I now blog over at The Eyre Guide! This blog is an archive of my past posts.


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Awesome Adaptations (34) - Poirot: Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan

Posted by Charlene // Tags: ,

Awesome Adaptations is a weekly bookish meme, hosted at Alisa Selene’s books blog, Picturemereading.  Anyone can play along! Each week there is a new category of adaptation to blog about. Any format (television series, film, web series, etc.) is acceptable as long as it is based in some form on a book. If you’re playing along on your own blog, just mention Picturemereading in your post and include the banner above. Let them know which film you’d pick and why it is an awesome adaptation worth watching. Oh, and don’t forget to share the link to your own post in the comments for that week’s challenge so that everyone can read your thoughts!

An Awesome Adaptation With Travel
Title: Poirot: Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan"
Adapted from: "Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan" from Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie
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After participating in Picture Me Reading's most recent Book Club Extra, I'm in a Poirot mood, so even though there isn't much travel in this particular episode of Poirot, I picked it for this week's Awesome Adaptations.  Because who wouldn't want to visit Brighton circa 1930s?!

The original short story is pretty straightforward.  The mystery, as told, is all in this episode.  This television series has always been very faithful to the characters and the story.  Where the series improves on the short story is by adding a few more red herrings and more humor that emphasizes Poirot's quirks.  In particular his unique look.  The Lucky Len scenes become a recurring joke, with people continually mistaking Poirot for what is supposed to be a very unique person pictured in a newspaper.  And Poirot is very much annoyed.  It's funny and throws Poirot off which is always interesting to see.  And they put a nice button on the joke in the last scene.

Poirot is visiting Brighton for a much needed rest (but of course he can't get away from a mystery!) and seeing a period Brighton - with the gorgeous hotel, the sea and the pier (though I believe for filming all of these things were actually in an adjacent city to Brighton) enhances the reality of the story.  In addition to a great mystery (that reads more like a magic trick), there are wonderful shots of the sea and Poirot and Hastings relaxing in a seaside restaurant.  And again I must mention the hotel they found to represent the Grand Metropolitan - it is so imposing and beautiful.  For the "vacation" episode, they really took advantage of the gorgeous scenery on-location to bring variety to the series.

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4 comments:

  1. hello, thnx for joining my site, really appretaite your support towards a newbie! i am not much of a classics lover but, i guess i will try a few after reading your reviews!, thnx!

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    1. Very glad to follow a new blogger, and I appreciate the follow back! :) I would say you haven't found the right classic to read. :D I hope you do like them if you check them out, there are such great stories out there!

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  2. Replies
    1. Hee, yes it's so fun, and maybe a little appearance by Sorcha Cusack makes it better to us. :D

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