8. The Incredible Theft

Air date: 26/02/1989
Published: Second story in "Murder in the Mews" (1937)

Agatha Christie's career as a writer was long and prolific (not to mention incomparably successful!). It was also quite complex. Over the years novels were adapted for the stage, as were some short stories. Other short stories were re-worked for different publications.

It was with this latter fact in mind that I decided to read not one, but two stories for the next post in "Little Grey Cells".

The Submarine Plans was written for publication in Sketch magazine in 1923. Christie later developed it into the novella The Incredible Theft for the "Murder in the Mews" collection. This was the title for the next episode in that first TV series in 1989.

However, what intrigued me was that The Submarine Plans resurfaced (yes, I know - but I couldn't resist that one!) in the "Poirot's Early Cases" collection of short stories. Given the extent to which the producers were drawing on that collection for the first TV series I wanted to see if they had referenced the original story in any way.

The answer? Well, not at all really - unless you count the presence of Hastings (which I don't, as I think this was simply following the policy of including the 'team', rather than any acknowledgement of his appearing in The Submarine Plans). In fact, what is noticeable when making this three-way comparison is how the TV production differs from what is common to both written versions.

Christie changed all the lead characters' names for The Incredible Theft. The TV production followed these versions, so they are the ones I will refer to. The story surrounds Lord Mayfield, an engineer and mover in high places who is into military vehicle design. He hosts a party at his big country home attended by Sir George Carrington, a senior government official, and the mysterious Mrs Vanderlyn, known to be in league with the enemy. Mayfield convinces Sir George he has invited her along in order to trap her. In the event the plans for a new vehicle (a submarine in the first story, of course; a bomber in the re-write; a fighter in the TV production) get stolen, and it seems Mrs Vanderlyn has turned the tables on those seeking to incriminate her.

Poirot deduces that Mayfield has engineered (sorry: another awful pun) the theft, having done a deal with Mrs Vanderlyn to exchange them for an incriminating letter linking him with the Japanese a few years earlier. It all ends well, however, when it is announced that Mayfield has 'doctored' the plans: Mrs Vanderlyn has made off with duff specifications, while Mayfield has preserved his reputation.

In both written versions a significant element to the story is that Carlile (Mayfield's secretary) left the study briefly after Mrs Vanderlyn's french maid was heard to scream in the hallway. The latter claimed this was because she had seen a ghost; whereas, in fact, she was covering for Sir George's somewhat wayward young son Reggie, who had kissed her on the stairs! Whether this social faux pas was considered too lame for a 1989 TV audience I don't know - but the producers ignored it totally. In fact, Mrs Vanderlyn's maid does not even appear! Reggie does, without adding anything to the story, and the same goes for his mother, a rather too keen bridge player. In the original she believes Reggie has stolen the plans and tells Poirot she can get them back. With this whole sub-plot removed the story becomes far simpler.

To make up for this other, more dramatic elements are added. Japp (not in the original) turns up and takes Mrs Vanderlyn in for questioning. Poirot and Hastings then follow her in a dramatic car chase (what a surprise!), where they observe her handing over the case containing the plans at the gate of the German ambassador's country home.

Another character, the social activist Mrs Macatta, has been omitted (which is no loss) and another added: Mayfield now has a wife (he is said to be a bachelor in Christie's The Incredible Theft). In fact it is his concerned wife who contacts Poirot. We first see Poirot in his flat polishing his shoes while advising Hastings on affairs of the heart. This scene enables the writers to slot in a brief appearance from the last of the 'team', Miss Lemon.

It is interesting that Christie had two goes at this story, because I don't think it is a particularly strong one. The same, I have to say, goes for the TV rendering.