The Riddle of the Cheap Flat (Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple)

The Riddle of the Cheap Flat (安マンションの謎 - Yasu Manshon no Nazo) was a Japanese anime television story produced by Oriental Light and Magic for NHK television. The story was Episode 2 of NHK's anime series Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple. The adaptation was written by Masashi Sogo, directed by Masahiko Watanabe and Naohito Takahashi and broadcast on 18 July 2004. It was an adaptation of the Agatha Christie short story The Adventure of the Cheap Flat.

Synopsis
In the previous episode, Mabel West met Poirot and is inspired to become a detective. In this episode, she leaves a boarding school to go to London where she offers to work for Poirot. At first Poirot refuses but then Mabel stumbles on a puzzle which interests him.

Comparison with Original Story
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read) Except for the involvement of Mabel, the plot is fairly close to that of the original story.

Mabel leaves her boarding school and intends to go to London to become a detective. She stops by St. Mary Mead to visit her great aunt Miss Marple who gives her some good advice.

On reaching London, Mabel asks Poirot to employ her as an assistant but he refuses on the grounds that the work is dangerous. Mabel leaves Whitehaven Mansions and tries to find a place to stay. She sees a window advertisement for a cheap flat in Montagu Mansions and goes there.

The flat owner is abrupt and refuses to grant Mabel an interview. But as Mabel is leaving, she sees the Robinson's coming down the corridor. They are warmly greeted by the flat owner and invited in.

Mabel is puzzled and broods over her run of bad luck on a park bench. There she meets Hastings and tells him what happened. The Robinsons walk by--they turn out to be friends of Hastings and they tell him they have just rented the flat. Hastings goes back to tell Poirot the news. Poirot is intrigued. Poirot tells Miss Lemon he might be away for some time.

Meanwhile, Mabel can't find a place to stay and spends the night in the hallway outside Poirot's door. Miss Lemon finds her the next morning and lets her in. Mabel says that she would wait until Poirot comes back, in spite of the fact that Miss Lemon thinks she would be in the way. Hours go by and finally Poirot calls--he has rented the unit above the Robinsons and wants Hastings to join him. Mabel insists on going along.

At Montagu Mansions, Poirot and Hastings observe the Robinsons arriving to be greeted by the landlady. Poirot instructs Hastings to keep a lookout for the Robinsons and report regularly. He wants Mabel to go home but Hastings intercedes for her. She can't even find a place to stay. She could at least be allowed to remain there to help with the surveillance. Poirot agrees.

Some time passes, perhaps the next day. and Poirot arrives and Hastings and Mabel give their report. Since that time Poirot has learnt from Scotland Yard about the background of the landlady who has now been identified as the wanted spy Elsa Hart. Oliver gives a quack from the window and they come over to see a man approaching the building stealthily and entering. Poirot, Hastings and Mabel go to the Robinson's floor to see the man with a gun in his hand and trying to force an entry. Hastings tackles and floors him. Poirot sends Mabel to call Inspector Sharpe at Scotland Yard.

Poirot and Hastings now go to a house and knocks, asking for a doctor (this is how the story goes in the original also). It seems Poirot followed the landlady as she left and tailed her to this house. Poirot and Hastings pretend to be Mafia hitmen and frighten Elsa and her brother into surrendering her stolen film. Inspector Sharpe arrive with Mabel to arrest the spies.

Back at Whitehaven Mansions, Poirot asks Miss Lemon what cases he had on hand for the day. Miss Lemon says there is a request to search for a lost dog. Poirot tells Mabel that is a suitable case for her. Meanwhile Miss Lemons invites Mabel to stay with her as her flat has a spare room.

Characters/Voice talents

 * Rica Fukami as Elsa
 * Tetsu Inada as Elsa's brother
 * Masako Jô as Oliver
 * Katsuyuki Konishi as Mr Robinson
 * Hirofumi Nojima as Hastings
 * Fumiko Orikasa as Mabel
 * Kôtarô Satomi as Hercule Poirot
 * Atsuko Tanaka as Miss Lemon
 * Kaoru Yachigusa as Miss Marple
 * Yuriko Yamaguchi as Mrs Robinson
 * Yûsaku Yara as Inspector Sharpe
 * Luigi Valdarno