FIVE LITTLE PIGS

UK, 2003, 93 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Rachael Stirling, Aidan Gillen, Toby Stephens, Marc Warren, Amy Mullins, Julie Cox, Gemma Jones, Sophie Winkleman, Tallulah Riley, Patrick Malahide, Annette Badland.
Directed by Paul Unwin.

Five Little Pigs seems an ungainly title for an Agatha Christie thriller. However, it was a popular novel by the author and filmed in the series of television versions with David Suchet as Poirot, embodying him with all his characteristics and tics.

This plot differs insofar as the action takes place 14 years after the execution of a woman for poisoning her husband. The young daughter, whom the audience had seen in flashbacks, returns from Canada and enlists the aid of Poirot to find out what really happened.

Which means that the action is basically five interviews with those who were present at the time of the death. The dead man was an artist, played by Aidan Gillen, married to a strong minded woman, Caroline, played by Rachael Stirling. Toby Stephens plays the dead man’s best friend (and some commentators quibbling about whether Agatha Christie intended him to have a gay attraction), Marc Warren as his brother, a scientist with a laboratory where poison could be found. Gemma Jones is the chaperone. Julie Cox is the provocative young woman who is portrayed as being painted but who wants the artist for herself. And Sophie Winkelmann is the dead woman’s sister, growing up in the family, her suffering an eye injury because of an episode with her older sister.

Then Poirot gathers the five witnesses together, letters from the hanged woman seeming to indicate that her sister had committed the murder. However, Poirot discovers the inconsistencies in the narrative and, of course, it is someone else who committed the murder.

1. The popularity of Agatha Christie’s novels? Film and television versions? David Suchet embodying Poirot?

2. The title, the references? The five different stories?

3. Country setting, the house, the environment? The musical score?

4. Poirot dining, meeting with Lucy, her asking his help? The flashbacks, Lucy as a little girl, with Angela, with her mother and father, the posing for the photo? The flashback to prison, Caroline and her writing the letter, her going to the Gallows?

5. Poirot and his contacting the five witnesses? The conversations, the interrogation? The flashbacks, to childhood, to the situation of
the murder?

6. Philip Blake, childhood friend, the revelation of his attraction to Amyas? The role of Caroline? His interpretation of her as a character, behaviour? Amyas his best friend? The visit, experiencing the tensions, his attitude towards Elsa? His brother, the laboratory, overhearing the couple and misinterpreting? His upset with Poirot, then giving him the interview?

7. Meredith, Philip as his brother, the past, his investigations, laboratory, the tour, the poisons and his explanation, the missing bottle? His presence at the house? Later expression of his infatuation for Elsa?

8. Elsa, her later marriage? Aged 18, determined to marry Amyas, arranging the portrait, going to the house, living in, her assertiveness, defiance? Amyas and his response? Caroline and her suspicions? Elsa and her declaration about marrying Amyas, moving into the house, changing it? Her reaction to his death? The interview with Poirot, her being calm, not emotional?

9. Miss Williams, her place in the household, her devotion to Caroline, not believing her guilty? Her description of the events, observing, the information about Caroline wiping the beer bottle for fingerprints?

10. Angela, her lecture, the discussion with Poirot, the past and the injury to her eye from Caroline’s anger? Her place in the house? Not wanting to go to board? Her dislike of Elsa? Her being the main suspect? Caroline believing her to be guilty, the letter from Caroline, her execution being repayment for injuring the eye, urging her to be free?

11. The group gathered together, Elsa coming from the city? The reactions, Angela seeming to be the guilty person? Poirot listening to the interrogations, the different interpretations, the re-enactment of the reality? Elsa and her guilt? Her final self-possession?

12. The plot, the device of Poirot investing a crime of the past, interrogating the witnesses? Exonerating Caroline?