the [[BBC]] [[sitcom]] ''As Time Goes By'', alongside [[Judi Dench]] and [[Geoffrey Palmer (actor)|Geoffrey Palmer]]. Chapman took on the role in [[List of As Time Goes By episodes#Series Two .281993.29|Series 2]] and appeared regularly until the show ended in 2002, returning for the Christmas Specials in 2005. He appeared in Midsomer Murders "The Great and the Good" in 2009 as Howard Richardson.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0152488|Paul Chapman}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Paul}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century English male actors]]
[[Category:Actors from the London Borough of Camden]]
[[Category:Male actors from London]]
[[Category:People from Hampstead]]

{{England-tv-actor-stub}}
{{UK-tv-actor-1930s-stub}}

Flashbacks of a Fool

2025-03-14T02:11:55Z

62.255.15.82: /* Plot */

{{More citations needed|date=May 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Flashbacks of a Fool
| image = Flashbacks of a fool.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Baillie Walsh]]
| producer = Lene Bausager
| writer = Baillie Walsh
| starring = {{plainlist|
* [[Daniel Craig]]
* [[Harry Eden]]
* [[Eve (rapper)|Eve]]
* [[Jodhi May]]
* [[Helen McCrory]]
* [[Mark Strong]]
* [[Olivia Williams]]
* [[James D'Arcy]]
* [[Claire Forlani]]
* [[Emilia Fox]]
* [[Keeley Hawes]]
}}
| music = [[Richard Hartley (composer)|Richard Hartley]]
| cinematography = [[John Mathieson (cinematographer)|John Mathieson]]
| editing = Struan Clay
| studio = {{plainlist|
* Left Turn Films
* Ugly Duckling Films
* Visitor Pictures
}}
| distributor = [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures]]{{efn|name=Disney|Distributed by [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures]] through [[Miramax|Miramax Films]].}}
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2008|4|13}}
| runtime = 114 minutes<ref>{{cite web|title=Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)|work=[[BBFC]]|access-date=30 March 2021|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/flashbacks-of-a-fool-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0znzc3mjk}}</ref>
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
| gross = $1,107,542
}}

'''''Flashbacks of a Fool''''' is a 2008 British [[drama film]] about a [[Hollywood (film industry)|Hollywood]] actor who, following the death of his childhood best friend, reflects upon his life and what might have been, had he stayed in England. The film was directed by [[Baillie Walsh]], and stars [[Daniel Craig]], [[Harry Eden]], [[Claire Forlani]], [[Felicity Jones]], [[Emilia Fox]], [[Eve (rapper)|Eve]], [[Jodhi May]], [[Helen McCrory]] and [[Miriam Karlin]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Flashbacks of a Fool|url=https://www.screendaily.com/flashbacks-of-a-fool-2007/4038183.article|publisher=[[Screen International]] |access-date=31 December 2021}}</ref>

==Plot==
Joe Scot is a British actor living in [[Los Angeles]] whose once successful Hollywood career is flagging. He spends most of his time drinking, taking drugs, and having one-night stands. The only person he has in his life is personal assistant Ophelia who is growing tired of his antics.

One day, Joe receives a call that his childhood best friend Boots McKay has died unexpectedly. Shaken by the news and following a disastrous meeting with an up-and-coming director and his agent, Joe swims out to sea, contemplating suicide. In a flashback set in the 1970s, a teenage Joe lives with his mother, aunt and younger sister Jesse in a small town on the English coast. Joe frequently shows support to Boots, who is struggling with epilepsy following an attack at the local cinema.

Meanwhile, Evelyn Adams, a sexually frustrated housewife and next-door neighbor, attempts to seduce Joe by kissing him before they are interrupted. When he visits her later, she attempts to seduce him again before being disturbed by her husband. Joe soon forms a relationship with Ruth, a popular but quirky girl his own age. She invites him back to her parents' house and he accepts, leaving Boots alone and angry. Joe is impressed by Ruth's affluent lifestyle and record collection while bonding over ''[[If There Is Something]]'' by [[Roxy Music]]. Ruth later asks him out on a date.

The following day, Evelyn asks Joe to come into her house as he’s on his way to meet Ruth: unable to resist, he has sex with her. He arrives late to meet her, who has been kept company by Boots. However, Ruth sees [[Love-bite|love bites]] on Joe's neck and storms off, leading to a fight between Boots and Joe. The next day, Evelyn continues her affair with a more reluctant Joe. She forces her daughter Jane out to play so they can have the house to themselves. While they have sex, Jane finds a washed-up [[sea mine]] and climbs on it, killing her instantly. Joe blames himself for the recent events and runs away on the day of Jane's funeral, never to return.

Back in the present, Joe returns to England and arrives late to attend Boots' funeral. His mother and aunt tell him that Boots married Ruth and that he died of an aneurysm, leaving behind four young children and a lot of debt. Jesse takes Joe to the church graveyard to meet Ruth, who tells him how much she loved Boots. Joe also spots graves belonging to Jane and Evelyn. He learns from Jesse that Evelyn's marriage broke down after Jane died and she married a man who [[Domestic violence|physically abused]] her. Evelyn later found the courage to leave but was killed in a car accident.

Joe later goes back to the house he purchased for his family when his career was going well. He listens to the same music he and Ruth listened to on the night they first met and decides to write her a cheque to clear the debt. He encloses with the cheque a letter, containing the lyrics to ''If There is Something.'' When Jesse gives it to her, Ruth initially refuses but finds the lyrics and breaks down crying. Brought down to earth by Boots' death and Ruth's grief, Joe returns to Los Angeles where he is met by Ophelia and hopes to start his career afresh.

==Cast==
{{castlist|
* [[Daniel Craig]] as Joe Scot
** [[Harry Eden]] as young Joe Scot
* [[Claire Forlani]] as Ruth
** [[Felicity Jones]] as young Ruth
* [[Emilia Fox]] as Sister Jean
* [[Eve (rapper)|Eve]] as Ophelia Franklin
* [[Jodhi May]] as Evelyn Adams
* [[Miriam Karlin]] as Mrs. Rogers
* [[Helen McCrory]] as Peggy Tickell
* [[James D'Arcy]] as Jack Adams
* [[Mark Strong]] as Mannie Miesel
* [[Olivia Williams]] as Grace Scot
* [[Julie Ordon]] as Carrie Ann
* [[Gina Athans]] as Apple
* Max Deacon as Boots McKay
* Jodie Tomlinson as Jane Adams
* [[Keeley Hawes]] as Jesse Scot
** Mia Clifford as young Jesse Scot
}}

==Production==
The film was mainly shot in [[Cape Town]] in [[South Africa]], and [[England]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/apr/20/drama.features1|title=Flashbacks of a Fool|work=[[The Guardian]]|first=Philip|last=French|date=20 April 2008}}</ref> ''Flashbacks of a Fool'' was director [[Baillie Walsh]]'s first feature film. Walsh had directed music videos for, among others, [[Massive Attack]], [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] and [[INXS]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blackdogfilms.com/uk/directors/baillie-walsh/inxs-taste-it/|title=INXS - Taste It|website=blackdogfilms.com|accessdate=28 March 2019|archive-date=28 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328075435/http://www.blackdogfilms.com/uk/directors/baillie-walsh/inxs-taste-it/|url-status=live}}</ref> The cinematography for the film was done by [[John Mathieson (cinematographer)|John Mathieson]], who shot for films such as ''[[Gladiator (2000 film)|Gladiator]]'', ''[[Matchstick Men]]'' and ''[[Kingdom of Heaven (film)|Kingdom of Heaven]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinematographers.nl/PaginasDoPh/mathieson.htm|title=John Mathieson|website=Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers|access-date=28 March 2019|archive-date=20 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020125521/http://www.cinematographers.nl/PaginasDoPh/mathieson.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Reception==
Review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reports a 38% approval rating based on 21 reviews, with an [[weighted arithmetic mean|average rating]] of 4.54/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Despite Daniel Craig's earnest efforts, ''Flashbacks of a Fool'' suffers from an ambitious but underdeveloped script".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/flashbacks_of_a_fool|title=Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|accessdate=2020-04-07}}</ref>

== Notes ==
<references group="lower-alpha" />
==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|1037218}}
* {{mojo title|flashbacksofafool}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|flashbacks_of_a_fool}}

[[Category:2008 films]]
[[Category:2008 drama films]]
[[Category:British drama films]]
[[Category:Films about actors]]
[[Category:2008 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s British films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Richard Hartley (composer)]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1970s]]
[[Category:Films set in the 2000s]]