The title gives a good hint about the murder in this Agatha Christie mystery. And, the master sleuth, Hercule Poirot, seems perplexed for some time about the murder that he investigates. "The Mystery of the Spanish Chest" is a plot of much intrigue.
For the longest time, Poirot assumes, as does Chief Inspector Japp, that Edward Clayton was murdered and then his body placed in the chest. And, even after Poirot sees the hole in the chest and then finds sawdust on an inside lip below the hole, he doesn't make the connection. Only later, after finding the drill among the dead man's belongings, does he realize how the murder must have happened.
For all of its build-up to add to the intrigue, this Christie story also has some weak aspects that aren't mentioned or that are glossed over. The carpet has been removed for cleaning because it had been soaked with blood. But what about the wood chest itself? To have sat over night, the blood would surely have left a stain on some of the wood. At the very least, there would have been dried blood inside and on the outside of the chest. And what about the sawdust inside the chest? It wasn't dispersed or spread by contact with the body when it was removed. Nor did the police see it in their inspection of the crime scene.
Then, there's the fact about how Clayton was killed. Surely the police and Poirot would have seen that a sword, knife or other tool had run through his eye and into his brain. His eye socket would have been quite gruesome. And, that would lead back to the chest and the hole. But, there's not even any discussion of that most unusual method of murder.
So, this story scores well for its intrigue, but weak for too many things missing that most surely would have been seen in a true thorough investigation of the crime scene. The film has some of the usual clever and funny situations with dialog. Here are some favorites.
Captain Hastings, "I didn't know you were so keen on opera, Poirot. Hercule Poirot, "Generally, mon ami, I am not. But Rigoletto..."
Lady Chatterton, "And I must say, you were wonderful." Hercule Poirot, "Yes." Hastings frowns at Poirot.
Hercule Poirot, "Do you think it wrong Hastings, to enjoy the compliments, or the buttering as you say? Captain Hastings, "No, but uh, do you have to show it quite so much?" Poirot, "Perhaps it is Belgian. Hastings, why should I be the hypocrite? The blush when I am praised, and to say, like you, 'It is nothing?' No! I have the order, the method and the psychology. There, I admit it. I am the best. I am Hercule Poirot."
Lady Chatterton, "You're not dancing, Monsieur Poirot." Hercule Poirot, "Oh, no, no, no, Lady Chatterton. This music is for the young people with the limbs that are supple."
Hercule Poirot, "Did you mark about his scar, Hastings?" Captain Hastings, "Yes. You probably need one to be a member here."
Chief Inspector Japp, "I don't know why I bother sometimes. I may as well stay home and do my garden. Who do you want me to arrest now?"
Hercule Poirot, "Two things, Colonel Curtis. Firstly, I am not a bloody little frog. I am a bloody little Belgian."
Captain Hastings, responding to Poirot's humble reply to praise from Marguerite Clayton, "Nothing? Lucky?" Hercule Poirot, "I am learning, Hastings. It is more English, yes, the humbleness? Hah, I am learning. I shall be the most humble person in the world. No one shall match Hercule Poirot for his humbility (sic)."
For the longest time, Poirot assumes, as does Chief Inspector Japp, that Edward Clayton was murdered and then his body placed in the chest. And, even after Poirot sees the hole in the chest and then finds sawdust on an inside lip below the hole, he doesn't make the connection. Only later, after finding the drill among the dead man's belongings, does he realize how the murder must have happened.
For all of its build-up to add to the intrigue, this Christie story also has some weak aspects that aren't mentioned or that are glossed over. The carpet has been removed for cleaning because it had been soaked with blood. But what about the wood chest itself? To have sat over night, the blood would surely have left a stain on some of the wood. At the very least, there would have been dried blood inside and on the outside of the chest. And what about the sawdust inside the chest? It wasn't dispersed or spread by contact with the body when it was removed. Nor did the police see it in their inspection of the crime scene.
Then, there's the fact about how Clayton was killed. Surely the police and Poirot would have seen that a sword, knife or other tool had run through his eye and into his brain. His eye socket would have been quite gruesome. And, that would lead back to the chest and the hole. But, there's not even any discussion of that most unusual method of murder.
So, this story scores well for its intrigue, but weak for too many things missing that most surely would have been seen in a true thorough investigation of the crime scene. The film has some of the usual clever and funny situations with dialog. Here are some favorites.
Captain Hastings, "I didn't know you were so keen on opera, Poirot. Hercule Poirot, "Generally, mon ami, I am not. But Rigoletto..."
Lady Chatterton, "And I must say, you were wonderful." Hercule Poirot, "Yes." Hastings frowns at Poirot.
Hercule Poirot, "Do you think it wrong Hastings, to enjoy the compliments, or the buttering as you say? Captain Hastings, "No, but uh, do you have to show it quite so much?" Poirot, "Perhaps it is Belgian. Hastings, why should I be the hypocrite? The blush when I am praised, and to say, like you, 'It is nothing?' No! I have the order, the method and the psychology. There, I admit it. I am the best. I am Hercule Poirot."
Lady Chatterton, "You're not dancing, Monsieur Poirot." Hercule Poirot, "Oh, no, no, no, Lady Chatterton. This music is for the young people with the limbs that are supple."
Hercule Poirot, "Did you mark about his scar, Hastings?" Captain Hastings, "Yes. You probably need one to be a member here."
Chief Inspector Japp, "I don't know why I bother sometimes. I may as well stay home and do my garden. Who do you want me to arrest now?"
Hercule Poirot, "Two things, Colonel Curtis. Firstly, I am not a bloody little frog. I am a bloody little Belgian."
Captain Hastings, responding to Poirot's humble reply to praise from Marguerite Clayton, "Nothing? Lucky?" Hercule Poirot, "I am learning, Hastings. It is more English, yes, the humbleness? Hah, I am learning. I shall be the most humble person in the world. No one shall match Hercule Poirot for his humbility (sic)."