The world is on the eve of War, a storm is gathering. Poirot and Japp are guests at an event put on by Peace Party, a group of pacifists brought together by Li Chang Yen. Grand chess Master Doctor Savaranoff is brought out of retirement to play, during the game he dies, Poirot investigates and discovers it was murder. During the post mortem journalist Lawrence Boswell Tysoe tells Japp and Poirot the perpetrators of the crime were 'The Big Four.' Next victim is Jonathan Whalley, discovered with his throat cut by his house keeper. Tysoe pops up once again claiming Whalley knew something big, and he then appears at the scene of a third murder, he confides in Poirot telling him of the letters he'd received from The Big Four, each containing a cryptic clue about each murder. The fourth murder occurs, big supported of the Peace Party Stephen Painter, again two members of the Peace Party are present, Madame Olivier and Abe Ryland. It seems like everything possible is being done to wreck the Peace Party. Why is stage actress Flossie receiving so many gifts, always signed with four kisses? Poirot has his work cut out.
It is no wonder that they left The Big Four until the very end, the book is a disaster, it's all over the place, had they attempted to stick totally to its plot it would have been virtually impossible to make, even worse to watch.
I like this adaptation, it is virtually unrecognisable from the book, but that's a good thing. A little difficult to follow in parts, it's a complex story, but they deliver the misdirection that Agatha Christie herself intended, lots of smoke and mirrors. The scenes of the Big Four, look brilliant, the cloaked figures certainly look the part too.
I love the sequences at the end, Flossie's encountering The Big Four, very menacing, very surreal, but it all works really well.
It's very well acted, the main cast are exceptional as always, Patricia Hodge is excellent, Sarah Parish is just delightful as mature stage actor Flossie Monroe. Simon Lowe did a great job as Doctor Quentin, the casting director did a great job, with the latter especially.
I understand there wasn't much of an appetite to make it, but I'm glad they did, I really like it. 8/10