Murder on the Orient Express

Rating:
Summary: Elegant, stylish murder mystery...
Review: ...but turn on the closed captioning, because as one reviewer pointed out Albert Finney's heavy accent and often garbled speech could try anyone's comprehension, not to mention patience. But Finney is still excellent, though he falls short of David Suchet, who is the quintessential Hercule Poirot.

But enough about that. They rarely make films this lavishly entertaining anymore. "Murder on the Orient Express" is visually striking to say the least; the Orient Express and its various set pieces are magnificently rendered, and at no small expense either. The all-star cast is impressive; from Lauren Bacall's scene-stealing American chatterbox to Anthony Perkins' disturbing, PSYCHO-reminiscent secretary, the cast list adds emphasis to the idea of the house-party whodunit. The film is, essentially, a Hollywood party on a grand scale.

Although the film is sluggish at times and the unraveling of Agatha Christie's labyrinthine plot doesn't work as well on the screen as it does on paper, this is still great fun, the perfect Saturday night movie for viewers who like a dose of wit and intelligence with their entertainment.

Rating:
Summary: Finney's not too impressive, though the movie is quite.
Review: Altogether, a very entertaining movie, good acting etc. But one thing I feel very strongly about is that FINNEY IS NOWHERE AS CLOSE TO POIROT AS DAVID SUCHET IS. Finney doesn't quite have the panache of Poirot...not that he has anything else.
But, yes, the movie is almost excellent, and a must see.

Rating:
Summary: Buy the Book
Review: As a Christie fan from the ago of 10, I had immense hopes for this production. Stellar cast and crew, one of Christie's best stories and numerous accolades. I was perturbed within a few minutes of the opening sequence and horrified as the movie unfolded.

There are a few good things to say; the "look" of the movie was superb. The first few minutes are taut, the locations, esp the Orient Express itself and the period costumes are flawless. Many of the telltale clues are sprinkled in quite subtly, so that perhaps a first time viewer may need a "Usual Suspects" type replay.

However, the bad outweighed the good. I must be a bit of a purist in that I believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Why were names changed? Why Hamish vs. Robert? Paulette vs. Susanna? Beddoes vs. Masterman? Christie was one of the most brilliant name-givers in English writing, why change them? Even more disturbing was the complete shifting of character personalities. For some reason Anothony Perkins transformed his character into a "Psycho" style mother-obsessed neurotic. Mrs. Hubbard went from a stout comical mother into the lean and glaring Lauren Bacall. And the passionate Mary and Colonel were unrecognizable. The most upsetting character had to be Hercule Poirot. His garbled voice alternated between shouts and sarcasm leaving a most obnoxious character, and his stiff back made him look like he should be in the bell tower at Notre Dame. I guess am spoiled by the exquisite David Suchet and only hope that this excellent story is remade with him as our beloved Poirot.

Rating:
Summary: A real suspense gem.
Review: Colorful characters, a brilliant script, great touches of humor and a cool atmosphere make this a real treat for the mystery buff, especially if you're an Agatha Christie fan. The cast is superb with big Hollywood names playing the suspected murderer. Twists and startling clues will grab your attention and will not let go until the killer is revealed. Keeps you guessing till the final frames of the film. Ingrid Bergman won her third Oscar for this film, this time as Best Supporting Actress as an emotionally frail Swedish missionary. Don't miss it! I loved it!!!

Rating:
Summary: Retains its charm.
Review: Even after all these years, Murder on the Orient Express holds up. It's got stellar performances from Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall and Wendy Hiller, and only slightly less impressive ones from most of the rest of the cast. The look is just too 1930s retro chic for words, and the balance between comedy and drama is deft. If you're looking for a film to sink down into like a big, comfy sofa, look no further.

Rating:
Summary: One of the classics
Review: Finney makes for sort of an odd Poirot, a bit too rough and glowering, but this is a first-class mystery with a surprising solution not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful story, great cast, beautiful cinematography
Review: Good adaptation of Agatha Christie murder mystery. Murder is committed and solved during travel on the Orient Express. Interesting costumes, personal habits of characters wonderfully portrayed, will keep you interested until the end.

Rating:
Summary: All-aboard For A First-Class Mystery!
Review: Having read Agatha Christie's novel before seeing the film, it was easy for me to follow. But since this movie cuts so much of the background concerning the "Armstrong case," as well as much of the actual plot, I can see where a person who had not read the book might find it a bit difficult to follow. However, the acting was extremely well done, especially by Albert Finney as detective Hercule Poirot, and Ingrid Bergman in her Oscar-winning role. Worth seeing, especially for fans of Agatha Christie.

Rating:
Summary: Not as bad as some say
Review: Having read some of the reviews on this movie, and noting that most are bad, I feel that I should get my two cents in. Poirot: Not as good as David Suchet, but not as bad as some seem to think. He does at least two things that Suchet does not. He holds his head a little to one side, and he limps. That alone deserves cheers. The rest of the cast, especialy the Princess Dragomiroff and the Comtess Adrenyi are supurb. The secretary was, I admit, disappointing, but not enough to spoil the film. So why do I only give it four stars? One reason is that it is, at points, too free with the plot, changing this and that. The other reason is that I object to profanity (a vice which Dame Agatha dappled in) and the four innuendos. This film, though not, of course, on the level of the book, is supurb. A must-watch.

Rating:
Summary: Approved by Agatha Christie
Review: Having read the book many times I've come to know its complexities well enough. Albert Finney embodied Poirot from top to bottem so much so that all other portrails pale by comparison. Even the remarkable work of David Suchet cannot touch Finney. Poirot is an eccentric ego-ist who is also one of the most intelligent characters ever created and Finney captures his qualities perfectly. The rest of the cast is equally superb! With an interational cast of Vanessa Redgrave, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Wendy Hiller, Sean Connery, Richard Widmark, Jean-Pierre Cassel etc. one wonders why all of them were not nominated for Oscars. The entire film is a work of art from the production design to the costumes, make-up and music. All these elements under the direction of Sidney Lumet are kept flowing swifty so that you have to rewind over and over till you catch all the nuances. The book can be a bit confusing and plodding despite the wonderful prose but the film clears away any clutter and solidifies the story. Yes the film changes some names and some early locations but it also clarifies some plot points particularly the Armstrong case. Agatha Christie saw this version of her story brought to life on screen and approved of it. This film will delight the viewer with each repeated playing to the point that after a while you're going to have to get another tape the old one will become so worn!