Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

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:

There are three re-pairings from two other moves: Martin Balsam and Anthony Perkins were in Psycho (1960) together. Colin Blakely and Rachel Roberts both appeared in This Sporting Life (1963). Albert Finney and Jacqueline Bisset both appeared in Under the Volcano (1984).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the rescue locomotive arrives to push the snow away, (time frame 2:04:17) you can see the snow is flowing smoothly like a liquid, some even floating in the air, it is quite obvious that the snow is really foam from soapy liquid.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Animaniacs: Distasterpiece Theatre/Hercule Yakko/Home on De-Nile/A Midsummer Night's Dream (#1.25)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

On the Good Ship Lollipop

* * * * out of 4.

An all star cast aboard a luxuary train are questioned and suspected of a murder when one of the passengers who was already fearing for his life is found dead and all this seems to be releated to a child that was kidnapped and murdered years earlier.

Exceptionally done thriller is a homage to the mysteries of Hollywood's golden age with fun and brilliantly done performances from a seasoned cast, but Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall, and an unreconizable Albert Finney really stand out. Magnaficent score, sets, costumes, color schemes, dialogue, and a fine eye for detail just add to the fun. Never a dull or boring moment; the finale is really, really good. I just love everything about this film. Very highly recommanded film is in my top 10 films of the 70's and is in my top 100 films of all time.