Poirot (TV Series)
Problem at Sea (1989)
Hugh Fraser: Captain Hastings
Photos
Quotes
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Hercule Poirot : Oh, Hastings, Hastings.
Captain Hastings : What?
Hercule Poirot : Whatever is the use of me introducing you to nice young ladies if all you do is talk about the shooting of the clay pigeons?
Captain Hastings : But I like it. You heard what Miss Henderson said. She'd like to talk about it tomorrow.
Hercule Poirot : Oh, Hastings, Hastings, Hastings.
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Hercule Poirot : Monsieurs, Madames. What I am about to do might surprise you a little. You'll probably think of me as eccentric-perhaps mad. You might say, "the little Belgian is taking leave from his rocker", huh? But I must assure you, that behind my madness is, what you English say... method.
[Poirot lifts the cover of the hidden object on the table; revealing a small, simple, leather suitcase]
Hercule Poirot : [sotto voce] Voila! A suitcase!
[slightly sarcastic]
Hercule Poirot : How interesting!
[normal]
Hercule Poirot : Of course, nothing's interesting about suitcases.
[chuckles]
Hercule Poirot : But you may know that suitcases... have contents.
[Poirot opens the suitcase very slowly but full of anticipation; the audience of the passengers watch in expectation. Poirot opens the lid, gasps slightly and slowly lifts up the object in the suitcase... which is revealed to be a cute, porcelain doll]
Mrs Tolliver : [smiling; recognizing] Why... It's a doll!
Hercule Poirot : Ah! Yes, a doll. Now, this doll... is an important witness to the truth of the death of Madame Clapperton.
[pause]
Hercule Poirot : But how does it know? It is a doll. But THIS is a doll...
[sotto voce]
Hercule Poirot : ...That can speak!
[Poirot makes the doll turn towards him, so that their faces are parallel from one another and their noses are two inches apart; the passengers look at him as if he had lost his mind, slightly disturbed]
Hercule Poirot : [he senses the passengers disbelief and quickly turns to them; rapid fire speech] You never seen dolls that could speak?
[normal voice]
Hercule Poirot : Of course, you have!
Hercule Poirot : [as he slowly and gently puts the doll back in the suitcase] All we need to do is to put the doll back into the suitcase, where she cannot be seen... She doesn't want to be seen; this little lady.
[to the concealed doll in the suitcase]
Hercule Poirot : Can you hear me, mon poupée?
Ismene : [as the doll's voice] Aye!
Hercule Poirot : [speaking loudly yet slowly] Now, Can you tell us... about the death... of Madame Clapperton?
Ismene : [imitating Madame Clapperton] What is it, John? The Door's locked... I don't want to be disturbed by the stewards.
Colonel John Clapperton : [he begins to twitch his eyes and hyperventilate; he glares at Poirot, who glares at him back sternly; revealing the Col. Clapperton is the murderer] You!
[He bolts forward]
Captain Hastings : [as he and Bates stop the enraged Col. Clapperton from reaching Poirot] Stop him!
Colonel John Clapperton : [after being restrained; he glares at the stern Poirot; finally caught; snarling with hatred] YES.
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Hercule Poirot : What about Mademoiselle Henderson?
Captain Hastings : Really? No.
Hercule Poirot : Oh, I think perhaps she has the motive, no?
Captain Hastings : She's a lady, Poirot.
Hercule Poirot : And you think, mon ami, that ladies do not commit murder?
Captain Hastings : Ladies don't get found out.
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[first lines]
Captain Hastings : The whole art of clay pigeon shooting lies in the timing. Trick is, when I say "Pull"...
[Pamela pulls the release]
Captain Hastings : No.
[He shoots twice]
Captain Hastings : Sorry. My fault, should have warned you there.
Pamela Cregan : Weren't you ready?
Captain Hastings : No no, it's all right.
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Captain Hastings : [upon seeing Skinner selling Mrs. Clapperton's jewelry to several Arabs at a red-light market place] Oh no, you don't!
[Hastings rushes over and tackles Skinner; he then forces Skinner to let go of whatever he is holding]
Captain Hastings : I would like to ask you a few questions, if I'm very much mistaken.
[the object Skinner is holding falls out of his palm, revealing to be Mrs. Clapperton's headband]