One, Two, Buckle My Shoe is the third episode of series four of Agatha Christie's Poirot. It was broadcast on 19 January 1992. The episode was dramatised by Clive Exton, and directed by Ross Devenish. It is a feature-length adaptation of the Christie novel of the same name.
Synopsis
Comparison with Original Novel
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)
- The adaptation is fairly faithful to the original novel except for a few small changes.
- There are a number of preambular scenes which set the stage and are probably there to "give an equal chance" to the viewer i.e. to supply clues. In the original, some of the crucial connections are made by Poirot in his mind and the reader has at times little insight into his thought process.
- A lengthy preambular sequence depicts Mabelle, Alistair and Gerda while they were in India. This is set during the time of the durbah of the Prince of Wales, hence 1921, and about 15 years before the events in the book, During this scene, Gerda announces that she and Alistair are to be married. In the original, Gerda and Alistair never went to India--they met in Oxford. Mabelle knew them there as she was in the same repertory as Gerda. Later, she went to India.
- The preambular scene in India features a play within a play where Gerda, Mabelle and there repertory put up "Much Ado About Nothing". The scene shown is Act 5 Scene 4. Gerda is playing the part of "Beatrice".
- The adaptation shows Poirot, Alistair Blunt etc. making two visits to the dentist. The first is again a preamble and enacts events before chapter 1 in the book. In this first visit, the real Mabelle encounters Alistair at the dentist and Jane Olivera witnesses this. In the book, this event is narrated by Jane much later. Chapter 1 of the book is actually the second visit to the dentist by Poirot, Alistair etc shown in the adaptation. As Poirot surmises in the book, the Mabelle who turns up at this second visit is the fake Mabelle.
- Howard Raikes does not appear in the adaptation so Jane Olivera has a much smaller role in the plot. There is no shooting incident outside Downing Street. In the shooting incident in Blunt's garden, Helen Montressor takes over Raikes's role. In the original, a loaded pistol is planted on the laurels. When Frank Carter clips the laurels, the gun falls and goes off. Carter picks it up. Raikes happens to be there, by coincidence, it seems, and he jumps on Carter. In the adaptation, Helen Montressor fires the gun herself and then throws it at Carter's feet. He picks it up and Helen jumps on him.
Barnes does not appear in the adaptation. There is an Albert Chapman and his wife Beryl. The police raid their hotel room only to discover that it is a case of mistaken identity.
- The denouement takes place among the key witnesses and suspects and members of the Blunt family. In the book, Poirot meets Blunt alone.
Cast
- David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
- Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp
- Joanna Phillips-Lane as Gerda / Helen
- Peter Blythe as Blunt
- Carolyn Colquhoun as Mabelle
- Christopher Eccleston as Frank Carter
- Karen Gledhill as Gladys Neville
- Laurence Harrington as Henry Morley
- Rosalind Knight as Georgina Morley
- Sara Stewart as Jane Olivera
- Helen Horton as Julia Olivera
- Kevork Malikyan as Amberiotis
- Trilby James as Agnes Fletcher
- Joe Greco as Alfred Biggs
- Oliver Bradshaw as Mr Hendry
- Jean Ainslie as Alison Hendry
- Bruce Alexander as Albert Chapman
- Mary Healey as Beryl Chapman
- Tom Durham as Lionel Arnholt
- John Carlin as Dr Bennett
- George Waring as First Coroner
- John Warner as Second Coroner
- Ben Bazell as Sergeant Beddoes
- Dawn Keeler as Mrs Pinner
- Cassandra Holliday as Receptionist
- Stephen Bird as Pageboy
- John Peters as Sergeant
- Nigel Bellairs as Mr Leatheran
- Eileen Maciejewska as Manageress
- Nicolas Brook as Waiter
- Keith Woodhams as Desk Clerk
- Mark Heal as Police Constable
- Chris Spicer as Actor playing 'Claudio'
- Alan Penn as Actor playing 'Antonio'
- Guy Oliver-Watts as Actor playing 'Benedick' (as Guy Oliver Watts)
- Emma Grey as Hopscotch Girl
- Julie Smith as Hopscotch Girl
- David Bowles as Sgt. Evans (uncredited)
- Jill Goldston as Maid (uncredited)
- Cole Henderson as Driver (uncredited)
- Katherine Suchet as Girl (uncredited)
Tropes and themes
- Poirot's fear of dentists - also a theme in The Case of the Missing Will (Agatha Christie's Poirot episode) and Murder in the Mews (Agatha Christie's Poirot episode).
- The Art Deco 1930s
- Lichfield Court - a Grade II listed building built in 1935 in Streamline Moderne style
- Shrubs Wood - a Moderne style house built 1934-35 which also appears in many other Christie adaptations
Filming Locations
- Lichfield Court - Gerda's flat
- Shrubs Wood - Alistair Blunt's house
- 10 Trinity Square, London - externals of Alistair's office, Arnholt's
- Freemason's Hall, London - externals and reception area of Astoria Hotel
- Dartmouth House, Mayfair, London - externals of Carlisle Hotel
- Somerset House