Five Little Pigs is an episode of the television series Agatha Christie's Poirot. It is an adaptation of the novel with the same name. The script was written by Kevin Elyot, and the episode was directed by Paul Unwin.
Comparison with the original story
There were a few major changes in this version:
- One was that Philip Blake's affections were not for Caroline, as in the book, but for Amyas, thus making Philip Blake gay.
- Caroline was executed in the adaptation, instead of being sentenced to life in prison and then dying a year into her jail sentence, as in the book.
- Carla's name was also changed to Lucy, and she does not have a fiancé in the film. Nor, in the film, does she fear she has hereditary criminal tendencies; she merely wishes to prove her mother innocent of the crime.
- Furthermore, after Poirot exposes Elsa as Amyas' murderer, Lucy aims at her with a pistol, with Elsa provoking Lucy to shoot her and Poirot urging Lucy to spare Elsa's life so that justice can truly be served. Eventually, Lucy lowers her pistol and Elsa leaves, broken and defeated.
Cast
- David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
- Rachael Stirling as Caroline Crale
- Aidan Gillen as Amyas Crale
- Toby Stephens as Philip Blake
- Marc Warren as Meredith Blake
- Aimee Mullins as Lucy Crale
- Julie Cox as Elsa Greer
- Gemma Jones as Miss Williams
- Sophie Winkleman as Angela Warren
- Talulah Riley as Young Angela
- Patrick Malahide as Depleach
- Annette Badland as Mrs Spriggs
- Roger Brierley as Judge
- Richard Teverson as Hollinghurst
- Melissa Suffield as Young Lucy
- Lottie Unwin as Young Caroline
- Darien Smith as Young Amyas
- Jacek Bilinski as Young Philip
- Joel de Temperley as Young Meredith (as Joel De Temperley)
Tropes and themes
- Archaeology. Angela Warren gives a lecture on the archaeological excavation at Chagar Bazar. She also tells Poirot that she has written an account in the National Geographic. In the 1930s, Max Mallowan directed the excavations at Chagar Bazar. Agatha Christie recorded some impressions of life at the Chagar Bazar dig in Come, Tell Me How You Live!