The King of Clubs (Agatha Christie's Poirot episode)

The King of Clubs is the ninth episode of series 1 of the ITV British television drama series Agatha Christie's Poirot featuring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, first broadcast on 12 March 1989 in the UK. The episode is an adaptation of the Agatha Christie short story of the same name and was directed by Renny Rye with dramatisation by Michael Baker.

Synopsis
Poirot and Hastings investigate the death of film studio owner Henry Reedburn at the request of Prince Paul of Maurania who wishes to marry the film star Valerie Saintclair. The actress is a possible suspect since it is she who found the body.

The adaptation is faithful to the main premise of the original short story but the "bare-bones" text has been fleshed out and embellished with backstories to yield more interesting filmographic possibilities. Valerie Saintclair is transformed from a dancer to a celebrity actress and Henry Reedburn from an impresario to the owner of a film studio. Some additional characters were created as potential suspects. Hasting was already there in the original story; Japp has been added but not Miss Lemon.

Comparison with Original Story
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read) The setting and backgroudns of the main characters has been altered slightly. Valerie Saintclair is not a dancer but a celebrity actress working for Parade Studios owned by Henry Reedburn. Some other characters such as the dismissed actor Ralph Walton and director Bunny Saunders have been added as potential suspects.

The house of the Oglanders is not Daisymead but has been renamed "The Willows"

Valerie Saintclair reported seeing a pair of feet behind a curtain and then a man appeared. In the adaptation, she merely saw a pair of hobnailed boots. This led Japp to inspect the boots of all the gypsies living in a camp nearby.

In the original story, the shoes of Valerie Saintclair were clean even though she had run through the field to the Oglander's house. This led Poirot to conclude that she had been carried, and that only John Oglander Jr. would have been strong enough to do that. This clue is omitted in the adaptation.

Cast

 * David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
 * Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings
 * Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp
 * Niamh Cusack as Valerie Saintclair
 * David Swift as Henry Reedburn
 * Jonathan Coy as Bunny Saunders
 * Jack Klaff as Prince Paul of Maurania
 * Rosie Timpson as Miss Deloy
 * Gawn Grainger as Ralph Walton
 * Marc Culwick as Young Man (as Mark Culwick)
 * Vass Anderson as Frampton
 * Avril Elgar as Mrs Oglander
 * Abigail Cruttenden as Geraldine Oglander
 * Sean Pertwee as Ronnie Oglander
 * Cathy Murphy as Maid
 * Jeffrey Harmer as Assistant Director

Filming Locations

 * Hoover Building, Perivale - external shots of Parade Studios
 * High & Over, Amersham, Buckinghamshire - Mon Désir