Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.

Steineded How sad is this?

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

grantss Hercule Poirot's secretary, Miss Lemon, has a sister, Florence Hubbard, who runs a university hostel in Hickory Road. During a visit, Mrs Hubbard informs Miss Lemon that there has a been a spate of robberies from the hostel of late. Miss Lemon suggests that Hercule Poirot investigate under the pretext of giving a talk to the students on crime solving. He does just that and uncovers some details. A few days later, Mrs Nicoletis, the owner of the hostel, is murdered. Poirot suspects that the robberies and the murder are linked. Aided by Chief Inspector Japp, he uncovers more than just robberies and a murder.Quite intriguing, with a seemingly unrelated parallel story having a great bearing on the case. Some good twists and turns with the murderer not obvious until the end.One of the standout features of this episode is the wonderful sub- plot involving Poirot and Japp and their culinary and cultural differences. Some quite funny scenes involving their rather diverse eating habits, and the contrast between the sophisticated Poirot and the more basic Japp.Cast includes Damian Lewis, later of Band of Brothers and Homeland fame, in only his second screen role. If the actor who plays Nigel Chapman reminds you of Colin Firth, that's because it's his brother, Jonathan Firth.

ctyankee1 Poirot goes to a hostel where students stay in England that are going to school there. Miss Lemon's sister runs the hostel. She is upset because things are being stolen from the students and the police are getting involved.There are many characters in this episode most of them are students that live in the hostel. A suspicious man watches as people arrive in England There are students that are in the medical field, history and also clothes designing.Poirot invited Japp to stay with him for a week an Poirot makes his favorite meals for Japp to enjoy (which are strange and Japp does not like). Japp does not know what a bidet is that is in the toilet at Poirot's and tells Poirot he wet himself with it. Poirot is embarrassed and does not want to explain what it is especially in front of Miss Lemon.There are more mysteries in this. Stealing. murder and the connection between them and a business that sells heavy bags to carry books etc.At the end Inspector Japp invites Poirot to eat over and he makes him "English" meal with three things and dessert. The meal is mash potatoes, mushy peas, and "faggots" (bits of pork and mixed meat). For dessert he has "Spotted Dick" (pudding. The meal scene is funny. Poirot says he has a "allergy of the faggot". Japp is disappointed and says "you haven't got a phobia to dick have you?" referring to the pudding.Suspenseful and funny.

Paularoc There is a lot to like in this longer episode: Japp and especially Miss Lemon have prominent roles, a lot of humor (some of it laugh out loud), an interesting setting in a student hotel, we learn more about Japp's and Miss Lemon's private lives, a quirky and cool motif of a mouse running throughout the show with good repetition of the nursery rhyme, an intriguing cast of characters, interesting puzzles and a resolution to all of the puzzles that make sense. The story starts inauspiciously enough - Miss Lemon, ever the perfect secretary, has made multiple mistakes in a letter. Upon questioning, she tells Poirot that there have been a number of thefts at the student hotel her sister runs. Poirot goes to the hotel and investigates the generally petty thefts. Unfortunately, soon thereafter a murder occurs. There are suspects galore and a sufficiently intricate plot with yet an additional murder. While murder is appalling, we do not know the victims sufficiently well enough to feel a great sadness at their deaths so what is memorable in this episode are the way Poirot solves the puzzles, the humor and the depiction of the friendship between Poirot, Japp and Miss Lemon. This makes for a satisfying and most enjoyable episode. Highly recommended.

Iain-215 This story was never among my favourites in Christie's works so I was pleasantly surprised to quite enjoy this adaptation. The mouse motif was effective if a little overdone, the bones of the story are there although more emphasis is placed on the 'crime in the past' subplot. The students were all pretty much as I imagined them although its a pity they weren't a more cosmopolitan bunch - perhaps the revised thirties setting didn't allow for that! I thought some very daring risks were taken with the filming; perhaps its because I've not long re-read the book but it seemed pretty obvious to me who the murderer was from their appearance in some reveal shots quite early on.Humour was much more prevalent in these early Poirots. Sometimes it works but I found a lot of it rather heavy handed in this episode (though I did smile at the 'Lemon sole' throwaway line). Altogether though, a solid entry in the series though not one of the best.