This movie has a scene that happens today – September 21. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.
SAD CYPRESS
During the final summation at her murder trial Elinor Carlisle thinks back on how she ended up on trial for her life in a long flashback. She shows a letter to her fiancée and cousin Roddy Winter that says someone is plotting to cut them out of their Aunt Laura Welman’s will. They go to visit their aunt. They find the housekeeper Mrs. Bishop, the nurse Miss Hopkins and Mary Gerrod, the gardener’s daughter are living at Hunterbury. The couple consult with Dr. Lord about the letter and he takes it to Poirot. Mrs. Welman has another stroke and asks to see her lawyer. The nurse claims a vial of morphine is missing from her bag. Even though Poirot asks them to save the letter, Elinor and Roddy burn it. Elinor then discovers Roddy kissing Mary Gerrod. Laura Welman has another stroke and dies. Laura Welman’s funeral is on September 21, 1937 [28:45 to 38:57] They learn that Laura Welman died without a will, so everything goes to Elinor, who ends her engagement to Roddy. Elinor stupidly decides to give Mary £7,000 and learns Mary made a will at the suggestion of Nurse Hopkins, leaving everything to Mary’s Aunt in New Zealand. Elinor buys sandwich paste and has lunch with Mary Gerrod and Nurse Hopkins, who makes tea for herself and Mary. Afterwards Elinor noticed Nurse Hopkins had a wound, which she said was caused by the rose-bush. Mary is found dead and Elinor is arrested. After Laura Welman’s body is exhumed and it is discovered she was murdered by morphine overdose, Elinor is charged with her murder also. After her trial Elinor is convicted of both murders and sentenced to be hung. After a nightmare, Poirot starts to investigate the case. He learns that Mary Gerrod was actually Laura Welman’s daughter. Poirot proves that the murderer could not have distinguished which of the sandwiches was the salmon paste that Mary ate. Poirot discovers that Nurse Hopkins is actually Mary Reilly, Mary Gerrod’s Aunt. Since Mary was Laura Welman’s daughter, she inherited the entire estate of £200,000, so Nurse Hopkins killed her by poisoning the tea, then injecting herself with an emtic, which caused her to throw up the poison. She tries to kill Poirot, but her confession is overheard by the police. Elinor is saved from the gallows and begins a relationship with Dr. Lord, who was instrumental in saving her life, by getting Poirot to investigate.
If Elinor had done what most people would have done and told Mary to clear off, she wouldn’t have been tried for murder and Mary would not have been murdered. Another good one from that master of mystery Dame Agatha Christie. Poirot is at his most brilliant in this case.
The date is given in the film at 28:36 in the newspaper.
Producer – Fiona McGuire
Director – David Moore
Screenplay – David Pirie
Runtime – 1 hour 33 minutes
Released – December 26, 2003
Starring –
David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
Elisabeth Dermot-Walsh as Elinor Carlisle
Rupert Penry-Jones as Roddy Winter
Kelly Reilly as Mary Gerrard
Paul McGann as Dr. Peter Lord
Phyllis Logan as Nurse Hopkins
Marion O'Dwyer as Nurse O'Brien
Diana Quick as Mrs. Laura Welman
Stuart Laing' as Ted Horlick
Jack Galloway as Marsden
Geoffrey Beevers as Seddon
Alistair Findlay as Prosecuting Counsel
Linda Spurrier as Mrs. Bishop
Timothy Carlton as Judge
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