Being Poirot Page #5

and then he became a refugee.

POIROT:
Then began my second career.

It is reported that I am the most

famous detective in England.

'Agatha Christie created an outsider

who was true to life.

His faith gave him his purpose

but I think his humanity and warmth

is the secret of the character's

success.

But of all the crimes he solved,

there was one case that would

challenge him to breaking point.'

'In the whole of Poirot's career,

there was one story above all

that seems to have captured

the public's imagination.'

And if you would be so kind

as to book for me a passage tonight

on the Orient Express.

'I knew that even after 20 years of

playing Poirot,

this would be one of the most

challenging performances

of my career.'

Good morning, sir.

Good morning.

Welcome back.

Nice to be back, thank you.

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS)

Murder On The Orient Express was

almost, for me, an untouchable.

Obviously because it was such a

famous film with Albert Finney

and it won Oscars.

So I had quite a lot to live up to.

'I began researching

Murder On The Orient Express

by reading the book on the original

restored train to Venice.

Now I'm going back to relive Poirot's

most dramatic story

and meet some old friends.'

It's such a pleasure

to see you again.

(BOTH EXCLAIM)

Welcome.

'In 2008, I set out to make

Murder On The Orient Express,

a story about a very brutal murder,

and I wanted Poirot

to be as faithful to Agatha

Christie's novel as possible.'

Oh, my goodness me.

I'm back home.

Well, welcome back home.

It was an extraordinary experience to

have been on the train

before I made the film

because I used that

in the making of the film.

Murder On The Orient Express with

Albert Finney was a wonderful film.

We had a different take on it.

We took it much more seriously.

In fact...

the actual tone of the book...

is serious.

I think the story has become

legendary

because to have 12 murderers -

judge, jury and executioners -

was an extraordinary invention

of hers.

(BRAKES SCREECH)

Ca va?

DAVID:
In the story,

the train becomes stationary

because of an avalanche.

To be stuck inside this narrow tube

made it very claustrophobic.

That was the brilliance of her story.

(PLAYS POIROT THEME)

So...the guilty 12.

Where I am now is where the big

summing-up took place

and this is where he makes his

big reveal

that not one person among them

was the murderer

but they were all guilty

of putting in the knife.

No, no. No, you behave like this

and we become just...

..savages...in the street!

The juries and executioners,

they elect themselves.

No, it is medieval!

The rule of law,

it must be held high.

And if it falls, you pick it up

and hold it even higher!

He is thrown into deep anguish

and thought and prayer

as to what should be do?

Even though he may sympathise

with the crime,

is it his right to let them go?

Or should he do what he knows

his faith would tell him to do?

'That's the story. But where she set

it is so unbelievably brilliant.

It's lovely to be on the train

and in the carriage

that Hercule Poirot slept in.'

Fillet de boeuf.

'And to be able to eat in the

restaurant he ate in.'

'In the 70 films I've played Poirot,

Murder On The Orient Express

was the one which showed him

in a turmoil of conscience

we've never seen before.

Torn and tormented over what to do

about this murder.'

Bye-bye.

Thank you so much.

'In the end,

he chooses to let them go.'

On the human level,

he did the right thing.

But as far as his faith is concerned

and what it did to him,

it really cost.

'Poirot understands the frailty of

people -

their passions, their hopes

and their dreams.

It's a characteristic which I think

is recognised and admired

by viewers the world over.'

'Orient Express was one of my

biggest challenges as Poirot.

Now, five years on,

I'm on the set of Dead Man's Folly.

(AS POIROT) Good morning.

How are you? Fine, thanks.

'It's June 2013 and nine months since

I filmed Poirot's death in Curtain.

I wanted to end 25 years on a high,

not his demise,

so we shot the final film

out of sequence.

When I finish this film,

I will have shot every Poirot story

that Agatha Christie ever published.'

(AS POIROT)

You come on a set like this

and you think,

"I don't have to do anything."

Good morning. Morning, David.

How are you?

You've been in the fortune teller

tent - Yes.

- which we saw you go into last

night. A scene in there.

A few cuts and then -

I come out and meet the Dutch girl.

80, take one.

Background action and action!

I think the enduring power of Poirot

obviously centres

on David's performance.

But also, careful casting, very good

direction, brilliant art direction,

excellent locations

and a great deal of thought

go in to make it the package that

becomes Agatha Christie's Poirot.

Madame?

What you wear on your head,

it is a creation most beautiful.

Like something from Royal Ascot,

ne c'est pas?

David is meticulous. He's brought

with him an eye of detail.

We have never been allowed to let

our standards slip

because David would pick us up

on that.

Oh, it's an honour to work

with David again

and it must be an extraordinary

experience for him

and for his family, I have to say.

I think a big shout out goes to the

family, I've got to say,

living with Mr Poirot for 25 years.

Have you seen Lady Stubbs?

Have you seen my wife Lady Stubbs?

Has anyone seen Lady Stubbs?

In some ways,

it's a farewell to the character.

I don't know, I think we're all

anticipating the last day

and how emotional that might be.

'Agatha Christie's summer home

provided the inspiration

for Dead Man's Folly.

So as a wonderful tribute to Poirot's

creator, we have come to Devon,

where my final shot will be filmed.'

I think it's a lovely way

to end the series here.

I feel pleased for David as well,

to have shot all of them

and to have adapted all the novels,

which I know is very important

to him.

It's a triumphant day. I won't see it

in any other way as well. I won't.

It's emotional.

Of course it's emotional,

I won't pretend it's not emotional.

But I feel very elated. Happy!

They are filming the very last scene

of the very last story of Poirot

that will ever be made

with David Suchet playing Poirot.

It doesn't feel like 25 years.

If I look back, it's...

really my children growing up,

my family, my...

It's a quarter of a century

of my life.

And...suddenly, it's over.

I think it's the fact that he has

applied utter dedication

to one role.

Most actors do a role, put it down,

walk away from it.

David has never put it down.

C'est bon. Merci.

515, take one.

David's legacy is to have given the

world

a character that they can never

forget.

To bring to life someone who has

entertained people around the world

for 100 years

and to stamp that character

into all our imaginations.

And that legacy on television

will never fade.

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