Thanks to Agatha Christie's Poirot, David Suchet is synonymous with the detective genre. The actor portrayed the acclaimed Belgian detective from 1989 all the way up to 2013.
However, in 1996, the actor appeared in a different detective film, although this time he was on the other side of the law. Produced for the BBC, David starred as Ruben Roberts in the TV film Cruel Train. In the film, his character discovered that his wife, Selina, played by Saskia Reeves, was sexually abused as a child by her godfather, Arthur Grandridge, played by David Belcher.
After finding this out, Ruben and Selina set out to murder Arthur during a ride on the Brighton Express.
A synopsis for the film, which was based on Emile Zola's La Bête humaine, which was published in 1890, reads: "Drama set in wartime Britain. Rueben Roberts, a deputy railway station master, discovers that he owes his job, marriage and home to the sexual favours that his wife Selena has been forced to grant to Arthur Grandrige, her godfather and the railway chairman.
"Rueben vows revenge and kills Arthur on the Brighton express train. The murder is witnessed by a railway worker, Jack Dando. When the police investigate, Rueben persuades Selena to seduce Jack to buy his silence. However, things soon spiral out of control."
Although television films can often be forgotten, Cruel Train can still be streamed, albeit not on BBC iPlayer. The 100-minute film can instead be found on Apple TV+. So, if you're in the mood for a classic crime caper, then this is the film you need to rediscover.
Who stars in Cruel Train?
The television movie is led by Poirot star David Suchet, who has also starred in the likes of The Way We Live Now and The Au Pair. His on-screen wife is played by Saskia Reeves (Slow Horses), while Arthur Grandridge is portrayed by David Belcher (Sense and Sensibility). Also joining the cast is Line of Duty's Adrian Dunbar, who plays train driver Jack Dando, who witnesses the murder.
© GettyOther cast members include Alec McCowen (Gangs of New York), Jonathan Moore (The Bill), Richard Ridings (Fat Friends), Melanie Hill (Casualty), Vivienne Burgess (After the War), Gerard Horan (Death in Paradise) and Minnie Driver (The Phantom of the Opera).
Rounding out the cast are Bryan Pringle (Inspector Morse), Sheila Reid (Benidorm), Patrick Godfrey (Midsomer Murders), Steven Crossley (The Endurance) and Paul McKay (NCS Manhunt).
What did fans make of Cruel Train?
Viewers have delivered mixed reviews to the classic film, with one musing: "Rather dark story, but a lot going on, fairly decent though," while a second added: "Overall it was interesting, a little like Hitchcock."
© BBCHowever, on the negative side, one penned: "There was potential in this feature, but too many elements show tiresome flaws that significantly diminish its lasting value. There is no element that is consistent enough to deserve round praise; incredibly, this grows more heavy-handed as the length draws on, and ever more questionable."
Cruel Train was, however, a technical success, with the crime film being nominated for Best Original Music at the 1997 BAFTAs and winning Best Lighting at the Royal Television Society Awards.
