Agatha Christie's Poirot

It's a strange episode this. A young boy's life is threatened if the parents do not pay an increasing amount in ransom. The kidnapping is stated to take place at exactly noon on a particular day. The police finally move in, along with Poirot and Hastings, but despite their best efforts the child disappears anyway.



This is one of those episodes that relies a lot on little conceits and bending of the truth.



It may be only me, but if my child was threatened with kidnap and I knew about it well in advance, I probably would not be in my own house having him play with a toy car. I would take him well away from where the kidnappers might be. (I do know the denouement and why the parents did not do this, but I would have thought the police or someone would have suggested it).



There is time switching here too, which I suppose might be okay, but does nobody at all have a watch that they are looking at?



At the time of the kidnap, when a supposed miscreant is apprehended in the grounds of the house, it is feasible to assume that every other policeman would run from their posts (thereby allowing the kidnap to take place under their noses?)



Just one or two too many plot devices that do not ring true for this to be a classic episode.