There's Just Something About Miss Lemon

I strongly disagree. Love her.

I can understand your reaction- must remember that the character is almost just as fussy as Poirot, and really, how could it be otherwise?
She does seem like she was falsely demure, which might be the aspect that makes you cringe. Makes me cringe too.

I think Pauline Moran's performance as Miss Lemon conveys a combination of personality and period.

Miss Lemon is a control freak; mainly a filing freak and a flawless-typing freak, but she also has rigid notions of propriety that affect her reactions to things like the appearance and manners of people who come to consult Poirot. At the same time, far from being sedate, she has an irrepressible flair for the mysterious and the dramatic. Even when reporting a phone call to Poirot, she must do it as if sharing a delicious scandal. She grooms herself -- she must think -- as a glamorous femme fatale, but her fastidious side makes her go a bit heavy on the fatale.

The period comes through in her way of doing all those things. The tremolo in the voice and flashing of the eyes when she conveys a tidbit; the outlandish eyebrows and curls; even, alas, the solemn dedication to her work -- these are ways appropriate to the period, appropriately exaggerated to suit the personality of the character.

Miss Lemon's manners and looks probably grate on some of the people in her own world, but as an outside observer I thoroughly enjoy Pauline Moran's performance.

Really?? I love her. I felt like she added humor in every scene she was in. I really enjoyed her interactions with Poirot and Hastings.

Maybe you transfer the feelings you have for someone else on her. Maybe she reminds you of someone. Or, maybe you see in her traits that you have and don't accept.
As you may have guessed, I'm a psychologist. I just couldn't help answering you.

I like her a lot.

I love the IMDB and the discussions we have here - we are all major fans of movies and TV, actors and actresses. We all have our different points of view and that's what makes our group so interesting (FYI, although they only list me as a member for a matter of months - I have actually been commenting, reviewing, and rating here for almost 17 years - all wiped out when I got an iPhone and they "deleted" my former ID).

Anyway, this thread was the kind I like to see: No one slinging insults and name-calling simply because we have differing opinions. You guys are great and let's just keep sharing our love of acting/theater!

i love miss lemon. i miss her when she's not around.