In the novel Murder on the Orient Express, Monsieur Bouc is the director of La Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. He is a friend, and countryman, of Hercule Poirot and they meet each other at the Tokatlıyan Hotel in Constantinople. He is a "short, stout, elderly man", with hair that is "cut en brosse". Monsieur Bouc originally occupied Compartment No. 1 in the Istanbul-Calais coach on the Orient Express, but he later moved to the Athens-Paris coach so that Poirot could occupy the compartment in the Istanbul-Calais coach.
Portrayals[]
Murder on the Orient Express (1974)[]
In the 1974 film, this character is played by Martin Balsam. The name is changed to Signor Bianchi and he is Italian. Similar to the novel, he moves out of his compartment in the Istanbul-Calais coach so that Poirot can occupy it. However, in this portrayal he moves into the Pullman carriage. Bianchi gets worried when a rescue train with a snow plough arrives. He wants the investigation concluded before the track is cleared and the train proceeds to Brod as he does not want to involve the local police. This sense of urgency is not found in the original story.
In this adaptation, Poirot presents the two solutions and leaves it to Bianchi, as director of the line, to pick one to present to the police.
Murder on the Orient Express (2001)[]
In the 2001 film, the character is played by Fritz Wepper. In this adaptation his first name is changed to "Wolfgang" and he is German, not Belgian.
In a voiceover at the end of the show, Poirot says that Bouc took early retirement from the Orient Express and set up a detective agency in Istanbul.
Agatha Christie's Poirot: Murder on the Orient Express (2010)[]
In 2010 adaptation, Monsieur Bouc was given the first name Xavier. He looked significantly younger than described in the novel or other adaptations.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)[]
Death on the Nile (2022)[]
In stark contrast to the original novel and any previous adaptation, Kenneth Branagh's Death on the Nile (2022) contains Bouc as a very prominent character. Bouc is portrayed as a close friend of Poirot. He is accompanied by his mother Euphemia (thus being given some character traits of Tim Allerton and his mother).
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As the film progresses, Bouc also becomes one of the murder victims, making the case very personal for Poirot.
Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express (2023)[]
Monsieur Bouc appears in the 2023 video game Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express.
Even though the video game takes place the same year it was released in, Bouc remains Poirot's friend and director of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, and still chooses the first yet false solution to the murder of Cassetti.
Monsieur Bouc is voiced by Patrick Albenque, who also voices Antonio Foscarelli.