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Murder on the Orient Express (1974) More at IMDbPro »

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113 comments in total

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62 out of 68 people found the following comment useful :-
It Oozes Elegance, 7 helmikuu 2005

Author: Lechuguilla from Dallas, Texas

This whodunit story by Dame Agatha is excellent. She has always been my favorite writer of detective fiction. I keep returning to the film version, however, not because of the story but because of the film's sheer elegance and style. It is awash in elegance ... the majestic cinematography; the glamorous clothes; the delightfully eccentric aristocratic characters; the mysterious yet refined musical score. The film is so theatrically regal I'm surprised that it did not feature a representative of British royalty.

The setting is Europe in the 1930's. The pace is slow and relaxed. And while the dialogue is in English, the film has a deliciously international flavor, with a mix of interesting accents and word pronunciations. Heavy on dialogue, the film never seems overly talky, the result of a clever screenplay and lush visuals. Humor is included in the script usually in the form of tasteful put-downs. Example: an attractive Mrs. Hubbard comments: "Don't you agree the man must have entered my compartment to gain access to Mr. Ratchett?" The aging Princess Dragomiroff responds in a deadpan tone: "I can think of no other reason, madam."

In his portrayal of Hercule Poirot, Albert Finney almost literally disappears into the role, a tribute to convincing makeup and to Finney's adroit acting. His performance is appropriately idiosyncratic, deliciously hammy, and theatrical, every bit as entertaining in this film as Peter Ustinov is in subsequent Christie movies. The rest of the cast has ensemble parts, my favorite being Wendy Hiller whose Princess Dragomiroff comes across as royal, proud, and very eccentric.

With its snowy landscapes, ornate and cozy interiors, and subdued lighting, "Murder On The Orient Express" is an excellent movie to watch on a cold, winter night, snuggled under a blanket or next to a warm fireplace with a cup of cappuccino or a glass of cognac. Just be sure that all knives and daggers in your mansion are out of reach from your staff of servants.

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21 out of 23 people found the following comment useful :-
A Cast To Die For, 14 syyskuu 2007

Author: giorgiosurbani from Italy

That Sidney Lumet knows how to frame an actor within his or her character is a very well known fact - "The Pawnbroker" "Network" "Dog Day Afternoon" and some other spectacular pieces of acting prove that point unquestionably. Here, there is a sort of "divertissment". Agatha Christie given a first class treatment (not that Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple wasn't first class, but the production value here is as impressive as the cast) in the hands of Sidney Lumet who knew how to put a bunch of sensational actors in a confined space - "12 Angry Men" for instance and make it riveting. There a 12 Angry people here too and (almost) each part is cast with relish and delight. Albert Finney, marvelous, manages, not only to survive, under the weight of his characterization but to create something bold, exquisitely structured, great fun to watch and to hear. Ingrid Bergman won her third Oscar for her missionary looking after little brown babies - I thought she was a highlight indeed but in my modest opinion, Valentina Cortese for "Day For Night" deserved it that year, Anthony Perkins plays Norman Bates's twin brother, also with a mother fixation and a compelling facial tic. Wendy Hiller was, clearly, having a ball and that, on the screen, is always contagious. Sean Connery and Vanessa Redgrave make a surprisingly hot pair, Lauren Bacall over does it of course but who cares, Jacqueline Bisset is breathtaking, Rachel Roberts a hoot. John Gielgud is John Gielgud and that in itself is a major plus. Colin Blakely does wonders with his moment and Dennis Quilley plays his Italian as if this was a silent movie. Martin Balsam is always fun to watch, no matter the accent. Richard Widmark is splendid in his villainy and Jean Pierre Cassel very moving indeed. The only weak spot in the cast is Michael York. Totally unbelievable. I suspect that "Murder in The Orient Express" 33 years old already, will continue delighting audiences for years to come.

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26 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
When Agatha Christie Finally Came Into Her Own Cinematically, 1 tammikuu 2006

Author: theowinthrop from United States

Agatha Christie lived long enough to enjoy something few of her contemporaries could claim.

Movies based on Christie's novels and stories were being made back to the 1930s. One early one with Charles Laughton as Hercule Poiret so turned her off that she was hesitant about future productions of her work. But they were made - like the two versions of LOVE FROM A STRANGER. There were two high points: Rene Clair's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE and Billy Wilder's WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (oddly enough with Laughton again, but in a better fitting performance). Then came the popular series of Miss Marple films with Margaret Rutherford, which were rewritten to emphasize Rutherford's comic abilities (and to give Miss Marple a companion - Mr. Stringer, played by Rutherford's husband Stringer Davis). Another attempt at Poirot was made, again as a comic film, THE A.B.C.MURDERS (with Tony Randall as Poirot). Christie was not amused. But in 1974 she saw her vision of Hercule Poirot as a character put properly on screen by Albert Finney in MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS.

It gave her a satisfaction that few mystery novelists of her age ever had. Dorothy Sayers did live to see Lord Peter Wimsey played by Robert Montgomery in BUSMAN'S HONEYMOON, but while entertaining it was not the Wimsey that she created - she died before she could see Ian Carmichael play the role on a series of television multi-episodes shows based on her novels. While Josephine Tey's novels occasionally were made into films, her Inspector Grant was not turned into a good running series character.

I think that the reason that Agatha Christie was satisfied was the care that Sidney Lumet took with MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. Not only the all star cast involved, but keeping the story in the late 1920s to early 1930s style, with clothing, vehicles, and class snobbery maintained. It actually helped preserve the novel's effectiveness.

The casting is quite good. Poirot is ably played by Finney, who is fussy but also serious and sharp when going over the clues and interrogations. Martin Balsam as his friend, the railroad official, is properly "watsonish", constantly jumping at conclusions as to who the killer is. Interestingly forgotten in the background is the only other passenger we learn of that is not under suspicion, the Greek doctor who assists Poirot (George Coulouris). In the 1940s Coulouris would have been a red herring at least.

The suspects (led by Lauren Bacall and Wendy Hiller) are properly snobbish (especially Sean Connery). They are even snobbish towards each other. But the question of who killed the victim is handled to constantly throw off the viewers. It is one of the most perfectly balanced whodunits.

I only have one minor criticism. The murder centers on a "Lindbergh" kidnap-murder tragedy of the past, and the killer has to be someone after the real brains behind the tragedy. So all the suspects happen to be connected to the victim(s). But as it turns out there was one victim who was overlooked - the patsy killer (based on Hauptmann?) who was frightened into committing the crime and was hanged. It would have been interesting if the family of this criminal also had been represented among the suspects.

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19 out of 24 people found the following comment useful :-
Leave it to Poirot, 20 joulukuu 2005

Author: nycritic

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

That Poirot. Always a beacon for dreadful things which happen just within earshot, and only he up to the task of solving them. If only he could get a break and take off to some far-away land and relax from the evils that men do.

But Agatha Christie has other things in hand. On a trip between Paris and Istanbul, something quite horrible happens to another passenger, one Mr. Ratchett, a man who has been suspected to have been the mastermind behind the Lindbergh baby incident in which she was kidnapped and killed. It would be up to the local authorities to come and intervene, but a snowstorm has stalled the train midway and Poirot has to locate the killer.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is drenched in style and reminds me of GOSFORD PARK, its much younger cousin. When a movie has so much acting and overacting and actors of such stature such comparisons will not be overlooked, but this story has a lot more up its sleeve which I won't reveal for those who haven't seen it. Suffice it be to say that the names alone (while in later years did not guarantee a good film, here they do) are of this caliber: Lauren Bacall, Albert Finney (as Poirot), Ingrid Bergmann (who won an Oscar, her third, for Best Supporting Actress), Sean Connery, Anthony Perkins, Jacqueline Bisset, Vanessa Redgrave, Sir John Gielgud, Martin Balsam, Richard Widmark, Michael York, Wendy Hiller, Jean-Pierre Cassel, George Coulouris, and Rachel Roberts.

Boasting one of the most riveting monologues ever committed on film, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS remains one of the more sumptuous Agatha Christie whodunits and is another strong (if atypical) film in veteran film director Sidney Lumet's career.

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23 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent Agatha Christie murder mystery, 13 tammikuu 2002

Author: jhaggardjr from Chicago, Illinois

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)

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16 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :-
A well executed murder in every sense of the word., 31 joulukuu 2005

Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

Murder on the Orient Express started a nice trend in filming some of the most stylish of Agatha Christie novels by producer John Brabourne. Although Albert Finney who does a fine job as the Belgian Sleuth Hercule Poirot declined to do further films with Poirot, Peter Ustinov more than amply took up the slack in later productions.

Richard Widmark is an American expatriate traveling on the famous Orient Express train and he's been receiving mysterious death threats. As it happens Poirot is on the train also and refuses Widmark's offer to be a bodyguard.

Widmark is later stabbed to death in his compartment and while the train is stranded somewhere in Yugoslavia due to snow drifts, Poirot investigates the murder in the best Agatha Christie tradition. Of course in that same tradition the plotters would have gotten away with it more than likely had Poirot and his little gray cells not been present.

Widmark as it also turns out was a gangster who had to flee America because he was named as the mastermind of a horrific crime that shocked the nation. There are a whole lot of people who had reason to want him dead.

Poirot conducts his inquiry of the other passengers and they are quite a crew consisting of among others, Lauren Bacall, Michael York, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Wendy Hiller, Rachel Roberts, Vanessa Redgrave, Jacqueline Bissett, etc.

Of course I won't tell you the solution, but here's a hint. Note what Sean Connery says while he's being grilled.

It's a great ensemble cast of course with a bunch of seasoned players doing their thing. Ingrid Bergman got a Best Supporting Actress award for her portrayal of a simple soul who is a missionary. I'm betting the critics noted that her part was offbeat casting for her which she pulled off. In any event she was surprised as all get out when her name was read at the Oscars in 1975. In accepting the award she got up and said quite matter-of-factly that fellow nominee Valentina Cortese deserved it. Of course she didn't turn it down.

As I said, this was one elaborately planned murder and I think you will enjoy seeing Poirot unravel it and what happens later.

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12 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Still the best introduction to Hercule Poirot for non-readers, 25 helmikuu 2007

Author: mstomaso from Vulcan

Sidney Lumet directs a great cast through a brilliant cinematic interpretation of one of Agatha Christie's most popular Hercule Poirot Mysteries. The train upon which the great investigator finds himself is halted by an avalanche of snow in the Alps, and two horrible crimes seem to have intersected in the first class cabin. Despite the cramped quarters, the only witness is the murder victim himself, and Poirot must put together the solution from disparate and seemingly contradictory evidence.

The three most striking qualities of this film are its production values, cast, and Finney's exhausting performance. Although a little over-the-top, Finney gets Poirot exactly right - Poirot is played as a somewhat obsessive, slightly manic, and flamboyant Frenchman - not at all as a French sounding Sherlock Holmes. The cast speaks for itself. Bacall, Perkins, Hiller, Redgrave, York and Bissett are all delightful in their supporting roles. But perhaps the most under-recognized achievement of this film is its cinematography. The film is extremely visually engaging from start to finish. This is achieved by perfect visual pacing, great camera work, spectacular - though somewhat cramped and redundant - sets, good costuming, and a stunningly attractive cast.

Murder on the Orient Express also succeeds in sticking with Christie's original narrative (mostly), and sets a high standard for film versions of the great mystery writers repertoire. From my perspective, the film remains unequaled among the Porot interpretations and meets the challenge of adapting and simplifying Christie's often complex exposition very nicely.

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13 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
A Suave and Sleek Thriller!, 3 maaliskuu 1999
Author: Tim Cox from Marietta, OH

A great ensemble cast. Superb direction. An amazing mystery. The finest of the Christie film versions. Finney is the most amazing screen Poirot since the great Charles Laughton. He's devilish as much as he is clever and cunning. Beautifully crafted and scripted, the film is one of the finest of the genre. Not to be missed.

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19 out of 30 people found the following comment useful :-
* * * * out of 4., 3 lokakuu 2001
Author: Brandon L. Sites (brandonsites1981@yahoo.com)

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.

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21 out of 34 people found the following comment useful :-
Sheer perfection, with a once in a lifetime cast!, 5 heinäkuu 2001

Author: David Atfield (bits@alphalink.com.au) from Canberra, Australia

Whatever happened to the all star movie? Are they just too expensive now? I know a lot of the great stars are no longer with us, but there are enough to make another gem like this one. I just wish this movie was longer, so I could relish the performances of these brilliant people even more. What a magic moment it is when LAUREN BACALL and INGRID BERGMAN clink champagne classes - you can almost hear "As Time Goes By" playing in the background. Come on Hollywood, give us another all star movie, before we lose even more Hollywood royalty!

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