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And Then There Were None

And Then There Were None

List Price: $24.99
Your Price: $22.49
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best of four versions of the story
Review: 55 years and 3 remakes later, this is still the best version of my favorite Agatha Christie. The cast is terrific, especially Judith Anderson and Barry Fitzgerald. The cinematography is good, although those crashing waves on the opening credits look pretty fake by today's standards of special effects.

Other minor complaints-the violence quotient is EXTREMELY tame by today's standards. Most of the bodies are kept offscreen. The most violent murder from the book, in which a character is hit over the head with an axe, is retained but when the body is discovered all you see is the character's feet. Not that this needed to be a slasher film on the level of Scream, but still I could have used a little more realism.

Also, all four versions of this story retain the play's ending, rather than the book's and I really don't see why the book's much more chilling ending couldn't be done on film. It would give away the plot to say more, but I think those familiar with the story will know what I mean.

In any case, this is the best of the four movies, and I would say one of the best of any films of Christie works, second only to Murder on the Orient Express. The 66 version is worth seeing, the other two are just awful. This is a top drawer production all the way.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Fun for a Rainy Day
Review: This movie is not as thrilling as the book by any means, but for a rainy afternoon with a fun "who-dunnit?", this movie is a real gem. True the ending is a little sappy compared with the original, but those who REALLY know Dame Christie, know that the ending she wrote for the stageplay was very much the same. All in all, not an overwhemllingly suspensful movie, but an enjoyable one nevertheless.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Murder mystery with just the right blend of comedy
Review: THE MOVIE: I had forgotten how deliciously amusing this film was, not having seen it since the early 1980s. But the comedy doesn't overwhelm the tone, the blend has a perfectly natural feel and the eerie atmosphere is maintained even among the laughs. The cast of generally lesser-known performers is good. Mischa Auer is memorable (as usual) even though the script doesn't allow him much to do; Walter Huston is as engaging as ever. The movie is appropriate for most ages, the murders are usually off-camera and are never gruesome. It holds the viewer's interest very well but the pace seems a bit uneven - it seems to slow down toward the end.

TECHNICAL: The DVD presentation is average. The image is not stable; it wobbles quite a bit around the frame which is especially noticeable during the opening titles. The black and white picture has good contrast but is a bit on the soft side. The bios are brief but nicely done screens. There is also a comedy short on the disc which I haven't yet watched. Sound is good, dialogue is usually clear throughout.

SUM: I'm ignoring comparisons to the Agatha Christie novel on which the film is based... with that in mind, the movie is fun, interesting and worth a viewing. I'm not entirely sure how well the narrative would hold up on repeat viewings, but the performances are entertaining enough to warrant them.

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A VERY GOOD ADAPTATION, BUT STILL NOT IT....
Review: I have seen this movie a few times and I liked it. But still they have the same happy ending, where Vera Claythore and Philip Lombard trick the killer and blah, blah, blah... But the movie is still the best of all American adaptations, with its spooky sets and good cast. But the music is a little bit to happy and they changed almost every single character's name and crime they commited. So if you in a mood for a fun "CLUE" style funny detective movie get this one. But if you really want to see the real Agatha Christie spooky and suspenseful version that was made in Russia (althuogh Vera and Lombard do make out in this one). I think that the Russian version is by far the best one. But it is very hard to get. So if you realy want it, then my only advice is... GO TO RUSSIA !

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A great movie, and even better book
Review: I saw this movie two days ago and thought it wonderfull. Casting for this movie was superb, and the plot and character development exquisite. If they would've kept the ending the same, it would have been spectacular. I was recently in a production of "Ten Little Indians", and thought it an excelent play and decided to watch the movie to see if I played my character (Mr. William H. Blore) correctly. The book was great, I suggest you read the book before you watch the movie.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: ANOTHER "HAPPY ENDING" VERSION OF A CLASSIC
Review: Don't buy if you like the ending of the book. The other reviews said this version follows the book closely but it does'nt. What made the book such a classic is that all ten people die on the island leaving only a note in a bottle to explain to the reader how it was done and by whom. When will Hollywood finally make a real version of Ten little indians? I really don't want to see Vera and Lombard team up to take out the villain like in every version of the film I've seen. Call me picky but the other reviews are misleading.It's O.k. for three quarters but the ending makes it inexcusable. I only wish I could take it back.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Rene Clair remains true to Christie's story line.
Review: Having read the book Ten Little Indians numorous times, Clair remains true to Christie's story line. Set on an island we are drawn with ten strangers to find the killer before the killer gets them. I highly recomend the book as well as this excellent film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Suspence.....the old fashion way!
Review: I saw this movie as a child while visting a friend in Switzerland. It was on TV with german subtitles. Since then, I have seen this movie several times as a adult. It still brings form and intrigue to the Agatha Christie book. Ten "little indians" all left alone on a small island. The movie was cast with some of the best actors and actresses of the time. Well worth watching on a rainy and stormy night.....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the BEST adaptations
Review: I think that Rene Clair has directed one of the BEST adaptations of an Agatha Christie novel. I like her books, but bore of Poirot and Marple after a while. This story manages to have depth, mystery and suspense without bringing in her 2 most popular characters (thank God!). I have loved this movie for years, and am glad that it is now on DVD. I can watch and watch and watch without running holes in the tape. <smile>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great, mysterious entertainment...
Review: Having an aversion to the novels of Agatha Christie (I find her characters one-dimensional and boring to the extreme), I was quite surprised to find that I enjoyed this movie. Screenwriter Dudley Nichols took Dame Agatha's plot and further constructed it to make for a grandly entertaining viewing experience. The story is simple. Ten complete strangers are gathered together in an eerie island mansion off the coast of England by a host whom none of them has ever met. At first intrigued by this unusual fact, their mild curiousity soon turns to bafflement when one of the guests dies without warning. An accident? Perhaps. Many in the group are content with this explanation, while others are not so certain. The latter theory proves to be correct when more and more of the guests begin to die, each in accordance with a line from the old nursery rhyme "Ten Little Indians." Well acted and beautifully photographed, "And Then There Were None" was the first filming of Christie's famed novel. There have since been three remakes, all of which have retained the title of "Ten Little Indians," the book's title originally. This is by far the best. Working from Nichols' script, director Rene Clair creates a chilling and mysterious atmosphere, one where menace lurks around every corner and death strikes when you least expect it. It is also ingenious in the way it confuses the audience without hiding any essential clues. This trickery would have been unneccesay, since any of the guests could be the murderer or nothing more than another potential victim. It goes without saying that the climax has lost much of its impact in the nearly fifty-five years since the film's initial release. Even so, any one who appreciates a good mystery that features a great cast and exciting plot twists will not be disappointed. It is perfect viewing material for a cold, rainy night, and is unaruguably one of the best mysteries ever made.


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