Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot: Ranking the Actors!

Albert Finney, Peter Ustinov, Ian Holm, Alfred Molina, David Suchet, Kenneth Branagh, and John Malkovich have all played Hercule Poirot - but only one was the definitive best.

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[arp]

"I was just there for all the murder" -- your new Twitter bio IMO. I've only seen a couple of these, but would love to see others (except Malkovich maybe that's a bizarre one!). I love Branagh as an actor, and I totally agree that he can definitely ham it up, but he's so good at what he does that it just works. I'd really like to see his version! And yes, maybe it makes me a basic Poirot bitch, but David Suchet 100%. He just totally embodies exactly how you imagine the character to be. Definitely one of the all-time greatest casting choices! (I cackled at "Unless he was calling on Jesus every time he said 'mon dieu'" 🤣)

[ladislavmalak]

I absolutely agree. David Suchet for me too. With a massive lead, over his "competitors". Suchet did not play Poirot. He IS Poirot. His "Orient Express" gives me the chills every time I watch it - the heavily psychological noir atmosphere, and his performance in that and above that, is just absolute classic. And as for the Oscar adaptation of "Orient Express" from 74 - OK, maybe it stays faithfull to the book, but I really get annoyed by the "Disney" vibe of that adaptation.... Oh, and nice video, thank you Amrita. :)

[Monker]

I love David Suchet and personally enjoyed the later, more somber depiction of Poirot just as much as the earlier, more light-hearted ones. The final shot of Suchet's Murder on the Orient Express is to this day some of the finest bit of acting I've ever seen on film, and that scene was certainly one of Poirot's darker moments of the soul.

You asked what my favorite Agatha Christie novel was, and I would have to say the Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I of course won't spoil anything about it, but I will say that it was one of the most enjoyable and thrilling literary experiences of my life. I love that book.

[Wats]

I think anyone who read the books can't reach another conclusion. David Suchet is as close to Poirot as you can get.
That said, Peter Ustinov is more fun lol. I didn't like Kenneth Branagh. I just couldn't stop looking at this incredibly silly, way over the top moustach. As for Malkovich, that just wasn't Poirot.
I have never heard about that second one (or Molina), but I am really intriguied by that film.

[ruly]

Albert Finney didn’t win
He got noninated

[reginaldburgess]

I am so glad you ranked Suchet as number one. He is truly the gold standard! Thank you for making this great video. I truly enjoyed it!

[patrickd]

David Suchet is the only one, he is the master
the other ones do not count, they have nothing on him

[chriswald]

I think the reason for the change in tonality in the last season's of "Agatha Christie's Poirot" with David Suchet's was not Suchet's religiosity but changing production companies. For a while it seemed that Suchet could not fulfill his goal of starring in every Poirot story because the serious was too expensive. So production went to different companies. You can actually see that from Season 9 in 2003 on the images look glossier. That was also the point where they dropped Hasting, Miss Lemon and Chief Inspector Japp. Though I highly recommend the series imho they totally ruined "Appointment With Death" by changing the story and sadly (especially because David Suchet was so looking forward to the adaption of this novel) "Murder in the Orient Express". That one features exactly the grim tone you were mentioning.

[FloatingWhales]

I think for me the issue with the Branagh films, is not just that all I saw is Branagh being Branagh on an ego-boost, but that the films, aside from the cinematography falls into the trap that a lot of films these days do when portraying periods in history. The actors look like people from our age in costumes, the writing is often not very period correct(of course this is hard to interpret) so for me it is basically a costume party film with a budget. Whereas I think Suchet's Poirot really nailed the period-drama as well as the mysteries in general.

I'm surprised to hear that new readers are feeling offended by Christie's portrayals, I think you'd be hard pressed not to find stereotypes in old books regardless of the country they originated from, in lieu of that I think Christie was rather mild mannered comparatively.
Honestly though, sometimes you have the main lead say or do something offensive, and perhaps that wouldn't go today, but when reading/watching through the lens of history that viewpoint might not have been considered bad, and if anything adds a layer of authenticity, and whether we as the audience might feel slighted or upset that the "hero" is acting unheroically I personally don't think it is a bad thing, even good people can have their flaws.

[rupertsmith]

Albert Finney didn't win the Oscar he was nominated but didn't win.

[storiesofroa]

as if there would ever be another number 1 poirot! david suchet is the best!

[tracybergquist]

Thank you for summarizing so well in those last three minutes what made the David Suchet Poirot the best and why it is such a delight to watch them over and over -- except, like you, I will NEVER watch "The Curtain" again.

[biljanapopovic]

10:28 he didn't win. He was only nominated. Ingrid Bergman was the sole Oscar winner (Best Actress in a Supporting Role in1975) for 1974 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express.
I would've been surprised if he (Albert Finney) did win that year, the competition was tight:
Al Pacino for The Godfather 2
Jack Nicholson
for Chinatown
Dustin Hoffman for Lenny
and none of THEM won either! It was Art Carney
for Harry and Tonto

Aditional note: Albert Finney had five Oscar nominations in total and no wins.

[trorisk]

I prefer Albert Finney's Hercule Poirot to Kenneth Branagh's. But there may be an element of nostalgia. It was the first time I had faced an Agatha Christie. So I would have reversed the two actors according to my personal tastes.

[BaseDeltaZero]

Suchet all the way. He is the the master, the definitive article. The whole cast is absolute gold actually.

Jeremy Brett for Holmes as well. Unassailable and untouchable in the role (not Christie related, but I felt the need to share).

Not read any Christie, my exposure to poirot and MM (who doen't really work for me) is purely through TV.

[dromeus]

Ustinov Finney Suchet, each one for its own reason are great.
There arent any other Poirot.

[damiangilz]

I just can't fathom Ustinov so low in the list. Would had upvoted if he was top 3. He is Poirot made for a film, which is more wholesome than the book character. However, your ignorance about his movies made me understand.
Not even a rock band typically plays a song exactly as in the album.

[veryliterarykari]

The mustache really does set the tone!! 😂😁 Excellent video, Amrita! I haven’t seen some of these, so I might have to try to find them!

[djdarbary]

Good list. Ian Holm was a pleasant surprise. Many thanx.

Personally, I'd place Albert Finney & Peter Ustinov just below David Suchet (in that order); Ustinov 3rd only because he's physically too large.

Absolutely the WORST portrayal was by Tony Randall (otherwise one of my favourite actors) in 1965's "The Alphabet Murders". And, as a bonus, Capt. Hastings was butchered by Robert Morley, another one of my faves.

Keep 'em comin'!👋🏾👋🏾🍀

[paigewashington]

dont understand the Malkovich fandom. did not know Finney was Poirot. I only know him for Annie. Agree totally about Branaugh. will look up Ian Holms version.