Poirot "Death in the Clouds" #4.2 (1992) (TV)

Maybe not the best, but still very enjoyable, 10 March 2017

A murder occurs on a flight from France to England. The murdered woman was hit in the neck by a poisoned dart from a blowgun. While that may be an odd way to die, the more amazing thing about the murder is that it occurred just a few feet from where Hercule Poirot was sitting. How could this happen? Quite naturally, Poirot begins investigating.

For me, Death in the Clouds is a good, solid episode of the Poirot series, marred only by a problematic method of murder that I don't care for. I can't for the life of me remember if the murder is committed in the same manner in the movie as it was the book, but it doesn't work the way it's presented here. The murderer has to rely on way too much luck in not being recognized by any of the passengers or being spotted by the flight crew in order to get away with it. And the plane is too small for that much luck. Regardless, the episode is still a lot of fun. The mystery is interesting and the various red herrings work nicely. Suchet is in fine form. The rest of the cast is top-notch. Sarah Woodward as Jane Grey and Cathryn Harrison as Lady Cecily Horbury stand out to me. And there are those little things that I so enjoy – like Japp's dealings with the French police. Finally, I think that Death in the Clouds is as good an example of period detail as you'll find. I'm not sure whether the plane was 100% accurate, but it fits the period. The airport and airfield are perfect. Costuming, sets, and other details really bring the period to life. It's all masterfully done.

7/10