Poirot - Murder in Mesopotamia

Starring:David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Ron Berglas, Barbara Barnes (II), Dinah Stabb, Jeremy Turner-Welch, Iain Mitchell, Pandora Clifford, Georgina Sowerby, Christopher Bowen, Christopher Hunter (III), Alexi Kaye Campbell, Deborah Poplett, Zouheir Bornaz, Kamel Touati, Hichem Rostom, Dejeb Magri, Ramzi Brari
Director: Tom Clegg
Studio: A&E Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Hercule Poirot visits his old friend Captain Hastings at an archeological dig in Iraq and uncovers a multitude of secrets. The plot has all the makings of a soap opera: an impostor, drug addiction, jealousy, forged letters, theft, and of course, murder. But Poirot's sophistication, as expertly portrayed by David Suchet in a crisp linen suit, helps Murder in Mesopotamia to rise above melodrama most of the time. Poirot has his own poignant drama woven into the plot: he was originally invited to Baghdad by the Countess Vera Rosakoff (whom viewers may remember from "The Double Clue" in Agatha Christie's Poirot, Vol. 5) but she is not at her hotel when he arrives. Poirot's dejection at her continued absence makes an apt framing device for this tale of a murderer driven by passion. Lively acting and an exotic, sun-drenched set enhance this video adaptation, making it as sinfully enjoyable as a good dose of juicy gossip. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

Description

David Suchet returns in an all-new original Poirot Movie! An archaeologist's beautiful but unpopular wife is murdered while the couple is on the Middle East excavating a historical site. At the request of local authorities, a vacationing Hercule Poirot takes on the case in one of Agatha Christie's best-known tales.

Customer Reviews:

Another Terrific Agatha Christie Mystery on DVD.......2004-12-14

I have enjoyed the Agatha Christie novels on DVD - they restore television to its primary mission: entertainment. And this twisting plot is no exception!

In the land of Irag, filled with sun and the science of archeology, the expedition runs into trouble when murder rears its head. Fortunately, the indomitable Poirot is on the scene! He unravels the deep complexities of the murder(s), entangling alliances, and takes an axe to the root of bitterness and jealousy.

All in all, the story is thoroughly entertaining and the mystery unfolds in a marvelous way. Like following breadcrumbs to an expected end, the director leads us inexorably, but logically, to the conclusion.

So, put a fire on, micro the popcorn, sit back and relax and enjoy pure entertainment.... again!

Did the Super Sleuth's Sidekick's Nephew Commit a Murder??.......2004-09-20

+++++

I watched this movie without reading the 1936 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.

The main murder takes place at an archaeological excavation site in Mesopotamia (a part of Iraq) where Hercule Poirot's (David Suchet) friend and trusty sidekick Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) is helping. Poirot who is on vacation visits this site when the murder is committed. This is a difficult case because the murder takes place in a locked room that no one could have entered. Besides Hastings, Poirot has the help of Police Superintendent Maitland (Iain Mitchell). Eventually, another murder and a suicide occur. At this point, Poirot "hopes [this investigation] holds no more surprises."

Who are the people at this site? They are as follows:

1. Head archaeologist Erik Leidner (Ron Berglas)
2. Louise Leidner, Erik's wife (Barbara Barnes)
3. Archaeologist Annie Johnson (Dinah Stubb)
4. Archaeologist Joe Mercada (Alexi Campbell)
5. Marie Mercada, Joe's wife (Debbie Poplett)
6. Archaeologist Richard Carey (Chris Bonner)
7. Nurse Amy Letherson (Georgina Sowerby)
8. Father Lavigny (Chris Hunter)
9. Bill Coleman, Hastings' nephew (Jeremy Welch)
10. Sheila Maitland, the superintendent's daughter (Pandora Clifford)

As usual, Suchet's performance stands out. He gives a stellar performance portraying Poirot. Barbara Barnes as the head archaeologist's wife also does a good job in her role.

This movie was intriguing to me because the main murder was so complicated and ingenious. As well, the motive for this murder was interesting.

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 might find these
interesting.

Finally, the only problem I had with this movie was with the final deduction scene. Poirot admits earlier in the movie that the person who committed suicide had a motive for the main murder. However, in the final deduction scene, this suicide was not even mentioned! I felt this was a major oversight.

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

(2001; made for TV; full screen; 100 min; 11 scenes; British drama; color)

+++++

Whodunnit? The Writers, That's Who.......2004-01-06

Although they take some liberties with Poirot and his eternal sidekick Capt. Hastings, both David Suchet and Hugh Fraiser do justice to the characters. But purists have a point when they complain about unnecessary fiddling with Agatha Christie's plots. It's hard to improve on perfection, and this BBC adaptation of MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA, one of Christie's most fiendishly cunning constructions, proves the point.

Capt. Hastings does not appear in the Christie novel, which presents us with the tale of a seemingly impossible murder at an archeological dig in Iraq. In order to accommodate his presence, one character has been eliminated and another has been significantly reduced. With careful scripting, direction, and acting, the change might have been pulled off--but sad to say, no such thing occurs.

The script is unexpectedly weak, and to add insult to injury the writers have also "tweaked" the plot in a failed effort to cover the problems they have created by fiddling with the story in the first place. The direction lacks focus, and most of the actors seem miscast and extremely unhappy about it. When all is said and done, MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA is little short of a mess.

Even so, Suchet and Fraiser manage enough charm to carry the project; they are always entertaining to watch, and I give the film three stars largely on that basis. But if you've already read the book, you'll be disappointed--and if you haven't read the book, you should, and immediately.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Mesopotamia Murdered.......2003-07-04

Long before that criminal madman George W. Bush, there was a second American invasion of Iraq: not by jingoistic soldiers seeking non-existent weapons of mass destruction, but archaeologists who care far too much for the past of a country where human civilisation arose to let the museums be ransacked. That archaeological expedition was the subject of Agatha Christie's MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA (1936), a detective story that, although presenting several interesting characters, a splendidly drawn archaeological dig, and a tense atmosphere, suffered from a solution matched in sheer improbability only by John Dickson Carr's IT WALKS BY NIGHT (1930).

The latest Suchet adaptation, however, is barely faithful to the book. Instead of two murders ingeniously committed and equally ingeniously solved, the viewer is presented with a series of ridiculous sub-plots: to wit, Poirot's infatuation with the Countess Rossakoff (cheap love interest to satisfy the Mills & Boon / Harlequin public); and a completely irrelevant murder not found in the original book. Instead of a problem rationally set out for the reader to solve, there is precious little detection, but a great deal of fluff: simpering performances, hysterical fits, and a plethora of cliches. This sort of thing is embarrassing; and certainly not up to the level of the L.W.T. productions.

Archaeology with a Twist.......2003-03-05

Both my sister and my mother have read almost every mystery that Agatha Christie ever wrote, but I never thought to start. Then I sat down one evening to watch television with them, and I was at once enchanted. It was an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot on A&E. The David Suchet Poirot films (both full length movies and short films) come from this series. I enjoyed that first show so much that I watched the series religiously until it went off the air.

I started reading some of Agatha Christie's mysteries this year, and I firmly believe that David Suchet is the best portrayal of Hercule Poirot that ever was. I have seen other notorious actors, such as Peter Ustinov and Tony Randall, play the part, but they do not achieve the full embodiment of the persona (both physical and psychological) that David Suchet does.

MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA has an interesting plot that centers around something very in tune with the interests of the time in which it is set. Then the western world was fascinated by the archaeological digs occurring in Africa, Egypt, and the Middle East, and this story helps to show that fascination with a little mystery twist. However, the twist isn't so little, so Hercule Poirot comes to the rescue. Quite in tune with his character, Poirot merely wants to catch the murderer; he searches for cold, hard facts, but finally, he must work the little gray cells until they reveal the true answer. I think that David Suchet portrays Poirot in the desert quite well; he acts exactly as I suspect Poirot would when visiting the great outdoors. Additionally, Captain Hastings visits us again and serves as a nice, comedic foil for the great Poirot.

I highly recommend any of the David Suchet Poirot films to anyone searching for an interesting, exciting mystery to watch.

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