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Connery Arbuthnot

Sean Connery as Arbuthnot in the 1974 film

Colonel John Arbuthnot is one of the main characters in Murder on the Orient Express.

Arbuthnot has been played on screen by various actors, including Sean Connery, David Hunt, David Morrissey, and Leslie Odom Jr..

Biography

Arbuthnot was born on July 28, 1888[1][2], in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England[3].

He grew up as John Armstrong's best friend. Both of them grew up loving and respecting their country.

The Great War

In 1905[4], Arbuthnot and Armstrong, both of them 17 years old at the time, signed up to join the British Army. They both served in the 12th Ghurka Rifles infantry regiment, which would relocate them to India. Arbuthnot would remain in India for most of his military career, while Armstrong would move around in Belgium, France, India, and Afghanistan.

Arbuthnot soon became a marksman in the British Indian Army.

In July 1914, The Great War began, and on August 4, the British Army joined the war. Arbuthnot and Armstrong's regiment was among those that joined the war.

During their service in the British Army, the two friends met Edward "Teddy" Masterman - who would later serve as Armstrong's army batman - and two other unrelated Armstrongs: Thomas "Tommy" Armstrong, who served in the King's Royal Rifle Corps, and Selby Armstrong, a West Yorkshire native who would be killed in The Battle of the Somme in 1916[5].

In 1917, the 12th Ghurka Rifles joined in the Battle of Passchendaele, in Passendale, Belguim[6]. Arbuthnot and Armstrong, both of them now Lieutenant Colonels, fought in this battle. During this battle, Arbuthnot was injured and almost killed by a German soldier, but Armstrong noticed his friend was in danger and killed the soldier, saving Arbuthnot's life; this act further reinforced their friendship[7].

Arbuthnot was loaded onto a stretcher by Masterman, and was urgently rushed to the infirmary to recover, as he was in no condition to fight.

While Arbuthnot recovered from his injuries, Armstrong was promoted and sent to France, where received three medals for his bravery: the Distinguished Service Order medal, the Military Cross medal, and the Victoria Cross medal.

Armstrong left the British Army when the war ended in November 1918, while Arbuthnot remained in the Indian Army, but relocated from India to Middlesex, Greater London, England[8].

Daisy Armstrong's Kidnapping

However, things would change on April 17, 1930[9], when Armstrong's only child, Daisy Armstrong, was kidnapped by gangsters acting on the command of Chicago mob boss Lanfranco Cassetti. Arbuthnot went to New York City to see his friend and try to help him. While there, he was reunited with Armstrong and his other army friend Edward Masterman, who now served as Armstrong's butler.

Also at the Armstrong mansion were Sonia Goldenberg, Armstrong's wife; Linda Arden, Sonia's mother and Daisy's grandmother; Princess Natalia Dragomiroff, Sonia's godmother and Arden's best friend; and the household staff.

Despite Arbuthnot's intent to help his friend, he couldn't save Armstrong from committing suicide by gunshot upon hearing news that Daisy Armstrong was murdered by the gangsters, and that his wife died in childbirth.

Arbuthnot and Masterman were deeply greived by the suicide of their comrade, and when Cassetti was brought to trial 7 months later and let free, Arbuthnot and Masterman were both equally furious, and conspired with Arden to kill Cassetti.

Arbuthnot insisted that there should be 12 people in this jury that she is forming, as there are 12 people in a British jury. Arden agreed to this, and summoned a jury of 12 people, which Arbuthnot and Masterman became a part of. The other people included:

Arden acted on an idea created by Foscarelli: have Hardman - a former NYPD officer who was also employed as a private investigator - track down Cassetti and report information, specifically his new identity and address. Then have MacQueen and Masterman be hired by Cassetti, and have MacQueen relay specific information to them.

With this plan set in motion, they all decided to stab Cassetti to death, which Arbuthnot initially was not fond of, but soon adapted to.

During this time, he fell in love with Mary Debenham and became fiercely protective of her.

The Orient Express

In December 1935, Arbuthnot met up with the other members of the jury in Turkey. They were going to board the Orient Express to kill Cassetti, now going by Samuel Edward Ratchett.

While in Konya, Hercule Poirot caught a partial conversation between Mary and Arbuthnot. He heard Mary say, "Not now. Not now, when it's all over. When it's behind us, then..." He decided not to ask them about it, but was curious.

Mary and Arbuthnot crossed the Bosphorus River to Istanbul, and boarded the Orient Express.

At 12:37am on December 18, 1935, Arbuthnot was among the jury when they all stabbed Ratchett to death. Arbuthnot planted a pipe cleaner next to Ratchett's dead body as a clue.

Moments later, the train stalled in a snowbank, and it wasn't until 9:45am that the body was discovered.

During Arbuthnot's interview, he explained that he was in India to sightsee at Ur of the Chaldees, and then stayed in Baghdad for 3 days to visit the A.O.C., a personal friend of his. Staying in character, he also said that he first met Mary Debenham when they were in the same railway car going from Kirkuk to Nissibin.

Arbuthnot is later questioned by Poirot about the conversation he overheard earlier. He had asked Mary about this, and she refused to answer. Arbuthnot also refused to answer, keeping it a secret, and recommended that Poirot try asking her again.

Poirot's third interview with Mary resulted in her breaking down because she cannot tell Poirot the secret, and Arbuthnot, seeing this, threatened to break every bone in Poirot's body before escorting Mary back to the compartment.

Poirot later revealed all of the passengers to be Ratchett's executioners, and the reason why Mary and Arbuthnot concealed their secret: they had met in New York at the Armstrong Mansion, had fallen in love, and were planning to get married, but they had to kill Ratchett first.

Poirot let them go as they had avenged the deaths of those who did not deserve to die.

Portrayals

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Connery Arbuthnot

Sean Connery as Arbuthnot in the 1974 film

In the 1974 film, Arbuthnot is played by Sean Connery, an actor famous for playing the first generation of James Bond.

Despite being called Colonel Arbuthnot in the movie, Arbuthnot is actually a Lieutenant Colonel working with the 12th Ghurka Rifles, as shown on his briefcase. He is also in Reserved Secondary Training, training in the U.S. Army Reserves.

Arbuthnot is among the few characters not introduced with the Armstrong Kidnapping scene.

Arbuthnot has a conversation with Mary Debenham, in which she tells him, "Not now. When it's over, when it's behind us." This is overheard by Poirot, who later asks them about it.

Arbuthnot tells Poirot that his wife had asked him for a divorce, and he had initiated divorce proceedings as his wife had been unfaithful to him. When these proceedings were over, he intended to marry Miss Debenham.

Murder on the Orient Express (2001)

In the 2001 TV movie, Arbuthnot is played by David Hunt.

Arbuthnot's name is changed from John Arbuthnot to Robert Arbuthnot, and his occupation is changed from a British Indian Army Colonel to a software designer.

Arbuthnot is introduced in the Istanbul marketplace, talking with Mary Debenham. Mary says, "I don't want to talk about it now. When it's over and behind us, then--" before catching Poirot in her sight. Arbuthnot sees him, and walks off with Mary.

On the train, Poirot wonders why Mary is not sitting with Arbuthnot, whom he nicknames "The American road warrior".

That night, Arbuthnot is next seen in Tony Foscarelli's compartment. Foscarelli shows Arbuthnot how to use an Ab Roller for stress reduction in his neck when William MacQueen arrives; Foscarelli invites him in.

Later, Mary arrives to tell them that they are being too loud, and Arbuthnot and Foscarelli invite her inside, and she accepts. Arbuthnot pours her a glass of Scotch whiskey.

Arbuthnot is later seen the next morning, in his interview conducted by Poirot. Arbuthnot questions who is the controlling legal authority, and Poirot says that until the police arrive, he is. In response, Arbuthnot calls Poirot "sheriff" and says that he was in Istanbul on a business trip.

Arbuthnot is the founder, senior manager, and CEO of DigiSaurus, a software company based out of Seattle, Washington. DigiSaurus had sent up their communications satellite in 2000, and now he dial anyone anywhere.

Poirot presents a computer stylist - which Arbuthnot was missing - to his handheld computer, and says that it was found next to Ratchett's dead body.

Arbuthnot also explains that he was hanging out in Foscarelli's comparment with Foscarelli, Mary and William MacQueen. When Poirot suggests that Mary might be responsible for Ratchett's death, Arbuthnot angrily rises and says that Mary has an alibi: she was with him the whole time. He also says that he will not be a part of Poirot's "little parlor game" and storms off.

Bouc thinks that Arbuthnot committed the murder, as he has the temper and the required strength, and admits to losing his stylist.

Poirot then opens the door to Arbuthnot's compartment and asks for his handheld computer. Arbuthnot tells Poirot to use his own, but Poirot - who hates computers - doesn't possess one. Arbuthnot reluctantly gives Poirot his laptop with the promise that he won't drop it.

Poirot, wondering why the name Arbuthnot sounds so familiar, looks it up, and realizes Arbuthnot's past.

Arbuthnot was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 28, 1954. In 1959, when he was 5, he moved to the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, and grew up alongside Steve Armstrong. The two of them were such close friends that they attended and graduated the same schools together, such as Little Indian Junior High School in 1967, Dan Blatt High School in 1972, and UCLA in 1976.

While in their last year at UCLA, the two friends created Cheetah Software, a successful operating system. They both graduated the same year with Degrees in Computer Studies.

10 years later, in 1986, Arbuthnot founded DigiSaurus Software, while Steve Armstrong created WizBang the same year.

Armstrong would later relocate to New York City, and marry socialite Sonya Goldenberg. The two of them would have one child named Daisy Armstrong in 1991, but 7 years later, in 1998, she was kidnapped by a mobster named "The Rattler", who was once successful in the 1980s, but soon became washed-up. The Rattler murdered Daisy after collecting the ransom demand, and this led to multiple deaths in the household, including Steve Armstrong's suicide by gunshot.

Arbuthnot is next seen when he loudly and furiously confronts Poirot about the interview with Mary, and him accusing her of murder. Mary had been cold and uncooperative with him, and he had directly asked her about the conversation he overheard. She refused to answer, and Poirot told her that she was further incriminating herself by refusing to answer his question.

Holding Poirot by the shirt collar, Arbuthnot tells Poirot he may not have authority, but he has a lot of nerve. Poirot and Bouc try to calm him down, but Arbuthnot, having had enough of Poirot's investigative demeanor, tells Poirot that he will not let Poirot ruin Mary's career and to either solve the case or shut up about it. Poirot calmly tells Bouc to round up the passengers in the bar car.

During Poirot's revelation scene, he conducts two solutions.

The first one is that Ratchett, the alias of Cassetti, had made many enemies, and one of them sent threatening phone calls, and boarded the train. He would then dress up in a conductor's uniform and stab Ratchett 9 times in the chest before exiting into Mrs. Hubbard's compartment and losing a button from the jacket.

Arbuthnot is very quick to jump onto this solution and apologizes for blowing up at Poirot earlier, and congratulates Poirot for solving the case before preparing to exit the door. Poirot stops him by saying that there is another solution to the case, asking Arbuthnot if he would like to hear it. Arbuthnot slowly turns around and agrees.

Poirot's next solution turns out to be the real one, and he proves that all of them committed the murder because of Cassetti's cruel actions.

In the murder scene, Arbuthnot is the first one to stab Ratchett. He stabs Ratchett with such ferocity that it is most likely that this stab wound is the one that killed him, as when he does so, Ratchett convulses forward and blood begins leaking out of his mouth, whereas when the others do, Ratchett does not move.

Poirot asks Bouc what he thinks of the solutions, and which one to tell the police. Bouc says that justice has already been served, so Poirot lets them go.

At Belgrade Station, Mary and Arbuthnot walk away.

Mary and Arbuthnot move back to Seattle and marry.

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

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

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Physical Appearance

In the novel, Arbuthnot is a tall man with a lean figure, and an age between forty and fifty. He has brown skin, a square jaw, and hair that is slightly grizzled around the temples.

Connery Arbuthnot
  • In the 1974 film, Arbuthnot has grizzled dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a moustache.
    • Arbuthnot's main attire throughout the movie is a single-breasted 3-piece houndstooth suit made of of brown and black checked wool with a muted red overcheck. The jacket has wide notch lapels and 3 horn buttons, the single-breasted waistcoat has 6 buttons and a tight Double Albert chain where he puts his watch, and the trousers are pleated. Underneath the vest is a white dress shirt with a rounded collar and gold collar-pin, a front placket, and double cuffs connected by gold disk links. He also wears a club tie with navy, beige, and olive stripes, and his shoes are brown leather cap-toe oxford brogues.
    • The only time we do not see him wear this is in the beginning of the movie; he wears a brown flat cap, a full-belted dark sand-colored birdseye flannel Norfolk jacket in brown-and-tan plaid check, with wide lapels and horn buttons. Underneath the jacket, he wears a white cotton point-collar shirt with double French cuffs fastened with gold links. He also wears mustard-yellow gloves, brown tweed "plus-fours", dark brown ribbed socks, and brown leather five-eyelet wingtip oxford brogues.
  • In the 2001 TV movie, Arbuthnot has light brown hair, grey eyes, and stands a height of 6 feet.
    • His main attire is a dark blue single-breasted jacket, a white t-shirt, a silver wristwatch on his left wrist, blue jeans held up by a black leather belt, and brown slip-on oxford shoes.
    • For his other scenes on the train, he wears a dark blue (almost black) suit, a light blue t-shirt, the same watch, black socks, and black slip-on oxford shoes.
  • In the 2017 movie, Arbuthnot has short, dark brown hair parted to the right, dark brown eyes, a big nose, and a dark brown pencil moustache.
    • His main attire is a grey 3-button single-breasted wool 2-piece suit with wide notch lapels, triple pleated patch pockets, and an action back. He also wears a grey crewneck sweater with 3 horizontal burgundy wide stripes on the stomach area, a startched white spearpoint collar shirt with faint brown stripes, a silver-and-green diamond patterned silk tie in a 4-in-hand knot, a pin-dotted olive green vest, trousers with forward-facing pleats, and brown cap-toe oxford shoes.
    • For his first scenes, Arbuthnot wears the same outfit, but without the crewneck sweater, and with a different suit. He wears a non-rolled tan 3-button tan narrow stripe two-piece suit with peak lapels, a small patterned pocket with a puff-fold, and trousers with forward-facing pleats.

Trivia

  • Arbuthnot and John Armstrong are the same age.
  • Arbuthnot only smokes a pipe.
  • In the 2010 Poirot episode, Arbuthnot carries a Webley .38 Mk IV "Duty Model" revolver with a 4" barrel.
  • In the 1974 movie, Arbuthnot carries a military suitcase that reads Lt. Col. RST J. Arbuthnot - 12th Ghurka Rifles.
  • There are some errors in the 2001 TV movie concerning Arbuthnot's life: The home page on his website says that he was born on July 28, 1954, but it also says this:
    • He graduated from Little Indian Junior High School in 1959. You must be 14 years old to graduate junior high school; Arbuthnot was 5 years old.
    • He graduated from Dan Blatt High School in 1965. You must be 18 years old to graduate high school; Arbuthnot was 11 years old.
    • He graduated UCLA in 1972. You must be 22 years old to graduate college; Arbuthnot was 18 years old.
    • And he co-created Cheetah Software in 1976, and according to Poirot, he and Steve Armstrong were still in college when they created Cheetah Software, and Arbuthnot was 22 years old.
  • The 2001 TV movie says that Arbuthnot graduated from Dan Blatt High School. This is a reference to Daniel H. Blatt, the executive producer for the film.

References

  1. According to the 2001 TV movie, Arbuthnot was born on July 28, 1954; this would make his age 47 years old in the movie's current events. If he were 47 years old in 1935, which is when the novel takes place, then he would have been born in 1888.
  2. This works because according to Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the novel, his age is between 40 and 50 years old.
  3. According to the 2006 video game, he was born and resides in The Mews of Cheltenham, England.
  4. The main enlistment age for soldiers in the British Army was 17; Arbuthnot and Armstrong were both 17 in 1905.
  5. According to Chapter 8 of Part 2 of the novel, Arbuthnot states that he has known at least 3 Armstrongs: Tommy Armstrong in the 60th Regiment of Foot; Selby Armstrong, who was killed in action on the Somme; and "Toby" Armstrong, who got the V.C.
  6. In the 2010 Poirot episode, Arbuthnot says that Armstrong earned war medals for the Battle of Passchendaele, particularly the Military Cross medal.
  7. The awards that Armstrong received were for "gallantry during active operations in the presence of the enemy," implying that Armstrong willingly put himself in danger to save Arbuthnot's life.
  8. According to the 2017 film, Dr. Arbuthnot lives in Middlesex, a Greater London suburb.
  9. According to the 1974 film, the kidnapping took place on April 17, 1930.
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