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The mysterious case of the misunderstood Dickens reference

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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!

Responses

  1. Adria Devereaux Avatar
    Adria Devereaux

    No, this is just how Christie wrote the line.

    Reply
  2. Gina Avatar
    Gina

    Yes, it is Christie’s line. My argument is that the filmmakers misinterpreted the line.

    Reply
  3. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    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?

    Reply
  4. Teresa Avatar
    Teresa

    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.

    Reply
  5. Teresa Avatar
    Teresa

    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.

    Reply
  6. tmb3 Avatar
    tmb3

    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?

    Reply
  7. Jacques Delaguerre Avatar
    Jacques Delaguerre

    Thanks, we were just reading Christie in Spanish (“Asesinato en el Orient Express”), and did not get the reference. You all clarified this for us!

    Reply
  8. Fred Avatar
    Fred

    There are no comedy parts in A Tale of Two Cities. However, the protagonist, Sydney Carton, is prone to ironical laughter while contemplating events on his own.

    Reply

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