Elephants Can Remember (Agatha Christie's Poirot episode)

Elephants Can Remember is the first episode of series 13 of the ITV British television drama series Agatha Christie's Poirot. It was first broadcast on 9 June 2013. Besides David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, the episode also featured Zoë Wanamaker in her fifth appearance as Ariadne Oliver (she first appeared in Cards on the Table). The episode is an adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel of the same name and was directed by John Strickland with screenplay by Nick Dear.

Synopsis
Ariadne Oliver wishes to unravel the mystery behind the deaths of her goddaughter Celia's parents, who were found shot on their estate ten years prior. Mrs Oliver tries to incite Hercule Poirot to help her, but as he is busy with another case, she settles on playing the part of the amateur sleuth herself – after all, though a decade has passed since the tragedy, human memory is nearly as strong as that of elephants.

The adaptation is fairly faithful to the original story insofar as the mystery of the death of the Ravenscroft is concerned. However a major side plot has been developed in which Dr Willoughby senior is murdered. Poirot is absorbed by this case so Ariadne Oliver has to conduct the interviews of the elephants by herself.

Comparison with original novel
The adaptation is generally faithful to the novel, except in a few instances. Characters such as Mr Goby, Miss Lemon, George, Marlene Buckle (whose mother becomes Mrs Matcham's housekeeper) and ex-Chief Superintendent Spence were removed from the story (Spence's character is replaced with an original character named Beale), whilst the characters of Zélie Meauhourat and Mme Rouselle were combined. Instead of immediately helping Mrs Oliver with the Ravenscroft case, Poirot instead chooses to investigate the murder of Dr Willoughby's father, which is a subplot that is not in the novel; as a consequence, Dr Willoughby's character is greatly expanded. When Poirot realizes that Dr Willoughby and his institute have a connection to the Ravenscrofts, Poirot decides to solve both mysteries. This subplot also includes an original character named Marie McDermott, an Irish-American girl who works as Dr Willoughby's filing clerk and turns out to be his mistress. The character is ultimately revealed to be Dorothea Jarrow's daughter, who is avenging her mother for the cruel hydrotherapy treatments she experienced at the hands of Professor Willoughby, and also for her mother's murder (as she was at Overcliffe on the day of the tragedy and overheard General Ravenscroft make his plans) by trying to kill both Celia and Desmond. Zélie spirited her away to Canada after the tragedy, and she had to wait thirteen years before she could earn enough money to travel to England and exact her revenge. Also, in keeping with the other episodes, the story is moved from the early 1970s to the late 1930s.

Cast

 * David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
 * Zoë Wanamaker as Ariadne Oliver
 * Adrian Lukis as General Ravenscroft
 * Annabel Mullion as Lady Ravenscroft
 * Greta Scacchi as Mrs Burton-Cox
 * Iain Glen as Doctor Willoughby
 * Vincent Regan as Detective Inspector Beale
 * Alexandra Dowling as Marie
 * Vanessa Kirby as Celia Ravenscroft
 * Caroline Blakiston as Julia Carstairs
 * Elsa Mollien as Zelie Rouxelle
 * Maxine Evans as Mrs Buckle
 * Hazel Douglas as Mrs. Matcham
 * Jo-Anne Stockham as Mrs. Willoughby
 * Ferdinand Kingsley as Desmond Burton-Cox
 * Danny Webb as Superintendent Garroway
 * Claire Cox as Dorothea Jarrow
 * Ruth Sheen as Madame Rosentelle
 * Roxanne Gregory as Autograph Hunter (uncredited)
 * Sophie Holt as Au pair / Secretary (uncredited)
 * Rachel Marquez as Book Fan (uncredited)
 * Lisa Ronaghan as Autograph Hunter (uncredited)

Filming Locations

 * Coastguard Cottages, Cuckmere Haven, Seaford
 * Barrow Hills - Overcliffe
 * Dean Rees House, Rutland Place, London (as Willoughby Institute)
 * Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, Piccadilly, London
 * Manor House, Longcross Film Studios, Chobham Ln, Longcross, Chertsey
 * Greys Court, Rotherfield Greys, Oxfordshire
 * Dower House, Greys Court, Rotherfield Greys, Henley-on-Thames
 * Netherwylde Farm, Aldenham