Antonio Foscarelli

Denis Quilley as Foscarelli in the 1974 film

Antonio Foscarelli is one of the main characters in Murder on the Orient Express.

Biography

Early life

Foscarelli was a naturalised U.S. citizen who had emigrated to America from Europe, leaving behind his mother and younger sister. At the time of the incident on board the Orient Express, he was an agent for Ford Motor Cars and had been resident in the United States for the previous 10 years "on and off".

Foscarelli had been the chauffeur of the Armstrong family during the time of Daisy Armstrong's kidnapping. Of Daisy, Foscarelli said that he had taken an instant liking to the little girl; he let her pretend to drive the family limousine, and she would always call him "Tonio"..

After the kidnap and murder of Daisy Armstrong, a gangster named Cassetti was arrested and put on trial for the crime but got off on a technicality because of his wealth and influence. Linda Arden, Daisy's grandmother, then gathered a group of interested parties for the purpose of avenging the crime and bringing the criminal to justice. Foscarelli, who liked Daisy, joined the group. Linda Arden's idea at first was to draw lots to decide who in the group should kill Cassetti but Foscarelli counter-proposed that all the members should kill him together and this plan was adopted. A fellow member of the group, the private detective Cyrus Hardman was assigned the preliminary task of finding Cassetti who by then had adopted the alias of Samuel Edward Ratchett. Thereafter, when he was found, other members of the group managed to infiltrate Ratchett's staff. Edward Masterman managed to gain employment as his valet and Hector MacQueen became his secretary.

The Orient Express

Together with the other members of the group, and acting on information supplied by Hector Macqueen who had an insight into Ratchett's travelling schedules, Foscarelli boarded the Orient Express together with other members of the group on the fateful journey. During the trip he was in Compartment 4-5 occupying the upper berth with Edward Masterman below. As part of his cover, he was ostensibly travelling to Milan where he had an appointment.

He only admitted his past connection with the Armstrongs towards the end of the book when Poirot had already surmised it. He told Poirot that he had concealed his past for "business reasons" and because he did not trust the Yugoslav police. He explained that if the Yugoslavian police found out about his connection, they would hang him without a trial because they hate the Italians.

Portrayals

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Denis Quilley as Foscarelli in the 1974 film

In the 1974 movie, Foscarelli is played by Denis Quilley.

Foscarelli's name is changed from Antonio Foscarelli to Gino Foscarelli.

Unlike in the other versions, Foscarelli is introduced with the Armstrong Kidnapping.

On the morning of April 17, 1930, Foscarelli drove the Armstrongs and Mary Debenham to the airport: they were going to Washington, D.C. to see Linda Arden perform in a production of Salome. Foscarelli delivered the Armstrongs and Debenham to the airport, and drove back to the estate.

While on the road, he narrowly avoided ramming a car heading towards him, and veered into a ditch. He exited the vehicle to gaze back at the retreating car. When he reached the estate, he found the nursemaid Greta Ohlsson bound to a chair. It is revealed that the car he almost crashed into was driven by Lanfranco Cassetti, a notorious Chicago gangster, who had just carried out the kidnapping of Daisy Armstrong, the 3-year-old daughter and heiress of the Armstrongs. By the time Foscarelli realized this, it was too late.

Foscarelli is next seen 5 years later, dining on the Orient Express with Mr. Edward Beddoes - the Armstrong's former butler - and Dick Hardman.

Foscarelli, who is trying to sleep in the upper berth of Compartment No. 1, wonders what Beddoes - who is awake - is reading. Beddoes says that he is reading Love's Captive by Arabella Richardson. Foscarelli asks if the novel is about sex, and Beddoes responds, "No, it's about 10:30, Mr. Foscarelli."

Foscarelli is later interviewed by Poirot, and he tells him about his movements last night, and his company. He also tells them that Cassetti was a Mafioso, and he thinks another Mafioso murdered him, as they are always killing each other with stilletos and tommy guns. Right as he tells them this, Mrs. Hubbard arrives with the murder weapon: a blood-stained dagger. Foscarelli believes that his suspicions have been confirmed, and also says that he has never been in private service as a chauffeur.

During Poirot's revelation scene, he reveals that Foscarelli had indeed been in private service as a chauffeur, and was the Armstrong's chauffeur. Poirot also reveals that all of them are responsible for Ratchett's murder.

During the murder scene, Foscarelli takes the knife after Count Andrenyi, and calls Ratchett a "vigliacco" - an offensive Italian word for "coward" - before plunging the knife into him and handing it off to Hildegarde Schmidt. He is the seventh person to stab Ratchett.

Poirot decides to let them all go free as, even though they had committed a vicious act of murder, they had delivered justice to a murderer.

Murder on the Orient Express (2001)

Dylan Smith as Tony Foscarelli in the 2001 TV movie

In the 2001 TV movie, Foscarelli is played by Dylan Smith.

This character has the same last name as in the novel and 1974 film, but in this adaptation his first name is Tony. He is a fitness instructor and a salesman of exercise equipment based out of Lower Manhattan, and his latest product is a machine called the "Abliminator". He tells Poirot for example that if he used this machine for 15 minutes a day for 2 months, he "will have a stomach like Brad Pitt in Fight Club." In another scene he is shown teaching Bob Arbuthnot to use an Ab Roller for tension reduction. When Poirot interviews him about the Armstrong Family tragedy, he reveals he was at a corporate sales retreat at Walt Disney World when it happened.

In this adaptation Foscarelli has an alibi as Mary Debenham, Bob Abuthnot and MacQueen were all in his compartment until late having "a party" according to the conductor Pierre Michel. They were having drinks and discussing politics.

Poirot later surmised that Foscarelli was the personal trainer of Steve Armstrong. He had joined in with Linda Arden and the others to kill Cassetti because he had made his client strong, but not strong enough to endure the tragedy of his daughter's murder, or the death of his wife and second child.

At the end of the show, Poirot reveals in a voiceover that Foscarelli returns to New York. The same year, the Wall Street Journal named him "The King of Infomercials" for his latest product: a machine which reduces cellulite by delivering a mild electrical shock.

In some interesting back references, when Poirot questions Foscarelli about the case, Foscarelli says that he recognizes Poirot from an interview on television after solving the murder of Roger Ackroyd, and asks Poirot about his first case: The Mysterious Affair at Styles, asking how he knew that Emily Inglethorp died by strychnine poisoning when it did not show up on the DNA results and lab reports.

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express (2006)

In the 2006 video game adaptation, Foscarelli is voiced by Gustavo Rex, who also voices Pierre Michel in the game.

According to his passport, he was born on 19 August 1898 in Italy but had obtained U.S. citizenship. His occupation was listed as salesman. However he also had a chauffeur license issued by the State of New York. He told Antoinette Marceau who was assisting in the investigations that his reason for boarding the Orient Express was to travel to Milan for a car deal: a rich gentleman was selling an Alfa Romeo specifically designed by Enzo Ferrari.

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Murder on the Orient Express (2010)

In the 2010 adaptation, Foscarelli is played by Joseph Mawle.

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Marquez in the 2017 film

In the 2017 movie, Foscarelli is played by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.

Foscarelli's name is changed from Antonio Foscarelli to Biniamino Emanuel Marquez, and his nationality is changed from Italian to Cuban.

Marquez is introduced at Sirkeci Station, about to board the Orient Express. He says that he had a good week in Istanbul, and tells the conductor to "say nice things about us Americans".

Marquez is later seen when the train derails due to an avalanche; the impact of the crash throws Marquez from his bed and tosses him out of his compartment, also causing the contents in his suitcase - which was unlocked - to fly everywhere. Edward Masterman, who was in the berth above Marquez, asks if Marquez is alright, to which Marquez responds that he is. Marquez begins reloading his suitcase before getting back into his bed.

The next morning, as the passengers are listing their purposes for boarding the train, Marquez says that he is due for a meeting about auto imports at the PSA Sochaux Plant in Sochaux, France, and that America will have to move on without the Peugeot.

During his interview, Marquez gives Poirot his past: he was born dirt-poor in Cuba. As a young man, he stole, embezzeled, and lied just to make a living. One of his heists eventually went too far, and he was arrested and sentenced to prison in Mexico, possibly for life. He escaped from prison and bribed himself onto a boat into the United States with nothing. Once inside, he made an oath never to be a criminal again.

According to the script, Marquez has 3 children, all named after U.S. Presidents: 2 boys - Thomas Jefferson Marquez and William Henry Marquez - and 1 girl - Millard Filmore Marquez. Each of his children are to work in the automobile industry.

Also in the script, Poirot asks Marquez about his service as a chauffeur. He reveals that, when his luggage spilled during the avalanche, he saw a photograph of a young boy holding the steering wheel of a Packard. This would be Thomas Jefferson, possibly visiting his father at work. Flustered, Marquez says that he drove many people, but Poirot says that banks only offer loans with collateral, so someone must have either cosigned or provided surety. Marquez refuses to answer any more questions.

Poirot later uncovers further truth: Marquez was the Armstrong Family's chauffeur.

After his escape to America, Marquez was hired by renowned pilot John Armstrong to be the chauffeur to his his family. Armstrong was the one who cosigned and secured the bank loan, as Marquez had a lack of credentials. Marquez would use the money to make his dream goal come to life: start his own automobile empire.

In August 1932, Daisy Armstrong, the three-year-old heiress to the family fortune, was kidnapped by a gangster named John Cassetti. Although her parents paid to the gangster's demands, Cassetti murdered Daisy with no intent of returning her. This caused many deaths in the household, including the suicide of John Armstrong. With no owner of the household, Marquez's job with the Armstrongs, as well as most of the household staff, was terminated.

Poirot later concludes that Ratchett - the new identity of Cassetti - was murdered by all of the passengers.

Linda Arden would not stand to see Cassetti get away with the kidnapping and murder, so she organized a jury of 12 people to bring Cassetti to justice.

Poirot determines that in order for them to go free without being blamed for the murder, they have to kill him. Arden takes the gun that Poirot presented - actually Cyrus Hardman's police revolver - and, at first, aims it at Poirot, but then puts it to her jaw and fires. Nothing comes out; Poirot had tricked them to see their reactions.

Marquez is last seen dealing out poker cards on a table, and watches Mary Debenham and Dr. Arbuthnot walk past.

Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express (2023)

Antonio Foscarelli appears in the 2023 video game Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express.

Antonio Foscarelli as he appears in the character gallery for Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express (2023).

Even though the video game takes place the same year it was released in, Foscarelli's role in the plot against Cassetti and fate remain just the same as in the original novel. In the epilogue, he offers to give Poirot a free electric car, only for the detective to turn down the offer.

Monsieur Bouc is voiced by Patrick Albenque, who also voices Monsieur Bouc.

Physical Description

In the novel, Foscarelli is a big, swarthy Italian with a sunny-looking, swarthy, childish face. He is very talkative, speaks French fluently, and has a slight accent.

• In the 1974 film, Foscarelli has dark brown hair, a dark brown moustache, blue eyes, a big nose, and big teeth.
  • He wears a lightweight black-and-beige-striped double-breasted suit with sharp point lapels, a grey waistcoat with tiny black dots, a white dress shirt with red and grey stripes, a red silk tie, and charcoal oxford shoes.
  • In the kidnapping scene, Foscarelli wears a grey chauffeur's cap, a grey wool chauffer's jacket, black leather gloves, grey wool breeches, and black calf-high leather boots.
• In the 2001 TV movie, Foscarelli has short, dark brown curly hair and blue eyes.
  • His main attire is a black t-shirt, a silver wristwatch on his left wrist, black pants, black suit trousers, black socks, and black slip-on leather oxfords.
  • For the outside scenes, he wears the same clothes, but with the addition of a lightweight grey-and-cream jacket, a light grey t-shirt, and a white towel in the style of an evening scarf.
• In the 2017 film, Marquez has dark brown hair parted to the right, dark brown eyes, dark brown eyes, and a dark brown moustache.
  • He wears a grey 4x2 double-breasted puppytooth wool suit, a grey 5-buttoned guncheck wool waistcoat, a white soft-collar shirt, a brown houndstooth wool bow tie, a matching pocket handkerchief, black socks and black leather oxford shoes.
  • He also wears a black fedora and brown overcoat in the outside scenes.
  • His nighttime attire is very similar to Lanfranco Cassetti's nighttime attire: a white-and-grey-striped button-down shirt and matching pants.

Trivia

• In the novel, his nickname is Tonio.
• His nickname is Gino.
• In the 2017 script, he introduces himself as Emanuel Marquez.