Poirot: Murder on the Links (1995)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Written by Anthony Horowitz, based on Agatha Christie's original novel
Directed by Andrew Grieve
Starring David Suchet, Hugh Frasier, Damien Thomas, and Sophie Linfield

Features:

• biographies of Agatha Christie and David Suchet
  
• interactive trivia game
  
• cast filmographies
  
• Agatha Christie materials information
  

Rating: NR, safe for most audiences

Anamorphic: N/A; presented in original TV aspect.

My Advice: Buy it.

Poirot, Agatha Christie's intrepid Belgian Holmes, is on holiday with Hastings in Deauville, France--Hastings to play golf, and Poirot to enjoy the French cuisine. It does not take long for someone to recognize Poirot and drag him into their mystery--a murder that sparks a memory in Poirot's mind of a similar crime in London years ago. A local French detective challenges Poirot to an intellectual duel, with Poirot's trademark mustache in danger should Poirot lose. Hastings, however, enamored of a nightclub singer, might lose more than that...

The plot of Murder on the Links should satisfy even the most hard-boiled mystery fans. While those viewers who figure out mysteries within the first ten minutes of any movie may not be shocked by this one, they will still be satisfied with the classic Christie red herrings, twists, turns, and complex layering of past crimes with present murder.

David Suchet, everyone's favorite Poirot, is of course splendid as the dapper detective. He can be sarcastic while his eyes twinkle and make you grateful that he just questioned your abilities or intelligence. Suchet and Frasier provide a good mix of drama, comedy, and suspense that will keep viewers enthralled to the very last. Frasier as Hastings almost manages to outshine the brilliant Suchet and adds new dimension to the Hastings character. The rest of the cast, assorted disturbed individuals and innocent bystanders, are equally fine.

The staging of Murder on the Links is as superb as you would expect from a A&E Mystery! program. The sets are opulent, befitting a 1930s European resort, and the costuming depicts the elegance that made Poirot one of Christie's most popular and enduring sleuths.

The sound and visual quality is excellent. The colors are as dazzling as 1930s France should be, and the sound carries the tension of the actors admirably. The disk quality manages to convey the comic and poignant elements of the acting, as well as the look of the exotic, beautiful locale.

The extras are astounding and a fine example of how to make a good disk. Between the extensive biographies, the fun and challenging trivia quiz, and the surprising addition of the extended Christie materials section, fans of mysteries should be well-chuffed with their purchase. If a commentary track with one of the actors or a crew member was impossible, the information provided here is a fine substitute.

Murder on the Links delivers enough surprises and twists to satisfy. The acting is top-notch, and the visuals are stunning and perfectly appropriate to the period and the subject. All in all, I cannot imagine a better production, and this disk should satisfy Christie fans or fans of mysteries in general. Costume-lovers will adore the 1930s grand glamour, and even architects should appreciate the scenes. This disk has something for everyone and is well-worth checking out.