Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writer:

Paul Dehn (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

24 marraskuu 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | 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. Hubbard
Martin Balsam	...	Bianchi
Ingrid Bergman	...	Greta
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Countess Andrenyi
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Pierre (as Jean Pierre Cassel)
Sean Connery	...	Colonel Arbuthnot
John Gielgud	...	Beddoes
Wendy Hiller	...	Princess Dragomiroff
Anthony Perkins	...	McQueen
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Mary Debenham
Rachel Roberts	...	Hildegarde
Richard Widmark	...	Ratchett
Michael York	...	Count Andrenyi
Colin Blakely	...	Hardman
George Coulouris	...	Doctor
Denis Quilley	...	Foscarelli
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Concierge
Jeremy Lloyd	...	A.D.C.
John Moffatt	...	Chief Attendant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David de Keyser	...	Turkish Ticket Collector (voice) (uncredited)
Leon Lissek	...	Dining Car Steward (uncredited)
Robert Rietty	...	Various Tannoy's (voice) (uncredited)
George Silver	...	Orient Express Chef (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Lumet

Writing credits
Agatha Christie		(novel) uncredited
Paul Dehn		(screenplay)
Anthony Shaffer		uncredited

Produced by
John Brabourne	....	producer
Richard B. Goodwin	....	producer (as Richard Goodwin)

Original Music by
Richard Rodney Bennett

Cinematography by
Geoffrey Unsworth

Film Editing by
Anne V. Coates

Casting by
Dyson Lovell		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Tony Walton

Art Direction by
Jack Stephens

Costume Design by
Tony Walton

Makeup Department
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup artist
Ramon Gow	....	hair styles supervisor
Leonard	....	hair stylist: Ms. Bergman and Mr. Finney (as Leonard of London)
John O'Gorman	....	makeup artist
Charles E. Parker	....	makeup artist (as Charles Parker)

Production Management
Jim Brennan	....	unit manager
Jack Causey	....	production manager
Louis Fleury	....	production manager: France

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ted Sturgis	....	first assistant director
Richard Jenkins	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
E.W. Brister	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Tony Strong	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Peter Handford	....	sound
Bill Rowe	....	sound
Jeremy Hume	....	assistant dialogue editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Charles Staffell	....	process photography

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter MacDonald	....	camera operator
Steve Birtles	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Cedric James	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Joe Pearce	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brenda Dabbs	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Richard Hiscott	....	assistant editor
Richard Williams	....	montage

Music Department
Marcus Dods	....	conductor
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House	....	orchestra

Other crew
Angela Allen	....	continuity
Nat Cohen	....	presenter
Richard du Vivier	....	production associate
Norton Knatchbull	....	location manager
Richard Williams	....	title designer
Elisabeth Woodthorpe	....	production secretary
François Guillaume	....	stand-in: Anthony Perkins (uncredited)
Catherine O'Brien	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• G.W. Films
• EMI Films

Distributors

• Anglo-EMI Film Distributors (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Gloria (1975) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1977) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Fotomat (Drive-Thru Movies) Video (1979) (USA) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany) (DVD)
• Lumière Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Leonard of London  Ms. Bergman's and Mr. Finney's hair styles
• Richard Williams Films  montage sequences
• Richard Williams Films  montage titles
• Wartski  princess's jewellery

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express (UK) (complete title)

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Turkish | French | German | Italian | Swedish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 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:

The actor John Moffatt, who is listed in the cast as 'Chief Attendant' would later go on to provide the voice of Poirot himself in the BBC audio dramatization of 'Murder on the Orient Express' broadcast from 28 December 1993 to 1 January 1994.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: In the train station we see Ataturk's (founder of independent and modern Turkey) poster on the wall. But in the 1930s, Ataturk was alive and had great power. Posters of him were only put on the walls years after his death.

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 "Laverne & Shirley: Murder on the Moose Jaw Express: Part 2 (#5.21)" (1980)

Soundtrack:

On the Good Ship Lollipop

Excellent Agatha Christie murder mystery

I love murder mysteries. I'm a sucker for them whether it's reading a book or seeing a movie. "Murder on the Orient Express" is one of the best murder mystery movies ever made. Based on the novel by mystery sleuth Agatha Christie, it takes you on a ride by train where we meet an assortment of colorful characters all traveling on the Orient Express. When one of these characters is murdered, the rest become suspects. And it's up to famed Belgian detective Hercule Poirot to solve the crime. "Murder on the Orient Express" has an intriguing script, good direction, and a spectacular cast to boot. Albert Finney is picture perfect in his Oscar nominated portrayl of the fussy Poirot. While watching Finney in this movie, I can't believe that this is the same man who played Julia Roberts' boss in "Erin Brockovich" because he's so unrecognizable here. Finney is supported by an all-star cast of mostly familiar faces. Of the actors playing the suspects, Lauren Bacall scores highest as an annoying American woman who talks loud and isn't afraid to say what's on her mind. Also good: the great Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar (her third overall) for her small performance as an African missionary; and Martin Balsam as the director of the line and Mr. Poirot's personal friend. Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Rachel Roberts, Richard Widmark, and Michael York round out the familiar cast. "Murder on the Orient Express" is a classy movie to be sure. Is this the best murder mystery movie ever made? Almost. A few years later came the next Agatha Christie movie "Death on the Nile", which in my opinion topped "Murder on the Orient Express" and ranks as my all-time favorite mystery movie. But "Murder on the Orient Express" places right behind "Death on the Nile" as the second best. There is no question that these two movies would be perfect to show on television as a double feature. Stick 'em on AMC, and your all set.

***1/2 (out of four)