LORD EDGWARE DIES

UK, 1934, 80 minutes, Black-and-white.

Austin Trevor, Jane Carr, Richard Cooper, John Turnbull, Michael Shepley, Leslie Perrins, C.V France.

Directed by Henry Edwards.

By the beginning of the 1930s, Agatha Christie had become a popular mystery writer and had introduced her Belgian detective, Her curl Poirot. Lord Edgware Dies was published in 1933 and filmed the following year. However, it was the third of the Poirot films made, alibi and Black Coffee in 1931 with Austin Trevor playing Poirot in each film.

They were popular films in their time, with the popular British filmmaking style and cast. However, 40 years later, Albert Finney embodied Poirot, followed by a number of films with Peter Ustinov and, then, as all Agatha Christie fans appreciate, David Sue Shea was Poirot in all of the novels and the short stories.

Here, Poirot is rather tall, and does not correct the comment that he is French! Commentators remarked that Henry Cooper, who plays Captain Hastings, was more the size and appearance of Poirot and Austin Trevor rather more like Hastings. And, as part of the dialogue, Hastings does matter good heavens! And Inspector Japp says Good Lord!

Within the 80 minutes, the film establishes an atmosphere, beginning in a nightclub, a singer offering an impersonation of a more famous singer, Lady Edgware who is in the audience. Lady Edgware wants a divorce from her husband, seeks the help of Poirot, he and Hastings interviewing Lord Edgware and finding he is willing to divorce his wife. There are complications with friends, some of whom advise and warn Poirot, and another hair to the Edgware fortune.

All the complications, all the clues, all the misdirections until a final denouement where Poirot gets all the evidence, especially from Lady Edgware has made, and a final confrontation.

A curio to look at now, but significant in the history of Agatha Christie films. Available readily on YouTube.