Poirot - Dumb Witness

Starring:David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson (II), Ann Morrish, Patrick Ryecart, Kate Buffery, Paul Herzberg, Julia St. John, Jonathan Newth, Pauline Jameson, Muriel Pavlow, Pat O'Toole, Geoffrey Freshwater, Jestyn Phillips, Tobias Saunders, Layla Harrison, Stephen Tomlin, Tim Williams (XI), Sarah Stephenson, Geoffrey Banks
Director: Edward Bennett
Studio: Acorn Media
Product Type: DVD

Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Movie Collection, Set 2

Average customer rating:

Mind stimulating overall, but could do without some immoral content
Best of Poirot
Superb Acting!!
Very entertaining
Agatha Christie's Poirot - Movie Collection Set 2

Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Movie Collection, Set 2
Starring: David Suchet , Hugh Fraser , Diane Fletcher , Damien Thomas , and Ben Pullen
Director: Andrew Grieve , and Edward Bennett
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Movie Collection
Agatha Christie's Poirot - The New Mysteries Collection
Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Classic Collection
Agatha Christie's Poirot - Classic Crimes Collection
Poirot - The Complete Collection

ASIN: B000065AYI
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Amazon.com

Supersleuth Hercule Poirot bets his beloved mustache that he can solve a murder more quickly than a truculent French detective in this excellent collection of four movies based on Agatha Christie mysteries. The bet takes place in Murder on the Links; a body found on a golf course points to a crime committed years before--but the real question is, has Poirot's good friend Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) found true love? Similarly, though the twisty plot of Hickory Dickory Dock revolves around diamond smuggling and a death in a student hostel, for many fans it's the story in which Poirot's ever-precise secretary Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran, nowhere near as ugly as Christie's description of the character) makes a rare mistake. In Dumb Witness, a fox terrier gives Poirot the final insight to catch the killer of a wealthy woman, cutting through the seance-crazed antics of a pair of eccentric old sisters. But perhaps the best of the quartet is Hercule Poirot's Christmas, featuring a sexy Spanish spitfire, a vengeful marked woman, and one of the most unsavory victims in all of Christie's work. Through it all, fastidious and scrupulously observant, Poirot sifts through the slippery details and comes to his unerring conclusion. As the Belgian detective, David Suchet has taken a character who could easily be a cartoon or a cardboard cutout and made him three-dimensional and sympathetic. One starts to wonder, what is his home life like? Does he grow lonely? Such musings are the mark of a truly vivid performance; Suchet never fails to drive each movie forward, step by irrevocable step. (The extras are meager; filmographies, sketchy biographies, and odd bits of trivia.) --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Mind stimulating overall, but could do without some immoral content .......2007-03-24

I've seen three of the four in the set so far. The set arrived very quickly. The three that I've watched so far are "Dumb Witness", "Hickory Dickory Dock", and "Hercule Poirot's Christmas." I found all of the films to be mentally stimulating overall. They did keep me guessing to the end, and I think that that is the point of the mystery genre. Good job on that. I did find that both "Hickory Dickory Dock" and "Hercule Poirot's Christmas" had a scene where there was either unclean language/humor or characters that were almost nude (suggestably before or after marital relations.) I would love to have young children over to watch these films, but I would not want them exposed to such content. I suppose this is considered being too straightlaced in our modern sex-crazed culture, but there must be lines drawn somewhere.

Best of Poirot.......2007-02-20

I am an avid Poirot fan - David Suchet is perfection! This DVD is the best of the best, epecially Dumb Witness. If you love the Poirot mysteries as much as I do, then you will have to have this DVD. If you are a novice, this would be a great way to start.

Superb Acting!!.......2006-07-30

Other reviewers have described the stories and various other aspects of these DVD's. The DVD's I purchased are not the A&E versions and have no interruptions. I have only read one of Agatha Christie's novels and that was many years ago, so viewing these movies was a totally new experience. The things that impressed me the most were 1, the actors looked like real, every day people, not the typical babes and hunks seen in Hollywood movies. Second, the acting is superb; the characters well developed, and the subtleties of dialog, movement, and facial expressions outstanding.

David Suchet as the Belgium detective Poirot is excellent. From the slick moustache to the Charlie Chaplin type walk, Suchet plays the eccentric and ever sure Poirot to a tee.

I frequently replay scenes just to get the nuances in the dialog and acting.

All in all, this is marvelous entertainment.

Very entertaining.......2006-03-09

What's Not to like about Poirot? Intrigue, suspense & Humor all wrapped up in one character. We like all the British mystery series. Poirot is number One, top of the heap!

Agatha Christie's Poirot - Movie Collection Set 2.......2005-08-10

David Suchet's portrayal of the fastidious detective Hercule Poirot is outstanding. A thoroughly enjoyable collection which can be watched again and again.

Average customer rating:

David Suchet & Bob are GREAT!
A DOGgone Good Mystery!!!
The Dumb Witness leaves you speechless!
A very enjoyable movie! Poirot at his best!
The Lake District, Bob, and seances.

Poirot - Dumb Witness
Starring: David Suchet , Hugh Fraser , Philip Jackson (II) , Ann Morrish , and Patrick Ryecart
Director: Edward Bennett
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Poirot - Hercule Poirot's Christmas
Poirot - Murder on the Links
Poirot - Peril at End House
Poirot - Hickory Dickory Dock
Death in the Clouds

ASIN: B00005MM5G
Release Date: 2001-08-07

Customer Reviews:

David Suchet & Bob are GREAT!.......2005-10-07

This is one of Suchet's best works. The plot was superb and the interaction between David & Bob (the fox terrier) is too funny! I'm a huge fan of the Poirot series and this is one of the best!

A DOGgone Good Mystery!!!.......2004-09-24

+++++

I watched this movie without reading the 1937 Dame Agatha Christie novel that it was based on. I'm glad I did this! Why? Because it forced me to really watch the movie in order to try and deduce who the murderer was.

Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) accompanies Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) to Lake Windermere (England's largest lake located in the north-west part of England) for a holiday and to see Hastings' friend attempt to break a world speedboat-racing record. A wealthy socialite invites Poirot to her estate called "Little Green House" where this socialite has an accident (?) and then she is eventually murdered. The only witness to this murder is a Fox Terrier dog. At a séance, a trained medium accuses the dog of killing the socialite. Eventually another murder takes place.

The dog helps Poirot solve the murder of the socialite. (This proves that this dog is not so dumb after all!)

Who are the people (and other life-forms) associated with this estate? They are as follows:

1. Emily Arundell, wealthy socialite and the estate's owner (Ann Morrish)
2. Charles Arundell, nephew to Emily and speedboat-racer (Pat Ryecart)
3. Theresa Arundell, niece to Emily (Kate Buffery)
4. Dr. Jacob Tannis (Paul Herzberg)
5. Bella Tannis, another niece to Emily and Jacob's wife (Julia St. John)
6. Wilhemina "Mini" Lawson, Emily's aid (Norma West)
7. Dr. Grainger (John Newth)
8. Isabel Tripp, a trained medium (Pauline Jameson)
9. Julia Tripp, aid to her sister Isabel (Muriel Pavlow)
10. Robert "Bob" Arundell (`Snubby,' the Fox Terrier)

As usual, Suchet's performance stands out. He gives a stellar performance as the super sleuth. Also keep your eye on Snubby, the Fox Terrier.

The cinematography is visually stunning. All costumes are authentic looking. As well, the background music adds to each scene.

The DVD has the usual text extras. Newcomers to the series may find these interesting.

Finally, this is the best Poirot in this series I have seen. Why? Because it kept me guessing right to the end and left no "loose ends" in the final deduction scene.

In conclusion, this is a fun movie even if you have read the novel it's based on!!

(1996; made for TV; 100 min: full screen; 10 scenes; British drama; color)

+++++

The Dumb Witness leaves you speechless!.......2003-06-28

What a piece of art! A true treat to the eyes and the mind. The sets, acting, effects, all this and more, score a 101 out of 100!
The story in a nutshell: Old Ms. Arundell's younger relations are after her money. She, a lady with a strong will, lets not a penny go and can see beyond the facade of caring that her relations are putting up. Soon, she suffers in an 'accident', as everyone called it- an 'accident' which occured due to tripping over Bob, the dumb witness' ball. Yes, you guessed it, soon she's dead. Poirot starts his hunt, with Hastings andf Bob, the fox terrier on his side (Bob, too, outwits Hastings at times!). Soon, as Poirot said in the movie, 'the fox is caught, and the terror put on him' (well, atleast he said something like this!).
Now for the movie itself: Littlegreen house has been shown very aptly. The supernatural aspect of the story (of the seance and the green smoke) has been displayed brilliantly. The plot has been acted out clearly. Bob, though not instantly attractive, is sure to win your heart gradually. Poirot's conversations with Bob, and the deductions he draws from his actions, are very pleasing to watch.
What can one say about David Suchet as Poirot? He is, as most have already said, 'the Best Poirot EVER'!! In fact, one can even say that David Suchet IS Hercule Poirot! Superb in every way, Suchet is an absolute pleasure to watch.
Hughes Fraser was perfect as Hastings, as usual!
Altogether, Dumb Witness surpasses all expectations!
Au revoir!

A very enjoyable movie! Poirot at his best!.......2002-04-23

My very favorite Poirot episode! The only other one that comes close is "The ABC Murders". David Suchet is at his best.

Poirot is again joined by Captain Hastings, as well as "Bob" the fox terrier on this case. The relationship between Poirot and Bob is delightful!

After viewing this movie, I am sad that I now have the entire avaialable Poirot (David Suchet) DVD collection.

The Lake District, Bob, and seances........2001-08-19

The Lake Distruct forms a beautiful backdrop for this Poirot episode. Then there is Bob (Poirot: "what make of dog is this"?) the Fox Terrier, that holds the key to unraveling the crime - and he's fun to watch. The down-side? The seances are an embarassment (and irrelevant), so I find myself skipping past them. Not as good as some in the series, but I just can't help myself - I have to get them all!

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