The Lost Mine is the third episode of series 2 of the ITV British television drama series Agatha Christie's Poirot featuring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, first broadcast on 21 January 1990 in the UK. The episode is an adaptation of the Agatha Christie short story of the same name and was directed by Edward Bennett with dramatisation by Michael Baker and David Renwick.
Synopsis[]
The director of Poirot's bank, Lord Pearson, consults the Detective after the disappearance of Mr Wu Ling who was to sell the bank a map leading to a Burmese mine abundant with silver.
While the main premise of the original story, the recovery of the map of a lost mine, is retained, there are extensive changes to the backgrounds of various characters. Miss Lemon has been added and Chief Inspector Japp takes over as the role of Inspector Miller.
Comparison with Original Story[]
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)
The stories are quite different in that:
- In the adaptation, the case unfolds in the present with a great deal of police work done by Inspector Japp whereas in the original, the case is being told to Hastings by Poirot, explaining the case that lead to him being awarded fourteen thousand shares in Burma Mines Ltd.
- While not specified as such in the original, the character of Charles Lester was portrayed as an American opium addict. A new addition, his American wife, was created to show Poirot the dead man's passport she found in her husband's coat. The man impersonating Wu Ling was apparently also American because he wrote the date in the hotel lobby book in the American way (month/day/year). In the original, a man was impersonating Wu Ling's servant.
- There is no insufferable Inspector Miller in the adaptation. Instead Inspector Japp heads the investigation by taking command of a stake-out via radio, overseeing a car chase through Chinatown, interviewing perpetrators who lead him to an underground gambling ring, and discovering an opium den.
- In the adaptation, Pearson's attempt to frame Lester were in objects planted (a book with Lester's name, the passport) while in the original he convinced Poirot to accompany him to the opium den in disguise and they overheard his underlings talk about Lester having the valuable plans to the mind. Pearson also killed Wu Ling directly in the adaptation (and dumped his body in an alley) while his "Chinese accomplices" killed him without being instructed to (and threw Wu Ling's body into the river).
- There are 2 little background story lines that have been added, the 1st being Poirot complaining about the bank making an error in his account which is resolved at the end of the episode when Ms. Lemon (who was not in the original story) reveals a payment for a previous case was not deposited, thus explaining the deficit in his bank account.
- The 2nd background story shows Poirot and Hastings play a long game of Monopoly (in addition to talking about stocks, like the original touched upon). This comes into play, so to speak, when at the climax, Poirot fools Mr. Pearson who outs himself as knowing more than he let on when he mistakes a folded set of Monopoly rules for the passport he planted on Lester to frame him for murder.
- While not specified in the adaptation, Mr. Pearson hiring Poirot was supposed to further bolster his story and make the frame job credible.
Cast[]
- David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
- Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings
- Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp
- Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon
- Anthony Bate as Lord Pearson
- Colin Stinton as Charles Lester
- Barbara Barnes as Mrs Lester
- James Saxon as Reggie Dyer
- Vincent Wong as Chinaman (most likely the impersonator of Wu Ling)
- Richard Albrecht as Lobby Clerk
- John Cording as Inspector Jameson
- Gloria Connell as Miss Devenish
- Julian Firth as Bank Teller
- Peter Barnes as Wilkins
- Hi Ching as Chow Feng
- Ozzie Yue as Restaurant Manager - see Mr Ho
- Chris Walker as First Officer (as Christopher Walker)
- Joe Frazer as Second Officer
- Daryl Kwan as Oriental Gentleman (most likely the person mistaken at the bank for Wu Ling)
- Susan Leong as Chinese Tart
- Ian Boo Khoo as Chinese Street Boy (uncredited)
- Lee Richards as Car Surveillance Policewoman (uncredited)
- Uncredited actress as Miss Boreham
Tropes and Themes[]
- The game of Monopoly
- This is anachronistic. The hotel register shows that the events take place in 1935. The Monopoly game which Poirot and Hastings play uses London landmarks and street names. This version of the game only became available in 1936.
- Investment in stocks and shares - Hastings gives a lot of advice to Miss Lemon but it is Poirot's advice which proves correct at the end.
- Modern tools in solving crimes
- vehicular surveillance with radio control (arrest of Dyer)
- use of wirephoto to send photographs (Burmese authorites wire Wu Ling's photo to Scotland Yard)[1]
Filming Locations[]
- Various streets in London such as Columbia Road, Ezra Street, Bethnal Green[2] dressed up as Chinatown. Chinatown itself was not actually used.
- German Historical Institute, 17 Bloomsbury Square - St James Hotel
- Dagenham Civic Centre - London and Shanghai Bank
- Gilbert Place, London - Chow Cat sauna exterior
- Chiswick Town Hall
- Committee Room - vehicle surveillance operations room
- Staircase - Japp, Hastings and Poirot descend the staircase after watching the surveillance