Double Sin is the sixth episode of series 2 of the ITV British television drama series Agatha Christie's Poirot featuring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, first broadcast on 11 February 1990 in the UK. The episode is an adaptation of the Agatha Christie short story of the same name and was directed by Richard Spence with dramatisation by Clive Exton.
Synopsis[]
A dissatisfied Poirot takes Hastings on holiday to Devon. On a bus trip in the area, they get acquainted with Mary Durrant, an antique dealer whose set of valuable miniatures promptly gets stolen.
The adaptation is faithful to the main premise of the original story with respect to the nature of the crime but with a few other side plots involving Miss Lemon and Japp included as time fillers. In the adaptation Poirot recuses himself, leaving Hastings to conduct the investigation himself with the local police and the criminals are exposed in a different, more confrontational manner.
Comparison with Original Story[]
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)
The setting is changed from Devon to the Lake District. Instead of Poirot wanting to go see an old friend, Joseph Aarons, Poirot takes Hastings down to get some fresh air but actually wanted to covertly see Japp's lecture, partly out of jealousy and seemingly out of self-pity, having declared himself old and retired throughout most of the episode's case, leaving Hastings to do much of the investigation.
Two major side plots have been added, one where Japp is conducting a north country lecture tour to raise funds for the police benevolent fund (he meets Poirot and Hastings at Whitcomb) and the second where Miss Lemon loses her keys to Poirot's rooms at Whitehaven Mansions but with a little internal advice from Poirot, she reconstructed "the scene of the crime" and found the keys.
The adaptation fleshes out the suspicious Norton Kane by giving him a female "accomplice" that was not in the original, Amanda Manderley, and a plot where they lead Hastings and 2 constables on a car chase. The pair end up being innocent and simply had been trying to elope. Mr Baker Wood not only identified the engaged couple (while discounting them as the thief) but was brought in at the climax (while Hastings suspected Wood actually stole the miniatures himself) and identified Miss Penn as the woman, heavily disguised, who sold him the stolen miniatures. Miss Penn and her niece make a run for it and get arrested by the constables in the adaptation whereas in the original, Poirot privately revealed to them that he knew what they were doing and gave them a stern warning to scare them into never doing such a thing again.
A lovely moment came when Poirot overhears Inspector Japp speak highly about Poirot's abilities at his lecture and that seems to bolster his spirits enough to join the case and come to the conclusion he did in the original, and share it with Hastings and Japp before the women get arrested.
Cast[]
- David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
- Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings
- Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp
- Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon
- Adam Kotz as Norton Kane
- Caroline Milmoe as Mary Durrant
- Elspet Gray as Miss Penn
- David Hargreaves as Sergeant Vinney
- Gerard Horan as Police Constable Flagg
- Michael Shannon as Mr Baker Wood (as Michael J. Shannon)
- Amanda Garwood as Lady Amanda Manderley
- Paul Gabriel as Speedy Tours Rep.
- Harry Goodier as Billy Arkwright
- Jeffrey Perry as Hotel Receptionist
- Anne Small as Pianist
- Miranda Forbes as Landlady
- George Little as Dicker
- Ned Williams as First Urchin
- Jack Williams as Second Urchin
Filming Locations[]
- Holland Park - Poirot and Hastings walk in park at the beginning.[1]
- Midland Hotel, Morecambe - Poirot's hotel in Whitcombe
- Wray Castle, near Ambleside, Cumbria - Lake Hotel near Windermere
- Normansfield Theatre - Lecture hall
- Main St, Kirkby Lonsdale, Carnforth - Antique shop
- Swine Market, Kirkby Lonsdale, Carnforth - Bus station where Poirot announces that he does not travel by bus
- A683 (junction with Jordans Lane) - Hastings and police car chase