In the Dickensblog Facebook group today, Herb Moskowitz and I were chatting about Poirot reading A Tale of Two Cities in the recent Murder on the Orient Express film. I pointed out something interesting that I caught when I watched it:
In the film, Poirot, as in the book, says "M. Harris will not arrive. I read my Dickens." The implication is that Harris is like Mrs. Harris in "Martin Chuzzlewit," a made-up character, and Poirot has intuited this because he is a reader of Dickens. But I think the screenwriter misinterpreted the line as "M. Harris will not arrive, so I'll just sit here and read my Dickens," and thus provided him with a Dickens novel to read!
No, this is just how Christie wrote the line.
Posted by: Adria Devereaux | May 27, 2020 at 09:42 PM
Yes, it is Christie's line. My argument is that the filmmakers misinterpreted the line.
Posted by: Gina | May 28, 2020 at 08:08 PM
I thought Poirot's Dickens reading was funny and clever. I did not interpret the film to mean that the screenwriter was confused by the line and thought that Poirot, in Christie's original work, read his Dickens during the train ride. We know from the M. Harris line that Poirot is a Dickens fan; thus, Poirot enjoys reading Dickens on the train (before and after making the M. Harris remark). (Train rides are ideal for novel reading.) I wonder which of the other passengers also enjoys Dickens. MacQuean?
Posted by: Sarah | August 07, 2020 at 03:23 AM
4 years later, but I agree with first theory. The porter mentions open berth. passenger has yet to arrive M. Harris and Poirot says “A name of good omen…I read my Dickens, M. Harris will not arrive.” Referring to made up character name used in an old Dickens novel.
Posted by: Teresa | April 23, 2022 at 07:10 AM
Harris, Mrs ( Martin Chuzzlewit ) Imaginary friend of Sairey Gamp who uses Mrs Harris's invented quotes to establish Mrs Gamp's good reputation. To state that a fearful mystery surrounded this lady of the name of Harris, whom no one in the circle of Mrs Gamp’s acquaintance had ever seen; neither did any human being know her place of residence, though Mrs Gamp appeared on her own showing to be in constant communication with her. There were conflicting rumours on the subject; but the prevalent opinion was that she was a phantom of Mrs Gamp’s brain – as Messrs Doe and Roe are fictions of the law – created for the express purpose of holding visionary dialogues with her on all manner of subjects, and invariably winding up with a compliment to the excellence of her nature.
Posted by: Teresa | April 23, 2022 at 07:14 AM
Is there some comedic part in a Tale of Two Cities that explains Poirot's two outbursts of laughing while reading alone in the dining car?
Posted by: tmb3 | September 15, 2023 at 02:41 PM