- 2 days ago
First broadcast 15th January 1989.
"A good night for a murder," says Hastings while he, Inspector Japp and Poirot are enjoying the festivities of Guy Fawkes night. For no one would hear a shot among fireworks...
David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings
Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp
Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon
Juliette Mole as Jane Plenderleith
David Yelland as Laverton-West
James Faulkner as Major Eustace
Gabrielle Blunt as Mrs Pierce
John Cording as Div. Insp. Jameson
Barrie Cookson as Dr Brett
Christopher Brown as Golfer
Bob Bryan as Barman
Beccy Wright as Maid
Nicholas Delve as Freddie
Moya Ruskin as Singer
"A good night for a murder," says Hastings while he, Inspector Japp and Poirot are enjoying the festivities of Guy Fawkes night. For no one would hear a shot among fireworks...
David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings
Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp
Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon
Juliette Mole as Jane Plenderleith
David Yelland as Laverton-West
James Faulkner as Major Eustace
Gabrielle Blunt as Mrs Pierce
John Cording as Div. Insp. Jameson
Barrie Cookson as Dr Brett
Christopher Brown as Golfer
Bob Bryan as Barman
Beccy Wright as Maid
Nicholas Delve as Freddie
Moya Ruskin as Singer
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00THE END
00:24Hastings, my friend, tell me,
00:27to blow up the English parliament,
00:30Was it a sin or a noble deed?
00:33It's no good asking me, old son.
00:35I was never much of a one for politics.
00:38Where's Mrs Jam tonight, then?
00:40She can't abide fireworks.
00:42The noise disturbs the delicate sensibilities of many ladies.
00:46Maybe, maybe.
00:48I think it's more that she doesn't like to see people enjoying themselves.
00:59Tell you what, though, what a good night for a murder, eh?
01:03I mean, if somebody wanted to kill anybody,
01:05nobody would know if it was a gunshot or a firework.
01:08Hmm.
01:09But not so good, my friend, if your chosen method is strangulation.
01:12No, that's true, no.
01:14Or poisoning, come for that.
01:16Yes.
01:17You're pulling my leg.
01:19Yes, Hastings.
01:20We pull ever so gently the leg.
01:22Well, I still think it's a jolly good night for a murder.
01:26Anyway, I'm going to leave you here.
01:28This is where I garage my car.
01:30Good night, Chief Inspector.
01:31Good night, Poirot.
01:32Good night, Captain Hastings.
01:33Have a man.
01:35Good night.
01:39Steady on, lad.
01:58You won't forget your dental appointment at 11, will you, Mr. Poirot?
02:17Hercule Poirot does not need to go to the dentist, Miss Lemon.
02:21You've put it off once already.
02:23My teeth are perfection.
02:24It is sacrilege to tamper with them.
02:27But why do we not do something constructive about my collars, Miss Lemon?
02:31That laundry is in the pay of my enemies.
02:37Thank you, Poirot's residence.
02:38Poirot, please.
02:39Oh.
02:40Jeff here.
02:41Yes.
02:42Chief Inspector Jap.
02:44He's here.
02:55Good morning, Chief Inspector Jap.
02:57Here's a strange thing, Poirot.
02:59You remember how we stopped at the end of Bardsley Garden Mews last night?
03:03Where your friend, uh, Hastings keeps his car?
03:06And Hastings was saying about how the sound of a shock could be covered by the noise of a firework?
03:11Yes.
03:12Well, someone did it.
03:13Really?
03:14Not murder.
03:15Looks like suicide.
03:16But they're not entirely happy about it.
03:19Hmm.
03:20I'll make you there in one hour.
03:22Cancel all my appointments for this morning, Miss Lemon.
03:29But I...
03:30Good of you to spare the time, Poirot.
03:31No, no, no, no, no.
03:32Not at all.
03:33But I hope you appreciate, my friend, the urgent business I have had to cancel to be here.
03:44Oh, really?
03:45Well, yes.
03:51The dead woman is Mrs. Allen.
03:53She shared the house with a friend, Miss Plenderleith, who is a professional photographer, or something along those lines.
04:02Miss Plenderleith was away in the country, but when she came home this morning, she finds her friend's door locked.
04:12She knocks and calls, but can't get any answer.
04:16In the end, she gets really alarmed and calls the police.
04:1910.45, our lads break the door down, and there's Mrs. Allen lying in a heap on the floor, shot through the head.
04:30Right, Brett, what's the trouble?
04:31Well, the position's all right.
04:34If she shot herself, she'd probably have slipped from the chair into just that position.
04:39But?
04:40The prints on the gun, sir, they're the problem.
04:42Bit of a thumbprint and a forefinger, and that's all.
04:45Just what you get from someone trying to press the dead woman's fingers on the gun and not doing it very well.
04:56Gun in left hand, wound on the left side.
05:00Presumably she was left handed.
05:02She looks as though she's holding the gun, but in fact she isn't.
05:07It's just sort of lying in her hand.
05:10Anything else?
05:11Yeah, the window was closed and bolted and the door was locked.
05:16We haven't been able to find the key.
05:22Watch this thing.
05:29Might mean something.
05:32Anything strike you?
05:33I was looking at the watch.
05:43Expensive by the look of it.
05:48Tuesday, November the 5th.
05:49How long has she been dead?
05:54She died at about 11.30 last night.
06:05No sign of any note having been written.
06:07No.
06:09Seems to me all we've got to go on at the moment is the missing key.
06:11If the key was here, we wouldn't hesitate.
06:14Suicide, we'd say.
06:17This must be a terrible shock to you, Miss Plenderleith.
06:33I still can't believe it.
06:36We'll be as brief as possible.
06:39Now, you've already told Inspector Jameson how you found the body when you came in this morning.
06:44You were away for the weekend, I take it?
06:47Yes, since Friday noon.
06:49Pardon, mademoiselle.
06:52When you found the door locked, you called the police.
06:55It did not occur to you that she might have gone away and locked the door before leaving?
07:01Why should she lock it?
07:03In any case, she would have left a note for me.
07:06And she did not leave any note?
07:08Of course she didn't.
07:10Tell me about Mrs. Allen, Miss Plenderleith.
07:13I met her abroad.
07:15She was on her way back from India.
07:17I was looking for someone to share a flat with me.
07:20We decided we liked each other.
07:22What about the husband?
07:25Nothing to write home about, apparently.
07:27He drank, I think.
07:29Died a year or two after the marriage.
07:38Do you know if Mrs. Allen was in any financial difficulties?
07:41No, I'm sure she wasn't.
07:43Did she have any particular man friend?
07:46Or men friends?
07:48She was engaged to be married again, if that answers your question.
07:51What's the name of the man she was engaged to?
07:54Oh, my God. I haven't told Charles.
07:58Who is Charles, Miss?
08:00The man Barbara was engaged to.
08:02Charles Laverton West. He's MP for some place in Hampshire.
08:05I should have phoned him.
08:07We'll go around and see.
08:09But there'd be no quarrel between them, as far as you know.
08:13I'd be very surprised.
08:15Barbara wasn't the quarrelling kind.
08:17What is your own opinion of Monsieur Laverton West, mademoiselle?
08:21He's young, ambitious.
08:26A good public speaker means to get on in the world.
08:29And on the debit side?
08:33Well, in my opinion, he's commonplace and rather pompous.
08:36Those are not very serious false men, mademoiselle.
08:40Oh. You don't think so?
08:42Well, they might be to you.
08:44But...
08:46To Mrs. Allen?
08:48No.
08:51She would not notice them.
08:57You were fond of your friend.
09:02Yes, very.
09:03I know this must be upsetting for you, Miss Blenderleeth, but there are just one or two more questions I'd like to ask you.
09:18Mrs. Allen was left-handed, wasn't she?
09:21Left-handed?
09:23No, I don't think so.
09:25No, I'm sure she wasn't.
09:27Really?
09:28You see, Mrs. Allen was shot in the left temple, and the gun was in her left hand.
09:33Didn't you notice that when you found the body?
09:36No, I didn't.
09:39It was so horrible, I didn't notice anything.
09:42That's understandable, Miss.
09:44But it seems highly unlikely that a normally right-handed person would shoot themselves left-handed.
09:48Have you ever seen this before?
09:54No.
09:56It's not yours nor Mrs. Allen's?
09:59It's not the kind of thing normally worn by our sex, is it?
10:02Oh, so you recognise it?
10:03I don't recognise it, I recognise what it is, though.
10:09It's half of a man's cufflink.
10:12Hastings?
10:14Once we've got this filter screwed down, good.
10:17Hastings?
10:18Tight.
10:20We can put the new oil in, and she will run like a well-oiled clock.
10:24Hastings?
10:26Hello?
10:27What are you doing, Hastings?
10:28Well, I thought I'd just do some work on the car.
10:33But you were to ask questions, Hastings, to send that local opinion.
10:37Oh, I've done that.
10:39Freddie?
10:41Freddie's helping with the oil filter.
10:43That'll all go.
10:45Finger tight for now.
10:46We'll put the Spanish hook in a new gasket.
10:48Right.
10:49This is Mr. Poirot.
10:50Where are you, Gov?
10:51I'm Fred Dog.
10:52Here you go.
10:53You can call me Freddie.
10:55Hello, Freddie.
10:57Freddie's got the goods.
10:59Did you see something last night?
11:00Well, Miss Allen, she went to the post box at about six.
11:04About half nine, though, a car pulled up.
11:07Standard swallow saloon.
11:08Nubish, really.
11:09But he looked smart.
11:10A man got out.
11:11He was about 45, well set up.
11:13Military-looking gent.
11:14You've seen him?
11:15I don't know.
11:16I don't know.
11:17I don't know.
11:18I don't know.
11:19I don't know.
11:20I don't know.
11:21Military-looking gent.
11:22You've seen him before?
11:23Yeah, a couple of times.
11:24Dark glue over coat.
11:26Toothbrush moustache.
11:27He was in there for about an hour.
11:29I saw them come out together.
11:31So you saw him leave?
11:32I don't miss much, Gov.
11:34Then you heard what they said, of course.
11:36Yeah.
11:37He said, think it over and let me know.
11:39And she said something.
11:40And then he said, so long.
11:42And the way they talk, they were friendly, yes?
11:45You can't always tell what I was, can you?
11:47But it seemed all right.
11:48You didn't hear what Mrs. Allen said?
11:50No, she was sort of ran behind the door.
11:53Now look here, my boy.
11:55I want you to answer my next question very carefully.
11:58If you don't know the answer or can't remember, you just say so.
12:01That clear?
12:02Ask the question.
12:03Which of them shut the door?
12:06Mrs. Allen or the gentleman?
12:08I think the lady did.
12:11No, she never.
12:12It was him.
12:13He pulled it too with a big bang and then got into the car really quick.
12:16Oh.
12:17Here you are, my boy.
12:18You seem a bright kind of shaver.
12:19Here's sixpence for you.
12:20That's very kind of you, sir.
12:21But you couldn't see a way to making it shilling, could you?
12:22Go on, clear off.
12:23Oh.
12:24That's very kind of you, sir.
12:25But you couldn't see a way to making it shilling, could you?
12:28Go on, clear off.
12:30Do on your resume.
12:32Good
12:41way.
12:41Okay.
12:42Bye.
12:47Right.
12:48Bye.
12:50Bye.
12:52Bye.
12:55Bye.
12:55Bye.
12:57Bye.
12:58Bye.
12:58Bye.
12:59Bye.
12:59good day gentlemen what do I owe this pleasure no great pleasure sir I'm afraid no we brought
13:17some bad news go on it's about mrs. Allen mrs. Barbara Allen
13:23hello oh yes yes thank you I'll hold on it's the prime minister I will have some questions sir
13:34is it just make an appointment with my secretary at the house yes I'm still here very good sir
13:39we'll do that I'm sorry to be the bearer of such bad news
13:43father monsieur allow me to express my deepest sympathy at your loss
13:53yes right thank you um stiff upper lip you know that's the British way
13:59by the way sir was mrs. Allen left-handed
14:06left-handed no I don't think so can't say I ever no she was right-handed I'm sure
14:15ah prime minister no not at all prime minister yes yes everything's ready for you
14:26what a stuffed fish no not a stuffed fish a boiled owl as you say jab more concerned about the newspapers
14:40than his fiance being dead blender list girl was quite right about him my jury's a good-looking
14:45chap might go down well with some women perhaps but it would not do I think for them to have a sense of
14:51humor the important thing is everyone seems agreed that mrs. Allen was right-handed yes of course
15:00one must not jump to conclusions mon ami don't mind about jumping to conclusions
15:04Poirot this is a murder we're dealing with
15:07to the bulldog breathe laundry dear sirs
15:28once again I am obliged to communicate to you the dissatisfaction I have for your statching of my colors
15:51I refer to my instructions
15:57of the 2nd of March 1935 and subsequent letters
16:04you look them up in the fire miss lemon and enumerate them all of them mr. Poirot all of them miss lemon it is become serious
16:14the trouble is mr. Poirot they just don't understand the letters
16:20why not they're Chinese mr. Poirot
16:23the bulldog breed laundry is Chinese yes mr. Poirot
16:28what is the world coming to miss lemon I'm sure I couldn't say sir but when the boy brings your laundry back he brings the letters back too for me to explain to him and you do no why not I don't speak Chinese
16:43so what do you say to him well I say him color no velly good starchy I show him the colors and say it
16:55Hastings my friend you spent some years in China did you not no absolutely fine fellows fine fellows did you ever have any trouble with your laundry yes I did as a matter of fact
17:11yes I did as a matter of fact and what did you say to them well I said him
17:17collar no velly good starchy that's where I got it from sir I asked the
17:21captain knowing he'd been in the East but Hastings my collars they do not get
17:25any better no mine didn't either now I come to think about it
17:35why don't you get yourself some turned-down collars Poirot
17:41the thing Hastings do you think Poirot concerns himself with me a thing this
17:46I know no no I see the turned-down color is the first symptom of decay of the gray
17:53cells it's chief inspector Japp mr. Poirot well she's out of it good morning chief
18:01inspector Japp yes well good morning now who is out of it
18:08Plenda Leith she was playing bridge in Essex up to midnight we've got to give
18:13up any idea of her being concerned in the business a disappointment Jeff you are
18:22still convinced we are dealing here with a mother no doubts about it something I've
18:32been meaning to ask you Poirot hmm what was that you were sniffing out in the room when
18:37we first examine the body sniff sniff sniff you got a cold of you no I always thought
18:43the little gray cells were in your brain don't tell me your nose cells are superior to everyone
18:48else's too by no means it was merely cigarette smoke I didn't smell cigarette smoke no more did I my
18:56friend there were nine cigarette ends in the ashtray six of them gasp was three Turkish exactly your
19:06wonderful nose cells knew that without looking I suppose I assure you my nose does not enter into
19:10the matter my nose registered nothing but the brain cells registered a lot well there were certain
19:18indications did you not think so now am I wrong or are we going to talk further with a beautiful miss
19:30splendor leaf yes you know there was something missing from that room chief inspector but also
19:41something added I think you know what's worrying me Poirot yes yes what do you mean yes I saw you
19:51looking at mrs. Allen's checkbook stud yesterday you're too clever for your own good you are Poirot and
19:57you noticed as I did that mrs. Allen drew her 200 pounds in cash from her bank on Monday morning and
20:02three months ago on the 6th of August another 200 truly truly and there's no 200 pounds in this
20:08house that my less could find I'm afraid miss Plenderleith that we are no longer treating this as a case of
20:18suicide suicide you see being as how your friend was in no way shape or form likely to commit suicide
20:25we have to consider the alternative murder murder are you sure
20:33horrible horrible perhaps mademoiselle but impossible I suppose it's possible and if there was a murder
20:48there would have to be a motive ask me any questions you like but I don't see how I can help you
20:55on Monday night mrs. Allen had a visitor he's described as a man of 45 military bearing toothbrush
21:06mustache smartly dressed and driving a standard swallow saloon car do you know who that is sounds
21:13like major Eustace who's major Eustace he was a man Barbara had known in India he turned up about a
21:20year ago and we've seen him on and off since he was a friend of mrs. Allen's he behaved like one
21:27would it surprise you miss Plenderleith if I suggested that this man was blackmailing mrs. Allen
21:33of course so that was it of course you find the suggestion feasible mademoiselle I was a fool not to
21:44think of it I wish she told me I'd have told him to go to the devil but he might have gone might he
21:54not to monsieur Leverton West yes yes that's true which room do you think mrs. Allen would have
22:06received a visitor in oh probably in here on the other hand if she wanted to write a check or anything
22:13of that kind she'd probably take him upstairs there was no question of a check mrs. Allen drew out 200
22:18pounds in cash on Monday so far we've not been able to find any trace of it in the house but I'd
22:24like to have just one more look round if I may look any way you like would you sit down thank you
22:54a cigarette you are most kind
23:04this cupboard under the stairs miss Plenderleith
23:19it's locked
23:22yes I've already found that out could I have the key please
23:27um
23:29I don't know where it is
23:33oh that's too bad don't want to have to break the lock
23:38no
23:40it might be upstairs
23:45I managed to find it
24:10good
24:12we keep it locked otherwise one's umbrellas and things have a habit of getting pinched
24:21very sensible
24:23right
24:24that's mine
24:36it came back with me yesterday morning so there can't be anything there
24:43just as well to be on the safe side
24:47nothing much there
24:53no well there couldn't have been could there
24:56sorry to bother you again mr. Labden West
25:11couldn't it have waited
25:12this sort of inquiry is often inconvenient sir
25:15I don't mind the inconvenience if I see the results
25:17have you any idea yet chief inspector what caused mrs. Allen to take her own life
25:21perhaps it will be more understandable sir but I tell you that it was not suicide but murder
25:28what are you talking about
25:32the only idea mr. Labden West who might have any conceivable motive
25:36no
25:38it's bizarre
25:40the mere idea is unimaginable
25:42she never mention any enemies anyone who might bear a grudge against her
25:46never
25:49never
25:51do you know Major Eustace
25:53Eustace
25:54Eustace
25:55Eustace
25:56oh yes I remember
25:59I met him once at Barber's
26:01mrs. Allen's
26:03rather a doubtful type in my opinion I said as much to mrs. Allen
26:07Allen
26:08he wasn't the sort of man I should have encouraged to come to the house after we were married
26:16look I gotta get dressed
26:17what did mrs. Allen say to that?
26:20she quite agreed
26:22she trusted my judgment implicitly
26:25and naturally as my wife she would have found a good many of her old associates
26:29well
26:30unsuitable shall we say
26:32quite
26:34quite
26:37what can you tell me about your own movements on the night of November 5th sir
26:41my movement
26:44my movement
26:45purely a matter of routine sir we have to ask everybody
26:49I should have thought a man in my position might have been exempt
26:53it doesn't work quite like that sir
26:58very well
26:59let me see
27:00I was at the house of commons
27:05left about half past ten went for a walk along the embankment
27:09watched some of the fireworks
27:12lucky there aren't any plots like that nowadays
27:17then I walked home
27:19what time did you arrive?
27:22somewhere about eleven fifteen eleven thirty
27:25perhaps someone let you in?
27:28no
27:30did you meet anyone whilst walking?
27:33no
27:42what an alley-back
27:44so feeble it must be genuine
27:46no I'm not bothered about him
27:48it's the plenderleaf girl that worries me
27:51I'd still like to know why she got so hot and bothered about that briefcase
27:56there's something in your line Poirot
27:59you like chasing about after the kind of triviality that leads nowhere
28:03the mystery of the perambulating briefcase
28:07sounds quite promising
28:08I'm promising
28:27here's a song of tantalizing ditty
28:30the tune is catchy and the words are witty
28:34it could be it's a country or a city
28:38is it Tokyo?
28:40no you gotta work south a little
28:42is it Kokomo?
28:43no you gotta work east now boys
28:45here's a cool Recipes oriental
28:48has a native beef that's fundamental
28:51that came way before the continental
28:55is it Mexico?
28:57nunca nunca
28:59is it Borneo?
29:00you're getting warmer
29:02cos it's Hindustan
29:08where we stop to rest our tired caravan
29:17Hindustan
29:22where the painted peacock proudly spread his fan
29:26how do you use this in the club?
29:27you use this in the club
29:32major Eustace
29:34yeah?
29:35chief inspater japs scotland jock
29:37oh yeah
29:39drink
29:41no thank you sir
29:43might we have a word?
29:45er
29:47yes
29:49shall we go over here?
29:50and we won't be gay
29:51and we won't be gay
29:58well well well
30:00take a few
30:02not often I get honoured by a big gun like a chief inspector
30:09no thank you
30:10you smoke turkish I see
30:11yes
30:12would you prefer a gasper?
30:14i've got some
30:16somewhere
30:17no no this will do fine
30:18thanks
30:19i think you knew mrs barbara allen major Eustace
30:20ah
30:21yes
30:22very sad business
30:23i saw her in the paper last night
30:24you met her out in India i believe
30:25yes
30:39some years ago now
30:40did you also know her husband?
30:41no as a matter of fact i never came across Alan
30:42years ago now did you also know her husband no as a matter of fact i never came across alan but
30:48you know something about it i heard it was by way of being a bad hat of course that was uh
30:56only hearsay mrs allen never spoke about it never what i want to know is did you see mrs allen on
31:04the night of november the fifth indeed i did you called at her house i think that's right
31:10her she asked me to advise her about some investments she gave no hint about contemplating
31:15suicide not the least in the world matter of fact when we said goodbye i said i'd ring her up soon
31:22and we'd do a show together you said you'd ring her up those were your last words yes curious
31:29i have information that you said something quite different my information is that what you actually
31:34said was well think it over and let me know not quite the same thing is it well i i think what
31:44i said was that she should let me know when she was free i mean you can't expect a man to remember
31:48word for word excuse me major deirdre says we need some more gin from the cupboard oh
31:54get a couple of bottles out will you trevor right you own this place do you major eustace wish i did
32:05little gold mine this
32:14you say that mrs allen asked you to advise her about investments did she by any chance then trust you with
32:20the sum of the sum of 200 pounds what the devil do you mean by that oh mrs allen drew out the sum of
32:26200 pounds in cash from her bank some of the money was in five pound notes they can be traced by their
32:32numbers of course well trace them then and be damned to you trace them i don't care was the money for
32:46investment major eustace or was it blackmail that's a preposterous suggestion how dare you
32:53look look what happened was this i went round to the house i mean i i telephoned first what time did
33:01you get there um about half past nine we sat and talked and smoked yes and smoked anything wrong with
33:11that where did this talk take place in the sitting room as i said we sat and talked quite amicably
33:19and then i left uh just before about half past ten you stayed in the sitting room for
33:24out of your visit yes you didn't go upstairs to mrs allen's own room no
33:31can i just look at your cufflinks major eustace
33:33cufflinks you can refuse if you wish of course i've got nothing to hide
33:45when did that happen what one of them's broker oh i know i uh i listed this morning
33:52doesn't show if i put that in on the inside would it surprise you to learn that it happened when you
33:57were visiting mrs allen's well i've not denied i was there yes but that piece of cufflink was found
34:03not downstairs in the sitting room but upstairs in mrs allen's own room there in the same room where she
34:08was murdered murdered yes and where a man sat smoking the same kind of cigarettes that you smoke
34:18you tried to frame me i never went near the house again that night you didn't need to she was dead when
34:24you left no no no wait a minute wait a minute you've got someone who heard me talking to barbara
34:32on the doorstep you said they heard you talk to her then pretend to wait for her to answer and then
34:37talk again that's an old trick oh my god it isn't true robert erskine eustace i must ask you to
34:45accompany me to the police station
34:54oh hello yes dear could i please speak to miss plenderly well you could dear if she was here
35:15she's gone off playing that golf golf if you please and that poor mrs allen still lying cold down at the
35:23mulchery indeed this is most difficult i'm sorry mrs pierce dear my name is hercule poirot mrs pierce oh
35:36i've heard of you dear well i almost fluttered
35:43mrs pierce i am in something of a difficulty
35:47i came here yesterday with the chief inspector jab
35:50and we omitted to search for clues in one particular place in the house
35:56so i was wondering if oh come on in dear help yourself you are most kind thank you
36:06my old man will be ever so tickled when i tell him you was here dear
36:10always reading your exploits in the paper he is that's very nice mrs pierce
36:14yes go on drive you to drinkywood reading all that rubbish in the newspapers
36:20yes
36:27mrs pierce where does miss plenderly go to play the golf
36:32are you sure he's all right captain hastings the name of poirot is feared on golf courses all over
36:49the continent you don't happen to have a handicap certificate on you do you sir no no i'm fine
36:57now there should be a little hole somewhere and i have to push the ball into it
37:00you see that flag there
37:07no
37:07in front of the big tree a little patch of red
37:11ah yes good that's where the little hole is
37:14no
37:14won't keep you a moment now all you have to do is hit it with that
37:30go ahead easy does it am i allowed to hit the flag oh yes yes that'll be fine
38:01no it will not hit the flag i think
38:05oh bad luck
38:12hastings how will we ever catch up with miss plenderly if you take so many hits each time
38:16oh we can't she started out an hour and a half ago
38:20we might see her coming back on one of the parallel holes
38:26i do wish you'd stop rummaging around in the dustbins
38:30oh
38:35not another one number three hastings someone's having a bad day
38:40people do break clubs you know but three clubs in three holes
38:44well what then
38:46miss plenderly is getting rid of some golf clubs in a place where she thought they would never be noticed
38:51major eustace is not guilty of murder hastings
39:05lost your ball againfoora shh keep it outside
39:18Look.
39:48Oh, my God.
40:18We've seen enough, Hastings.
40:27I must regretfully abandon our most interesting game
40:30and go and telephone the Chief Inspector Jean.
40:33Come on.
40:48Why?
41:00Why would a presumably sane young woman want to throw an expensive case into a lake
41:05with just two magazines in it and a couple of stones to make sure it sank?
41:09You need worry no longer. The answer is coming.
41:13Then why break up a perfectly good set of golf clubs?
41:16I don't mind telling you. I lay awake last night worrying about it.
41:19Mon pauvre chap.
41:21Miss Plenderly, Mr. Poirot.
41:23Thank you, Miss Lemon.
41:25I'm sorry I'm late. I've just come from Barbara's funeral.
41:30It was so good of you to come.
41:33Please sit down, mademoiselle.
41:40I have certain news to give you.
41:43I read it in the papers.
41:45Major Eustace has been arrested.
41:48It was murder then.
41:50Oh, yes.
41:51The willful destruction of one human being by another human being.
42:00And now, mademoiselle, I'm going to tell you just how I arrived at the truth in this matter.
42:05He has his methods. I humor him, you know.
42:08To begin with, there was the smell of the cigarette smoke.
42:14Which I didn't smell.
42:16Precisely.
42:17And yet yesterday had in it no fewer than the stubs of nine cigarettes.
42:21So it was odd, eh?
42:22Very odd that the room should smell as it did.
42:24Perfectly fresh.
42:25Oh, so that's what you were getting at.
42:28Hmm?
42:29The next thing that attracted my attention was the wristwatch worn by the dead woman.
42:34What about her?
42:36It was worn on the right wrist.
42:39Now, in my experience, it is more usual for the wristwatch to be worn on the left wrist.
42:47But now, my friends, I come to the writing bureau.
42:51Yes, I thought we'd come to that.
42:53Yeah, the blotting pad had on top a clean, untouched piece of blotting paper.
42:58The sheet was clean because Barbara hadn't written any letters that day.
43:02Yes, she had.
43:03Freddie saw her post some letters at six o'clock.
43:06Well done, Hastings.
43:08So what then happened to the piece of paper on which she had blotted her letters?
43:14But there was a second curious detail about the writing desk.
43:18Perhaps you, Jeppe, can remember the arrangement of it.
43:24Allow me.
43:30Ink stand and blotting pad in the centre.
43:33The pen tray to the left.
43:36The calendar.
43:37And the quill pen to the right.
43:41Est-bien?
43:42Yes?
43:43Ah, you do not see.
43:46The pens for use were in the pen tray on the left.
43:51Is it not more usual to find the pen tray on the right more convenient for the right hand?
43:57So, I made myself a picture, Jeppe.
44:05A picture of Miss Plenderleeth arriving home after the weekend.
44:13A picture of Miss Plenderleeth opening the door and finding her friend lying dead with a pistol clasped in her hand.
44:20Barbara?
44:21Her left hand, naturally, since her friend was left-handed, in spite of everything Miss Plenderleeth has done to convince us that her friend was right-handed.
44:35There is also a note addressed to you, mademoiselle.
44:39It was, I fancy, a very moving letter about a young, gentle, unhappy woman driven by blackmail to take her own life.
44:50I think almost at once the idea flashed into your head.
44:57Let him be punished.
44:59You take up the note and the top sheet of plotting paper.
45:05Then you go downstairs and light the fire and drop both into the flames.
45:20You take the ashtray upstairs to further the illusion that there were two people sat up there talking.
45:25You also have a lucky break.
45:32You discover a fragment of Major Eustace's cufflink in the sitting room.
45:37You take that upstairs, too.
45:40You expect that to clinch the matter.
45:55You take the pistol from her left hand.
45:59You wipe it clean and put it back in her left hand.
46:05You bolt the window and lock the door.
46:10There must be no suspicion that you have tampered with the room.
46:15And so it goes on.
46:25Oh, yes, mademoiselle, it was clever.
46:28A very clever murder.
46:31For that is what it was.
46:36The attempted murder of Major Eustace.
46:42It wasn't murder.
46:44It was justice.
46:47That man hounded Barbara to her death.
46:50Poor kid.
46:52Just because she got involved with some married man in India and had a baby.
46:59When the child died, she came back to England.
47:02She met Charles and fell in love with him.
47:04God knows why, the pompous little tick.
47:09And then that devil Eustace turned up from India.
47:12If you'd read that letter she left me, you'd understand why I did what I did.
47:18She loved Charles, she said.
47:20She couldn't live without him.
47:22But for his own sake, she mustn't marry him.
47:25She was taking the best way out.
47:26I wish you'd seen that letter.
47:30And you call it murder.
47:33Because it is murder.
47:35The man you wish to trap is already in prison.
47:38Do you really wish to destroy him?
47:41Do you really wish to destroy the life, the mind of any human being?
47:51No.
47:56No.
47:58No, I don't.
48:00I wish I did.
48:04But I don't.
48:05What?
48:20Well, I'm jiggered.
48:21Not murder disguised as suicide, but suicide made to look like murder.
48:31And Klebbelt it done too.
48:35Nothing overemphasised.
48:37Wait a minute.
48:39What about the briefcase?
48:41And what about the golf clubs?
48:43Oh.
48:45Well, they were Mrs. Allen's.
48:47You see, Jane Plenderleeth had to convince us that her friend was right-handed,
48:52if we were to believe she had been murdered.
48:55But the golf clubs?
48:57They were the left-handed.
49:00Of course.
49:02And when she opened the cupboard, she tried to focus our attention on the wrong object.
49:06So she used the briefcase as a, what is it, a bloater, kippa, red herring.
49:13Absolutely.
49:15And now, my friends, it is time for me to take you to lunch.
Comments