LETTERS OF INTENT

JOHN MALKOVICH AND RUPERT GRINT STAR IN THE LATEST CHRISTMAS CHRISTIE…

One question has remained after three superb standalone Agatha Christie mysteries on BBC1: will Poirot or Marple be appearing soon? We now know about the former – because in the latest tale, The ABC Murders, John Malkovich makes his debut as Belgium’s finest detective, Hercule Poirot.

Keen to use our sleuthing skills to find out about this series, Inside TV is in a basement in Bradford during a break in filming – where we’re joined by John as well as Rupert Grint, aka Inspector Crome…

“I think it’s quite a difficult one for Poirot,” John tells us. “There are so many things and so many people to look at. There are people who aren’t suspects who maybe should be, yet who you would never dream of being. There are others who have every reason to be suspected, but who have nothing to do with anything, except the rancour or bitterness that can evolve from normal human behaviour.”

The case involves a mysterious serial killer known only as ‘ABC’, who taunts Poirot by sending him letters, and is identified only by leaving a copy of the ABC Railway Guide at each murder scene. Poirot’s efforts to crack the case aren’t just hampered by the clever killer, but also by the initial reluctance of the police to co-operate.

“Crome has this deep insecurity about being over-promoted at quite a young age, and there’s a lot of pressure on him with this new case,” explains Rupert. “When we first meet Crome, he’s quite cold and there’s a kind of animosity between him and Poirot, and a sort of bitterness, which warms as they get to know each other more. I’ve not played anyone quite like him – someone with authority is a new thing for me!”

We know from previous experience not to expect anything too cosy or comforting from writer Sarah Phelps’ adaptations of Christie’s stories, and Rupert confirms that The ABC Murders goes to some dark places.

“I think the brutalness and the ugliness of it is quite cool,” he enthuses. “Sarah has really made something of this world and the darkness. There’s a scene with this guy who has this massive pustule on the back of his neck, and I reckon that it’s quite a good metaphor for the show – as though it’s going to burst!”