September 21 - Sad Cypress

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