Paddington hatsu 4ji 50pun: Shindai Tokkyuu Satsuhin Jiken (パディントン発4時50分 ～寝台特急殺人事件～ 4.50 from Paddington - Night Express Train Murder) is a Japanese language adaptation from TV Asahi of 4.50 from Paddington. In this richly-produced drama, the Miss Marple character is paralleled by Amano Toko, a successful police officer now retired and working as a consultant in risk management. Toko is played by popular Japanese actress Amami Yuki.[1][2]
Synopsis[]
The story begins one evening when, as Toko’s stepmother is aboard the Orion Express train, she witnesses a man strangling a woman. Neither the train conductor nor the police take her report seriously, assuming she was half asleep. Toko believes her and starts probing into the matter, deducing that the criminal threw the dead body from the train. Predicting that the dead body was thrown into the grounds of the palatial residence alongside the railway line, she engages “someone” to sneak in.
The residence is inhabited by the president of a company and his family - a suspicious group of characters with secrets to hide. Where did the dead body disappear to? When a second murder occurs, Toko wonders what connects the cases, and seeks to get to the bottom of it.
Comparison with original story[]
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)
Cast[]
Note: IMDb lists Japanese names in Western style as given name-family name. However the Japanese names here follow Japanese naming convention with family name-given name. This format is easier when searching for resources on the internet, especially those from Japanese sites. In the episode dialogue, characters are addressed in the Japanese format and this format is also used in the credits. In addition, it should be noted that the character names in IMDB are not exact.
Parallels are in brackets.
Investigators[]
- Amami Yūki (天海祐希) as Amano Toko (天乃瞳子) (Miss Marple)
- Maeda Atsuko (前田敦子) as Nakamura Aya (中村彩) (Lucy Eyelesbarrow)
- Kusabue Mitsuko (草笛光子) as Amano Suzume (天乃雀) (Elspeth McGillicuddy)
Tomizawa household[]
- Nishida Toshiyuki as Tomizawa Shinsuke (Luther Crackenthorpe)
- Hara Satoe as Tomizawa Keiko (Emma Crackenthorpe)
- Ishiguro Ken as Saeki Keiichi (Dr Quimper)
- Suzuki Kosuke as Tomizawa Tetsuji (Cedric Crackenthorpe)
- Yashiba Toshihiro (矢柴俊博) as Furukawa Shin (古川晋) (Bryan Eastley)
- Niro Shinya (新納慎也) as Tomizawa Seizo (富沢晴三) (Harold Crackenthorpe)
- Matsumoto Hiroyuki (松本博之) as Tomizawa Shiro (富沢志郎) (Alfred Crackenthorpe)
- Isao Hashizume as Councilor Yamaguchi
- Tomoka Kurotani as Reiko Kimura
- Renn Kiriyama as Detective Suzuki
- Masanobu Katsumura as Chief Inspector Karaki
Trailer[]
4 50 from Paddington, by TV Asahi in Japan
Research notes[]
Easter eggs[]
Tropes and themes[]
Filming locations[3][4][]
- Shigeno Kawaguchiko House, Nagahama, Fujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture - Tomizawa mansion.[5]
- Paleo Express Steam train on the Chichibu Railway - the train[6]