Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writer:

Paul Dehn (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 marraskuu 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The greatest cast of suspicious characters ever involved in murder.

Plot:

In 1935, when his train is stopped by deep snow, detective Hercule Poirot is called on to solve a murder that occurred in his car the night before.

Plot Keywords:

Hercule Poirot | Train | Detective | Snow | Orient Express

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Albert Finney	...	Hercule Poirot
Lauren Bacall	...	Mrs. Harriet Belinda Hubbard
Martin Balsam	...	Signor Bianchi
Ingrid Bergman	...	Greta Ohlsson
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Countess Andrenyi
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Pierre Paul Michel (as Jean Pierre Cassel)
Sean Connery	...	Colonel Arbuthnot
John Gielgud	...	Mr. Beddoes
Wendy Hiller	...	Princess Dragomiroff
Anthony Perkins	...	Hector Willard MacQueen
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Mary Debenham
Rachel Roberts	...	Hildegarde Schmidt
Richard Widmark	...	Mr. Ratchett
Michael York	...	Count Andrenyi
Colin Blakely	...	Mr. Cyrus Hardman

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express (UK) (complete title)
Idän pikajunan arvoitus (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Turkish | French | German | Italian | Swedish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M (TV rating) | Iceland:12 | Ireland:PG | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:PG (certificate #24034) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

EMI Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

G.W. Films

Trivia:

An 84-year-old Agatha Christie attended the movie premiere in November of 1974. It was the only film adaptation in her lifetime that she was completely satisfied with. In particular, she felt that Albert Finney's performance came closest to her idea of Poirot. She died fourteen months later, on January 12, 1976

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The British officer who escorts Poirot on the ferry thanks him for saving the honor of the British garrison in Jordan. The Kingdom of Jordan did not exist until 1946. In 1935 it was the Emirate of Transjordan.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ferry conductor: Your ticket, please.
Mary Debenham: Oh, yes.
Ferry conductor: Welcome aboard, Miss Debenham.
Mary Debenham: Thank you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

On the Good Ship Lollipop

I love this movie!

There isn't a single wasted minute of film here - Sydney Lumet is brilliant in this regard. Albert Finney is perfect, not a missed note - he IS Hercule Poirot, for as long as we in the audience want him to be! The supporting performances are all right on the mark, neither overplayed nor underplayed. And the twist ending is delivered in a manner that would make Agatha Christie jealous. Bravo to all concerned!