THE MYSTERY OF HUNTERS LODGE

UK, 1991, 50 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Diana Kent, Jim Norton, Shaughan Seymour, Roy Boyd, Bernard Horsefall.
Directed by Renny Rye.

This mystery is more complex than many of the other short stories in the early years of the television series of Agatha Christie mysteries with David Suchet as Poirot.

There is a briskness in the opening, the group out on the Moors hunting and shooting. The main characters are introduced in this context, the wealthy businessman who hosts the occasion, his half-brother who is the keeper of the property, one nephew an awkward schoolteacher, and the other a respectable businessman, present with his wife. Hastings is involved in the hunt. Poirot sits on a stool, reading a book about cooking the birds, then having to take to his bed because he is so cold after being in the countryside.

After a celebration back at the house, when the nephew goes back to school on his bike, the other gets a train to London. However, a mysterious character emerges from the train, steals the stationmaster’s bike. The owner is shot in his house, report of a mysterious man with a beard having come to the house.

Chief Inspector Japap also appears at the scene. The locals have a talented dog whom they employ in tracking down clues. The dog leads Poirot and the group to the bicycle buried, along with the mysterious beard. Everybody is assembled for reckoning about the murder and the dog sniffs out the wife, and the revelation that the mysterious housekeeper who kept to herself and the wife are one and the same person.

A satisfactory mystery, complications and solution.

1. The popularity of Agatha Christie mysteries? The television series with David Suchet as Poirot?

2. The outdoors and country setting? Hunting country, the open spaces, the shooting, the birds? Poirot sitting on his stool with his recipe book? The musical score?

3. The range of characters at the hunt? Harrington Pace as owner, the background of his Irish connections, doubledealing, making his money? Jack as his half-brother, the enmity between the two, Jack as the keeper? Archie, the teacher, the nephew, his awkwardness, shooting Harrington in the hand? Roger, nephew, business connections? Zoe, congenial, his wife? The scenes of the hunt?

4. The return to the house, the celebration, the work in the kitchen, Zoe and her headache, Mrs Middleton and her being in charge, the other members of the staff?

5. Archie, riding his bike, teaching at school? Jack, his work on the grounds? Roger, his return to London, in the train, the mysterious figure alighting at the next station, taking the stationmaster’s bike? The news of the bearded anonymous man at the door? The death of Harrington? The disappearance of Mrs Middleton who had announced the visitor, and had asked Jack to notify the police?

6. Poirot, Hastings, Poirot in bed, upset that the birds had been fed to the cats? The phone calls? The information, the interrogations? The plausibility of those who might have killed Harrington?

7. Going into the fields, the importance of the police dog, Mrs Harrington’s dress, the dog finding the buried bike and the beard, finally identifying Zoe?

8. Roger, his alibi, his gambling debts, the mystery person on the train, the identification of Zoe? Zoe and Mrs Middleton never together? The plan for the murder, the timing, Zoe and her ruthlessness?

9. The satisfactory murder mystery, complexity, clues, solution?