The Yellow Iris (Agatha Christie's Poirot episode)

The Yellow Iris is the third episode of series 5 of the ITV British television drama series Agatha Christie's Poirot featuring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, first broadcast on 31 January 1993 in the UK and was directed by Peter Barber-Fleming with dramatisation by Anthony Horowitz. The episode is an adaptation of Agatha Christie's short story Yellow Iris.

Synopsis
The wealthy Barton Russell throws a dinner party in remebrance of his wife Iris's death – and he invites the same people that were present the night of her murder. Poirot thus gets a unique chance to catch the perpetrator of the two-year-old tragedy, which he was not able to do at the time.

Comparison with Original Story
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)

Cast

 * David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
 * Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings
 * Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon
 * David Troughton as Barton Russell
 * Dorian Healy as Anthony Chapell
 * Geraldine Somerville as Pauline Weatherby
 * Yolanda Vazquez as Lola
 * Robin McCaffrey as Iris Russell
 * Hugh Ross as Stephen Carter
 * Joseph Long as Luigi
 * Stefan Gryff as General Pereira
 * Arturo Venegas as Hotel Receptionist
 * Leonard Maguire as Mr Grove
 * Carol Kenyon as Singer
 * Tracy Miller as Singer

Filming locations

 * Reepham, Norfolk - Poirot sends Hastings to meet Mr Grove at Reepham, an actual village in Norfolk. The town is not mentioned in the original story. The reason Poirot is so specific might be because a church in Reepham was actually used as the filming location. This has not, however, been confirmed. Reepham was used for filming The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor.
 * Tabernas, Almiera, Spain - Buenos Aires scenes.
 * Florin Court, Charterhouse Square, London - as Whitehaven Mansions.
 * Albert Bridge, London (filmed from Battersea Park) - Poirot enjoys the chips that Hastings buys him from R.C.Saunders chip van.

Tropes and themes

 * Poirot's taste in food - Poirot: "The English they do not have a cuisine"

Research notes

 * The original story has the title Yellow Iris. The title of the episode as indicated in the opening credits is The Yellow Iris with "The" in front.
 * Although a second verse is added, most of the lyrics to the song “I’ve Forgotten You” come directly from the short story Yellow Iris.