I've watched from beginning to end the whole Poirot series five times! Yet this final episode just once. Too sad for me to re watch this sad yet incredible finale to my all time favourite tv show more than once. David Suchet it's extraordinary. There will never be a better Poirot. Thank you David.
33 Reviews
Faithful, moving, and well done
jeanveljean13 November 2013
It's difficult, perhaps nearly impossible, to write an objective, clear- eyed review of Curtain at this point. Those of us who enjoyed Suchet's definitive portrayal are filled with a mix of emotions. So I won't even try to be objective.
The setting was drab and dark, yes, but that, I think, was part of the point. A sumptuous, beautiful setting, like that seen in Five Little Pigs, would've seemed out of place. Styles is a decayed, dying home, a shadow of itself -- and so, it seems, is Poirot.
Closer observers of UK television and movies might recognize members of the cast and comment on their ability to carry off their roles. I can only say that I thought all the actors did, at minimum, competent jobs. Hugh Fraser and Aidan McArdie deserve particular commendation for turning in wonderful performances. It nearly goes without saying that David Suchet proves, yet again, why he is the definitive Poirot.
The expectations for this episode were tremendous. I'd say that the production did an excellent job satisfying Christie purists, an easier task given that she wrote this at the height of her powers. A wonderful way to close out a wonderful series, n'est pas?
The setting was drab and dark, yes, but that, I think, was part of the point. A sumptuous, beautiful setting, like that seen in Five Little Pigs, would've seemed out of place. Styles is a decayed, dying home, a shadow of itself -- and so, it seems, is Poirot.
Closer observers of UK television and movies might recognize members of the cast and comment on their ability to carry off their roles. I can only say that I thought all the actors did, at minimum, competent jobs. Hugh Fraser and Aidan McArdie deserve particular commendation for turning in wonderful performances. It nearly goes without saying that David Suchet proves, yet again, why he is the definitive Poirot.
The expectations for this episode were tremendous. I'd say that the production did an excellent job satisfying Christie purists, an easier task given that she wrote this at the height of her powers. A wonderful way to close out a wonderful series, n'est pas?
A return to Styles, for a fantastic finale
Sleepin_Dragon25 August 2018
Poirot signs off with a pretty incredible episode. Amazing to think it started way back in 1989, I wonder if even Suchet himself imagined it would run until 2013. It's fair to say this magical series ends with a quite brilliant adaptation of Curtain. I have to admit to not loving the book, I feel at times Poirot is a little out of character, a little odd. Those oddities are superbly brought to life, Suchet gives a captivating final performance as Poirot, he is quite captivating, packing raw emotion into the part. So sad to see him in his frail state, but it's of course part of the story. Hugh Fraser is superb too, Hastings , so often in Poirot's shadow is given so much more to do, arguably Fraser's finest performance. Suchet is matched by a quite remarkable performance from Aidan McArdle, a fine actor, he delivers the goods here. I've only watched it for the second time, I found it better then I remembered first time round. It takes a few minutes to warm up, but it gets better and better, the ending is remarkable.
A fittingly brilliant ending to a wonderful series, 10/10
A fittingly brilliant ending to a wonderful series, 10/10
One powerful swan-song, rounds off the series brilliantly
TheLittleSongbird14 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Ever since seeing Sad Cypress for the first time 10 years ago, I have been a loyal fan of Agatha Christie: Poirot and of Agatha Christie. The series has been a pleasure to watch in so many ways, even when you see an episode countless times you find something more to like further about it and pick up on things you didn't see before. And mostly the quality has been very high, there are a handful of truly outstanding adaptations(After the Funeral, Five Little Pigs, Sad Cypress, Wasps Nest, The Chocolate Box, Adventure of the Italian Nobleman, The ABC Murders, Peril at End House), a few disappointing ones(Taken at the Flood, Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Adventure of Johnny Waverly, Mystery of the Blue Train, Labours of Hercules, none of them are terrible though or below 5/10 on personal ranking) and rest decent to very good(even the much-maligned, but to me underrated, Appointment with Death and Murder on the Orient Express).
The 13th season, like most of the seasons in the series(mostly the later ones) hasn't been consistent. Dead Man's Folly and Elephants Can Remember(the latter being much better than the source material)were excellent; The Big Four was mostly enjoyable but let down by the final solution, Simon Lowe and Miss Lemon and Hastings being wasted; and Labours of Hercules was a disappointment, had a number of good things but too dull and jumbled, and like Cards on the Table it tries to cram in too many ideas and didn't develop them enough. Curtain: Poirot's Last Case has been the adaptation that I, and many others most definitely, had been most anticipating, mainly because we wanted to see whether it would a good episode and send-off and that it is based on great source material. The book is very clever and poignant with one of Christie's mot ingenious solutions, an atmosphere that is ominous and poignant, strong characters and a cunning plot.
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case does manage to be a good episode and good send-off. No, scratch that, it is wonderful in both areas. Maybe it could have been longer perhaps and the ominous components in the book, while present and well-incorporated, are quite not as powerful. These are nit-picky really, and those aside Curtain: Poirot's Last Case is spot on. Not just the best of the 13th season but possibly also the best adaptation since After the Funeral. "Purists" will be happy that the adaptation is very faithful to the book, in most details, spirit, dialogue, structure and atmosphere. Any changes are very few and very minor.
It is a beautifully made adaptation, not as sumptuous as others(Five Little Pigs comes to mind) but it is shot with affection, the period detail is splendid and evocative and the haunting and melancholic look the adaptation adopts, as seen in the colours and how it's lit, fits wonders with the tone of the book and story. Christian Henson's music, which has more of a somewhat cinematic sound to it than Christopher Gunning's, has subtle parts and powerfully orchestrated ones without feeling too intrusive or brash. The use of Chopin's Raindrop Prelude is lovely. The dialogue is very thought-provoking and beautifully written, much of it like it's directly lifted out of Christie's writing. Poirot's treatment of Hastings might be a turn-off point for some in comparison to before, understandably as we are not used to Poirot being like that but it wasn't a problem to me considering the state Poirot is in throughout. And you can still see parts that are reminiscent of Poirot and Hastings in the older adaptations.
No disappointment to be seen in the story here. The opening is really haunting and adeptly sets the tone for what was to come, while moving does not describe the ending enough, admittedly I get emotional easily but we're talking about getting-through-at-least-half-a-box-of-tissues quality here. Not only because it's so well done but also the fact that we are saying goodbye to a great series and an iconic detective. Above all, the mystery itself is incredibly compelling, the final solution is still ingenious and you are kept guessing and pleasantly surprised throughout, and the atmosphere/tone of the book is translated faithfully here in the adaptation. The direction wisely doesn't veer between being too theatrical or too low-key, instead the drama is allowed to resonate within the deliberate but never tedious pace while keeping the mystery alive.
David Suchet is the definitive Poirot and he hasn't disappointed in any of the episodes of the series. He always is impeccable, but while there is still a little twinkle in the eye and the brilliant mind he is genuinely moving here(Poirot has never been as affecting as here), a tour-De-force, both in how he says his line and physically. It's lovely to see Hugh Fraser again, his role of Hastings being much more substantial than it was to Big Four and it really shows in his performance. There are times where Fraser comes close to out-doing Suchet, there is much more emotion and dimension to what was seen with Hastings before and I'd go as far to say that Fraser gives his best performance of the series, though he and Suchet have always been a joy to watch. The acting is excellent from all, Aiden McArdle(one of the more interesting supporting characters, his mind games have a subtle twisted menace to them), Helen Baxendale, an appropriately sour-faced Anne Reid and beguiling Alice Orr-Ewing standing out.
Overall, a powerful swan-song and a wonderful final episode. As much-missed as this truly great series(one of the best of its kind actually) will be, at least there'll be re-runs and the box-sets, so we can revisit it still, it just won't be the same without not having a new episode to look forward to. And it will be criminal if Suchet doesn't get some award recognition for being such a large part of why the series is as good as it is. 9/10 Bethany Cox
The 13th season, like most of the seasons in the series(mostly the later ones) hasn't been consistent. Dead Man's Folly and Elephants Can Remember(the latter being much better than the source material)were excellent; The Big Four was mostly enjoyable but let down by the final solution, Simon Lowe and Miss Lemon and Hastings being wasted; and Labours of Hercules was a disappointment, had a number of good things but too dull and jumbled, and like Cards on the Table it tries to cram in too many ideas and didn't develop them enough. Curtain: Poirot's Last Case has been the adaptation that I, and many others most definitely, had been most anticipating, mainly because we wanted to see whether it would a good episode and send-off and that it is based on great source material. The book is very clever and poignant with one of Christie's mot ingenious solutions, an atmosphere that is ominous and poignant, strong characters and a cunning plot.
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case does manage to be a good episode and good send-off. No, scratch that, it is wonderful in both areas. Maybe it could have been longer perhaps and the ominous components in the book, while present and well-incorporated, are quite not as powerful. These are nit-picky really, and those aside Curtain: Poirot's Last Case is spot on. Not just the best of the 13th season but possibly also the best adaptation since After the Funeral. "Purists" will be happy that the adaptation is very faithful to the book, in most details, spirit, dialogue, structure and atmosphere. Any changes are very few and very minor.
It is a beautifully made adaptation, not as sumptuous as others(Five Little Pigs comes to mind) but it is shot with affection, the period detail is splendid and evocative and the haunting and melancholic look the adaptation adopts, as seen in the colours and how it's lit, fits wonders with the tone of the book and story. Christian Henson's music, which has more of a somewhat cinematic sound to it than Christopher Gunning's, has subtle parts and powerfully orchestrated ones without feeling too intrusive or brash. The use of Chopin's Raindrop Prelude is lovely. The dialogue is very thought-provoking and beautifully written, much of it like it's directly lifted out of Christie's writing. Poirot's treatment of Hastings might be a turn-off point for some in comparison to before, understandably as we are not used to Poirot being like that but it wasn't a problem to me considering the state Poirot is in throughout. And you can still see parts that are reminiscent of Poirot and Hastings in the older adaptations.
No disappointment to be seen in the story here. The opening is really haunting and adeptly sets the tone for what was to come, while moving does not describe the ending enough, admittedly I get emotional easily but we're talking about getting-through-at-least-half-a-box-of-tissues quality here. Not only because it's so well done but also the fact that we are saying goodbye to a great series and an iconic detective. Above all, the mystery itself is incredibly compelling, the final solution is still ingenious and you are kept guessing and pleasantly surprised throughout, and the atmosphere/tone of the book is translated faithfully here in the adaptation. The direction wisely doesn't veer between being too theatrical or too low-key, instead the drama is allowed to resonate within the deliberate but never tedious pace while keeping the mystery alive.
David Suchet is the definitive Poirot and he hasn't disappointed in any of the episodes of the series. He always is impeccable, but while there is still a little twinkle in the eye and the brilliant mind he is genuinely moving here(Poirot has never been as affecting as here), a tour-De-force, both in how he says his line and physically. It's lovely to see Hugh Fraser again, his role of Hastings being much more substantial than it was to Big Four and it really shows in his performance. There are times where Fraser comes close to out-doing Suchet, there is much more emotion and dimension to what was seen with Hastings before and I'd go as far to say that Fraser gives his best performance of the series, though he and Suchet have always been a joy to watch. The acting is excellent from all, Aiden McArdle(one of the more interesting supporting characters, his mind games have a subtle twisted menace to them), Helen Baxendale, an appropriately sour-faced Anne Reid and beguiling Alice Orr-Ewing standing out.
Overall, a powerful swan-song and a wonderful final episode. As much-missed as this truly great series(one of the best of its kind actually) will be, at least there'll be re-runs and the box-sets, so we can revisit it still, it just won't be the same without not having a new episode to look forward to. And it will be criminal if Suchet doesn't get some award recognition for being such a large part of why the series is as good as it is. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Settling the Score for Agatha
kckidjoseph-127 August 2014
"Agatha Christie's Poirot: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case" is so dark that its star, David Suchet, insisted it be shot out of sequence so that it would not be the last image of the role that he and fellow cast members would have. Yes, it's that dark and sometimes, disturbing. The great irony is that, in reality, it was shot just before Christmas. But you won't find any bright tinsel or warm carols or peace on earth here. The old-fashioned bright Technicolor colors and tongue-in-cheek humor of the central character, especially with his loyal friend and helpmate, Hastings (Hugh Fraser), so often on display in Suchet's "Poirot" films over the last quarter-century, are nowhere to be found. It soon becomes apparent, as it was in another installment of this last season, "Murder on the Orient Express," that Suchet himself is on a mission to set the record straight for his beloved character, and especially for Christie herself. In "Curtain," nearly all color has been drained from the pictures. It is a kind of "noir" in which shadows are far more important than splashes of color. And so it is with Suchet's "Poirot" here, and the plot that steals him away for all time. The plot finds an older, infirm Poirot wasting away at a dank old estate, Styles, where Poirot and Hastings have solved their first murder many years before. Hastings, recently widowed, has come to look in on his old friend, Poirot, who by now has a bad ticker and is wheelchair-bound. In the mix is Hastings' daughter (Alice Orr-Ewing), a headstrong and sometimes disrespectful lass who may also be in danger, and perhaps even a suspect, when three people die, apparently by suicide. To say much more would ruin the surprise, but it's clear from the get-go that Poirot will have to rely more than ever before on those "little gray cells" _ and on Hastings. To be sure, Fraser has never been better in the latter role, and again, one senses a deliberate decision to make him an extension of Poirot more than ever before. He has to do the leg work, literally. The finale might upset and even shock faithful "Poirot" fans who have become accustomed to the splashy, whimsical productions of past years. But it's a fascination to watch Suchet, who has read every shred of Christie's "Poirot" writings and become a sort of self-made scholar on the subject, use his full classically trained might in doing what he considers righting the ship before he lets the role go. That alone is worth the price of admission. American viewers will have to do some leg work of their own to see this episode. Masterpiece won't be carrying this finale, at least for now, for whatever reason _ it's to be found instead on the Acorn subscription service that features British dramas. Viewers who take that step also will be treated to a 45-minute question-and-answer featurette from when Suchet appeared in Beverly Hills to promote the series' last season, itself a wonderful tool in understanding and enjoying the entire Suchet-Poirot experience and the perfect companion to the PBS "making of" short about the series. Hats off to Suchet for making a brave decision about a role that took up a good portion of his career, and truth be told, his life.
David Suchet's acting is beyond amazing
elizabeth9473 September 2014
All prior reviewers' comments regarding the script aside, the acting talents of David Suchet must be addressed here. There is only a small, select group of people that will have had the incredible opportunity to see what I have seen in the past few weeks. I watched this movie about two weeks after I saw David Suchet in "The Last Confession" on stage in Australia. In this move (Curtain), he plays an old, bloated (even fat), very ill man. One could truly believe he was on his last leg. However, just a few weeks ago (less than a year after this movie was made), I had the pleasure of seeing his performance in "The Last Confession". In this play, he was vital, animated, incredibly energetic, vibrant, extremely fit (even buff!), and nothing short of amazing. This is a testament to his amazing acting talent that he could go from being the character in this movie (Curtain), of course with a big nod to make-up, padding, etc., to the amazing character on stage I saw. I really didn't have a thorough appreciation of his acting chops until I saw him in this play.
A fitting ending
darextrodinare9 January 2021
all good things must come to an end
blanche-22 February 2015
"Curtain" is the last of the Poirot stories, which means the end of David Suchet's run as Poirot. To me, he will always be the definitive Poirot.
Hastings, who has just lost his wife, is asked by Poirot to meet him at Styles, the site of a previous case thirty years earlier - their first.
Styles is now a guest house. Poirot's health is failing, and he is confined to a wheelchair, due to his arthritis and bad heart. But he still has all his marbles. He tells Hastings that there is a murderer on the premises, and he needs Hastings to be his eyes and ears. The people there include the owners, Daisy and Colonel Toby Luttrell, a spinster, Elizabeth Cole, an aristocrat, Sir William Boyd Carrington, a birdwatcher Stephen Norton, a womanizer, Major Allerton, a chemist Dr John Franklin and his wife Barbara, her nurse, Nurse Craven, and Dr. Franklin's lab assistant, who just happens to be Hastings' estranged daughter Judith. One of these people is a killer. But can Hastings take his attention off his daughter long enough to help Poirot find him or her?
Then the murders start. What does Poirot know? Can he solve his final case before his final curtain?
A dark mystery, but a good one, with Poirot's illness permeating the entire episode. The murder in the end is actually the McGuffin - the big story is that this is Poirot's last case. My big complaint is that Miss Lemon and Superintendent Japp were not brought back for the episode.
I know some people didn't like the turn this series took, and it's true, the seasons with Miss Lemon and Hastings were the best -- they had humor and lightness as well as mystery. But throughout all the seasons, there were always good episodes.
Will be missed.
Hastings, who has just lost his wife, is asked by Poirot to meet him at Styles, the site of a previous case thirty years earlier - their first.
Styles is now a guest house. Poirot's health is failing, and he is confined to a wheelchair, due to his arthritis and bad heart. But he still has all his marbles. He tells Hastings that there is a murderer on the premises, and he needs Hastings to be his eyes and ears. The people there include the owners, Daisy and Colonel Toby Luttrell, a spinster, Elizabeth Cole, an aristocrat, Sir William Boyd Carrington, a birdwatcher Stephen Norton, a womanizer, Major Allerton, a chemist Dr John Franklin and his wife Barbara, her nurse, Nurse Craven, and Dr. Franklin's lab assistant, who just happens to be Hastings' estranged daughter Judith. One of these people is a killer. But can Hastings take his attention off his daughter long enough to help Poirot find him or her?
Then the murders start. What does Poirot know? Can he solve his final case before his final curtain?
A dark mystery, but a good one, with Poirot's illness permeating the entire episode. The murder in the end is actually the McGuffin - the big story is that this is Poirot's last case. My big complaint is that Miss Lemon and Superintendent Japp were not brought back for the episode.
I know some people didn't like the turn this series took, and it's true, the seasons with Miss Lemon and Hastings were the best -- they had humor and lightness as well as mystery. But throughout all the seasons, there were always good episodes.
Will be missed.
S13E05: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case: A strong end to a mixed final season (SPOILERS)
bob the moo24 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This final episode in the final season of Poirot is one I have seen before, and done so recently. This made it stand out for me as I really had seen very few of the ITV films before, which is partly why I took the decision to watch all of them over the last year or so, starting with the first and working forward to this point. Knowing the ending and detail was actually pretty enjoyable because it freed me up to pay more attention to what I knew would be important, however this was not the key difference in this viewing. The bigger difference came from me not just watching as an one-off event to see event television, but rather I was drawing to a close a character and series I greatly enjoyed – so there was a certain base of feeling and engaging that perhaps had not been there the first time.
That said, this did not make me feel it was artificially better than I remembered, because I did enjoy it the first time round, and second time round only moreso. The plot does have elements which are not convincing, but the delivery and the general intrigue of the plot does very much keep it moving and encourage you to go with much of it. It is a very finely crafted script, which is refreshingly back in the normal mould of the series after the previous film had felt so very different in style. The crafting allows for lots of small details but in a tightly focused situation and group of people – a combination I like since the latter allows me more time for the former. The mystery develops well, and, although the ending does ask a lot of the viewer, it is dramatic, emotional and genuinely quite surprising if you do not know how it ends. It is also an ending that works thanks to the legwork done in the previously film to bring out Poirot's religious beliefs, and his struggle with some ideas of justice – such base elements help sell this ending much better than it would have done otherwise – and of course, it also helps that it is moving and delicately handled, with the early death and flashback being a very good device.
Although the film is not the brightest, the darker coloring and Autumn setting add to a rather tragic feeling that the film warrants. I particularly enjoyed the internal room design, it felt like it was all from an older time but had not aged well to keep its once majesty glory; this is best seen in Poirot's own room, with its tatty wallpaper, or the large rooms which are now sparse, or indeed even the owners – far from the gentry who lived there. This is a feeling that works very well in the context of the narrative. The use of music and the pacing of the delivery also adds to the emotional engagement, but it is the cast that impresses the most. Suchet is excellent as you expect – it is very odd to see him without his mustache at one point, but his character is strong nonetheless, it is a very strong ending to a career defining role. Almost as good is Fraser, who mostly was comic relief in the past, and was barely used in Big Four, but here gives a very emotional performance with lots of small touches and detail. The supporting cast are good with McArdle, Standing, Reid, Glenister, and others, but really the film belong to Suchet and Fraser.
A moving, intriguing, and very well crafted final film – one which is even more appreciated given that it comes at the end of a variable season. My memory was that the final film was very good, and watching it this time with the experience of watching all of the preceding episodes, it plays even better than I remembered.
That said, this did not make me feel it was artificially better than I remembered, because I did enjoy it the first time round, and second time round only moreso. The plot does have elements which are not convincing, but the delivery and the general intrigue of the plot does very much keep it moving and encourage you to go with much of it. It is a very finely crafted script, which is refreshingly back in the normal mould of the series after the previous film had felt so very different in style. The crafting allows for lots of small details but in a tightly focused situation and group of people – a combination I like since the latter allows me more time for the former. The mystery develops well, and, although the ending does ask a lot of the viewer, it is dramatic, emotional and genuinely quite surprising if you do not know how it ends. It is also an ending that works thanks to the legwork done in the previously film to bring out Poirot's religious beliefs, and his struggle with some ideas of justice – such base elements help sell this ending much better than it would have done otherwise – and of course, it also helps that it is moving and delicately handled, with the early death and flashback being a very good device.
Although the film is not the brightest, the darker coloring and Autumn setting add to a rather tragic feeling that the film warrants. I particularly enjoyed the internal room design, it felt like it was all from an older time but had not aged well to keep its once majesty glory; this is best seen in Poirot's own room, with its tatty wallpaper, or the large rooms which are now sparse, or indeed even the owners – far from the gentry who lived there. This is a feeling that works very well in the context of the narrative. The use of music and the pacing of the delivery also adds to the emotional engagement, but it is the cast that impresses the most. Suchet is excellent as you expect – it is very odd to see him without his mustache at one point, but his character is strong nonetheless, it is a very strong ending to a career defining role. Almost as good is Fraser, who mostly was comic relief in the past, and was barely used in Big Four, but here gives a very emotional performance with lots of small touches and detail. The supporting cast are good with McArdle, Standing, Reid, Glenister, and others, but really the film belong to Suchet and Fraser.
A moving, intriguing, and very well crafted final film – one which is even more appreciated given that it comes at the end of a variable season. My memory was that the final film was very good, and watching it this time with the experience of watching all of the preceding episodes, it plays even better than I remembered.
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
Prismark104 September 2017
David Suchet's wish to film all the Poirot stories come to fruition in this final tale written by Agatha Christie where Poirot is now old, ill and knocking on death's door.
The setting of the television adaptations has always been the 1930s but here we jump forward to the late 1940s and the post world war 2 setting.
Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) returns to see his old friend and also his daughter staying in Styles once a grand family house now a hotel. This was also the setting for a murder that Hastings and Poirot once investigated.
The look of the film is that of a melancholy gloom, we know that Poirot is reaching the end of the road. In recent television adventures we see Poirot being a pious Catholic and rather absolute that murder is wrong.
This has been leading up to something that the producers and even Suchet decided to devise a route map knowing the contents of the final story.
Dead bodies turn up, people attempt to kill, even Hastings nearly succumbs to murder given how much he detests his daughter's latest flame. Yet Poirot realises that there is an Iago like person who is pulling the strings and has pulled them before, enough to send someone over the edge while they act all innocent.
Poirot uses his little grey cells to lure this person into a trap, a culprit who actually has never killed anyone yet Poirot thinks is dangerous enough that he would contemplate his own eternal soul to be damned.
The feature length films lacked the leanness, exquisiteness, humour and stylish look of the hour long adaptations. They only tended hang together in the final reveal of the murderer and how it was all done as in here. Until then the film felt a little disjointed and gloomy.
Still it serves as a nice swansong with Suchet leaving a strong mark in his interpretation of Poirot.
The setting of the television adaptations has always been the 1930s but here we jump forward to the late 1940s and the post world war 2 setting.
Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) returns to see his old friend and also his daughter staying in Styles once a grand family house now a hotel. This was also the setting for a murder that Hastings and Poirot once investigated.
The look of the film is that of a melancholy gloom, we know that Poirot is reaching the end of the road. In recent television adventures we see Poirot being a pious Catholic and rather absolute that murder is wrong.
This has been leading up to something that the producers and even Suchet decided to devise a route map knowing the contents of the final story.
Dead bodies turn up, people attempt to kill, even Hastings nearly succumbs to murder given how much he detests his daughter's latest flame. Yet Poirot realises that there is an Iago like person who is pulling the strings and has pulled them before, enough to send someone over the edge while they act all innocent.
Poirot uses his little grey cells to lure this person into a trap, a culprit who actually has never killed anyone yet Poirot thinks is dangerous enough that he would contemplate his own eternal soul to be damned.
The feature length films lacked the leanness, exquisiteness, humour and stylish look of the hour long adaptations. They only tended hang together in the final reveal of the murderer and how it was all done as in here. Until then the film felt a little disjointed and gloomy.
Still it serves as a nice swansong with Suchet leaving a strong mark in his interpretation of Poirot.
Such a sad parting.
prine012478-123 February 2021
Nostalgic but otherwise not very good
grantss24 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Hercule Poirot is ailing, and close to death. He travels to the estate Styles to convalesce and invites his old friend Hastings to join him. Styles has a nostalgic significance to Poirot as it was the location for the first case that Poirot and Hastings solved together. Poirot's reasons for calling Hastings down are not all about nostalgia or farewells - he believes a murder is going to be committed and, being unable to walk, he needs Hastings to be his eyes and ears. Hastings has another interest in being there - his daughter, Judith works there, as an assistant to chemist Dr Franklin. Sure enough, within a few days, Dr Franklin's wife dies, poisoned. The inquest calls it suicide, but to Hastings and Poirot it looks like murder. Problem is, the prime suspect is Hastings' daughter...
The final Poirot, and probably the worst of all the Poirots, plot- wise. Poirot is completely out of character here. Always the one for high-mindedness, idealism, obeying Christian values and justice through the courts, here he becomes a vigilante and murderer. Even worse, his target is not a murderer, but merely a master-manipulator.
The other issue with this is the notion that you're not responsible for your own actions. If you murder someone but someone subtly manipulated you into doing it, it's their fault, not yours. What nonsense! (Though consistent with the sort of bs the media and many Facebook warriors trundle out regularly).
The only thing keeping this from being a very unsatisfactory end to the series is the emotional value. Quite sad to see Poirot in the state he's in. Nostalgic to see him reunited with Hastings, especially in the same place they first worked together.
The introduction of Hastings' daughter also adds an element of generational change and the passing of time.
Overall: Not terrible but Poirot deserves a better send-off than this.
The final Poirot, and probably the worst of all the Poirots, plot- wise. Poirot is completely out of character here. Always the one for high-mindedness, idealism, obeying Christian values and justice through the courts, here he becomes a vigilante and murderer. Even worse, his target is not a murderer, but merely a master-manipulator.
The other issue with this is the notion that you're not responsible for your own actions. If you murder someone but someone subtly manipulated you into doing it, it's their fault, not yours. What nonsense! (Though consistent with the sort of bs the media and many Facebook warriors trundle out regularly).
The only thing keeping this from being a very unsatisfactory end to the series is the emotional value. Quite sad to see Poirot in the state he's in. Nostalgic to see him reunited with Hastings, especially in the same place they first worked together.
The introduction of Hastings' daughter also adds an element of generational change and the passing of time.
Overall: Not terrible but Poirot deserves a better send-off than this.
A long way from the best.
frankwarren21 July 2015
As a reader of Dame AC for 76 years I always found HP difficult. For me, Suchet's triumph - genius - is in constructing a reality from an impossibility. As for Curtain, it is no surprise that the author delayed publication for 30 years, almost until after her death. Poirot and Hastings have aged beyond recognition and several devices in the novel would appear to be stolen from other stories except that it is actually the other way round. Chandler would probably have called it a reverse cannibalization. The author appears to have taken a strong dislike for her creation and takes her revenge not only on him but on Hastings too who is treated with contempt by both the detective and the daughter. I suspected what my impression would be and should have avoided seeing the production but my curiosity as to how Alice Orr-Ewing would portray Judith was too strong. Curiosity killed the cat.
Complicated in a rightful manner
BlueTube741 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I think this final episode is more about religion, piety and sacrifice. Nothing looks as it seems. No Poirot does not commit suicide, amyl nitrate would not save a man in his final stage and suffering an angina heart attack. He felt it is the end and thought that amyl nitrate is not useful. Yes there is a reason why he treats Mr.Hastings harsher than usual, Hastings just can not understand the seriousness of the danger, he is nice, innocent, friendly but not sharp. Poirot tries to protect him by being blunt and somewhat authoritarian. Yes he does commit a murder, but he knows that Mr.Norton could not be convicted under law and he will continue to hurt people just for the sake of it (actually their last confrontation makes it very obvious that he is an extremely clever but evil character). So Poirot sacrifices his reputation and his principles to save people in his last hour.
The episode tries to establish that there are three categories of people : 1-) religious meaning that they truly and caringly respect human life (as core aspect of religion with everything else is of secondary importance) 2-) Indifferent and disrespectful like Judith Hastings and Dr.Franklin (they eventually marry and leave the scene in appalling indifference) . Remember when Dr.Franklin says to Mr.Hastings "why anything is important and valuable when we know death is inevitable" 3-) Evil like Mr.Norton. However he is the manifestation of hidden evil as abusive and manipulative. Actually the whole episode is like a testimony to goodness and piety in more strange and convoluted forms as fitting to Monsieur Poirot himself. The final scene, the signing of the letter, remembrance of "good old days" and Mr.Suchet's final look to the camera was so emotional and overwhelming. You did a wonderful job, congratulations and thanks for everything...
Didn't hit me right away..
scholey15 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
*possible spoiler-not the murderer though* Firstly I am a huge fan, I have all the box sets and I often re-watch the episodes, I watched Curtain: Poirot's last case and I was not immediately taken by it, I thought it was good, quite a departure from the standard format but the more I reflected on it, the more I was drawn to well, the nostalgia of it, Poirot's last case, or more appropriately last act. Here we have an ailing Poirot, sometimes quite nasty and even unpleasant, mostly towards his closest ally Hastings, constantly in pain and in his final act he gives all he has left in his failing body to protect Hastings and his daughter from harm, not to mention many others. Where one is lead to believe he is treating Hastings badly he is really solidly behind his old friend. I was really not expecting this type of ending from Christie for Poirot but the more I reflect the more I think it was perfect.
Coincidence
Sulla-221 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I have recently read the book again and watched this programme again. The episode is quite faithful to the book with just a few exceptions. We have to bear in mind that while the short stories have to be padded out to make a one hour episode, the novels have to be reduced to make a 2 hour episode ( with adverts )
All the actors are excellent and this time Hastings is the star. The ending is only a shock if you haven't read the book. If you don't know the ending you will really need to concentrate to guess it.
A strange thing is that the actor who plays the villain in this last Poirot to be published also plays the hero in the last Marple book to be published. That's the coincidence
All the actors are excellent and this time Hastings is the star. The ending is only a shock if you haven't read the book. If you don't know the ending you will really need to concentrate to guess it.
A strange thing is that the actor who plays the villain in this last Poirot to be published also plays the hero in the last Marple book to be published. That's the coincidence
Masterful ending to a remarkable series.
realdouglasone5 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
David Suchet is absolutely fantastic in the final episode of this remarkable series. The beauty of this episode is Poirot's brilliance even as he is in a home dying. He isn't has bad at first believed and uses Hastings to assist him throughout the episode. Suchet mastered Poirot to the very end never changing one thing at all. Absolutely fantastic! RIP Poirot.
a masterpiece
elenaphysics16 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
What a truly great movie.
Of course Agatha Cristie never disappoints.
I have read so many of her books but this particular one, I haven't so it was all new to me.
To be honest I refrained from watching the curtain for many years.
But now I see how masterful the ending was.
David Suchet is Hercule Poirot.
Of course Agatha Cristie never disappoints.
I have read so many of her books but this particular one, I haven't so it was all new to me.
To be honest I refrained from watching the curtain for many years.
But now I see how masterful the ending was.
David Suchet is Hercule Poirot.
A splendid finale
gridoon20249 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
There are two things I appreciated most about "Curtain": 1) Although its major importance in the Agatha Christie canon is that it's "Poirot's Last Case", it is also a great mystery on its own - one full of shocks, surprises, and the kind of little twists (the revolving table....) that Christie was a master of; 2) Although it deals with Hercule Poirot's death, it is not particularly morbid or melodramatic. It treats this event with dignity, and allows Poirot to play the kind of mind games he always loved so much even from beyond the grave! This episode also functions as a worthy farewell for Captain Hastings, who is in some ways the star of the show; Hugh Fraser's contributions to this series should never be underestimated. The (justified) praise for David Suchet has become almost redundant by this point, so I would like to say that Alice Orr-Ewing has a bright future ahead of her if her Judith Hastings is any indication, and Aidan McArdle is simply brilliant - probably one of the best performances in the history of the series. This episode is smoothly directed by Hettie MacDonald, who also made the very underrated "Mystery Of The Blue Train". *** out of 4.
On the Basis of this Piece, It's About Time the Series Came to an End
l_rawjalaurence14 November 2013
I really don't like to admit this, but CURTAIN has to be one of the weakest entries in the entire Poirot canon. Hettie Macdonald's production sets up an intriguing situation, but the resolution is weak in the extreme, with the surprise plot-twist involving Poirot himself seeming particularly implausible. I realize that this is probably in the source-text, and that screenwriter Kevin Elyot was trying to make the best of a weakly plotted book, but for me the episode simply did not work in televisual terms. On the other hand there were incidental pleasures; it was nice to see Hugh Fraser returning as Hastings, the eternal innocent unable to see what was distinctly in front of him, supported by a clutch of memorable cameos from Aidan McArdle, Helen Baxendale and Anne Reid as a particularly sour-faced old woman. The lighting was appropriately shadowy, making every character in the episode seem suspicious. Towering above everything was David Suchet's masterly performance as Poirot - as the detective taking his last bow on the stage, he was both clear-eyed yet moving as he realized that he no longer possessed the physical capacities to solve any more cases. He has been easily one of the best - if not the best - Christie characterization in any media adaptation of her work.
Poirot, a murderer?
tvsitcoms1 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I feel so disappointed with Poirot being a murderer that I cannot aprove this episode.
Jamais, mes amis, would Poirot take justice into his hands. I do not find this to be according to his character. And he commits suicide after?
But then I realized it was Agatha Christie's decision. And has the story sinks in - I just saw it for the 1st time - I start to gradually be more acceptable towards it all. A killer that never actually kills but is most deadly effective... Police could not legally have done a thing to stop him.
Yet, Poirot's little gray cells should have provide him with much better ways to have the evil man rightfully punished without resourcing himself to murder! A DUEL OF MINDS... Poirot could have led the other into an act his true character would be exposed or play with him until he harms no one but himself. That way the death would be by the killer's won hands, not by Poirot's!
But that was not Agatha's choice. Being able to write this much adventures for one character must have been very challenging. It was time to Poirot to retire... in a big Bang.
I guess that is exactly what happen.
Production wise, this episode is as perfect has every previous one. This is one of the most agreeable detective period series ever being made. Lovable scenery, wardrobe, locations, colors, traditions reconstitution...
There's a delightful parallel were the audience finds a very old Poirot in a wheelchair, not able to walk and very sick. But the mansion he gets in is has bad has he is. The settings are according to the end of it all. Winter time, rain, huge old mansion, greyish, empty, decrepit... Beauty has seen better days around there. Yet somehow that place still has the ability to take your breath away. You start to wonder what to be that old must be like. To the little gray cells...
And that is why I conclude Poirot becoming a murderer just maybe justifiable. That much older and sick I do not know what it feels like. Maybe its plausible. A big part of me still finds it out of character and I'm guessing a religious person has he was would not enjoy opening the way to the «other side» with a fresh murder followed by his own suicide.
Plot wise, Agatha's story feels less real because it seems to me people would not be so naive towards such manipulation of their minds, since some where quite suspicious. The way old Poirot ends up drugging a person is also very easy. I was enjoying watching Poirot again.
Jamais, mes amis, would Poirot take justice into his hands. I do not find this to be according to his character. And he commits suicide after?
But then I realized it was Agatha Christie's decision. And has the story sinks in - I just saw it for the 1st time - I start to gradually be more acceptable towards it all. A killer that never actually kills but is most deadly effective... Police could not legally have done a thing to stop him.
Yet, Poirot's little gray cells should have provide him with much better ways to have the evil man rightfully punished without resourcing himself to murder! A DUEL OF MINDS... Poirot could have led the other into an act his true character would be exposed or play with him until he harms no one but himself. That way the death would be by the killer's won hands, not by Poirot's!
But that was not Agatha's choice. Being able to write this much adventures for one character must have been very challenging. It was time to Poirot to retire... in a big Bang.
I guess that is exactly what happen.
Production wise, this episode is as perfect has every previous one. This is one of the most agreeable detective period series ever being made. Lovable scenery, wardrobe, locations, colors, traditions reconstitution...
There's a delightful parallel were the audience finds a very old Poirot in a wheelchair, not able to walk and very sick. But the mansion he gets in is has bad has he is. The settings are according to the end of it all. Winter time, rain, huge old mansion, greyish, empty, decrepit... Beauty has seen better days around there. Yet somehow that place still has the ability to take your breath away. You start to wonder what to be that old must be like. To the little gray cells...
And that is why I conclude Poirot becoming a murderer just maybe justifiable. That much older and sick I do not know what it feels like. Maybe its plausible. A big part of me still finds it out of character and I'm guessing a religious person has he was would not enjoy opening the way to the «other side» with a fresh murder followed by his own suicide.
Plot wise, Agatha's story feels less real because it seems to me people would not be so naive towards such manipulation of their minds, since some where quite suspicious. The way old Poirot ends up drugging a person is also very easy. I was enjoying watching Poirot again.
A masterpiece
paidinfull135 March 2018
Poirot deserved better, but that was Christie's fault
kem-erd17 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The production is as great as it has always been. I also liked the portrayal of the tattered house and the dark scenes, in line with bad health of Poirot.
My complaint is that the way Poirot committed his own murder was not nearly half as smart as the murderers Poirot caught, even worse it was not plausible; even if we accept that Poirot would indeed commit such a crime. Of course, there is nothing the production team could do about it, if they were not to grossly deviate from the source. I suppose, Christie was really bored of Poirot and could not think of a better way of getting rid of him.
A disappointment overall, but not because of the team that produced the episode.
My complaint is that the way Poirot committed his own murder was not nearly half as smart as the murderers Poirot caught, even worse it was not plausible; even if we accept that Poirot would indeed commit such a crime. Of course, there is nothing the production team could do about it, if they were not to grossly deviate from the source. I suppose, Christie was really bored of Poirot and could not think of a better way of getting rid of him.
A disappointment overall, but not because of the team that produced the episode.
Meh is about the strongest emotion I felt after viewing this...
meyler-aidan13 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I loved the storyline and it worked quite well - to a point. The setting, however for me was really mundane and drab. The support cast besides Norton were uninteresting and their characters were not developed at all therefore leaving me with zero empathy for any of them. I would really have loved to have seen Ms Lemon and Jap in the final episode. They were sorely missed. Could they not have extended the episode by ten minutes and covered a memorial at least where we could have seen some emotion from them? Or at least give us, the viewer a chance to say adieu? There was little or no emotion and I actually felt at the end... "meh" I was astounded at how badly Poirot treated Hastings in this final episode! He treated him with the utmost contempt and was unnecessarily cruel towards him. Basically, I thought for a final episode, it missed a great opportunity to let us, the viewer feel saddened by the death of Poirot. Alas, I will miss the old Poirot....not the nasty mouthed bitter old man he turned into. I found myself feeling sorry for Hastings and peeved off with Poirot!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
