Rating: 
Summary: The best "Death on the Nile"
Review: I just finished reviewing David Suchet as Hercule Poirot in the 2004 "Death on the Nile," so please go and read that. I compare and contrast that with this one. This one beats that one hands down!
Ustinov is much more loveable, less fussy, more pensive, definitely less depressed and much more fun as Hercule Poirot in this 1978 version of "Death on the Nile."
There's so much glamour and colour on this sumptuous Egyptian Nile riverboat, that's loaded with suspects, just waiting for us to figure out whodunnit. And it's much, much more loaded with star-power than Suchet's flat 2004 version. I mean David Soul?? Really?? He's just such a pouchy loser in the Suchet version, and they never really show his face full frontal view until toward the end. His counterpart in Ustinov's movie, George Harrison, is just so much more bumbling and greedy and likeable than in Suchet's movie.
So, I won't go on much more because you can flit on over to my other review. But if you only want one "Death on the Nile," get this one! Suchet's is a little too flat, tired and not very colorful nor fun.
Rating: 
Summary: Agatha Christie would turn in her grave
Review: I love Peter Ustinov but NOT as Poirot. He looks more like Santa Claus without the suit. OMG if I had to hear Mia Farrow whine one more second I'd tear my hair out. Agatha Christie wrote Poirot as the central character of her books and her words were so descriptive we knew him well. Ustinov wants to play him as a stooge who only gets smart in the end. Poirot is murdered in this who-done-it, by too many well-known faded actors who chew up the scenery and spit Poirot out. Want Poirot as Christie wrote him? Check out David Suchet.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Agatha Christie Movie of ALL
Review: I love this movie. I watched it in the theater years ago, got the VHS version, and now LOVE the DVD version. I have 16x9 television and this is formatted in widescreen....Bette Davis, Angela Lansburry, Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, and Mia Farrow look in their best. I highly recommend this DVD for murder mystery lovers and also for everyone. Buy this one and you will love and enjoy this forever....
Rating:
Summary: Murder Mystery Superb!
Review: I'm an Agatha Christie fan, and DEATH ON THE NILE is also one of my favorite movies. In this follow up to the fascinating MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, Peter Ustinov plays a more dapper Hercule Poirot, who is only one of the passengers on a steamer going down the Nile in Egypt. Rich and much loathed newlywed Linnet Doyle and her husband Simon are aboard, and when Linnet is murdered, it seems that everyone had a motive for doing her in. Tremendous fun and guessing follow as Poirot and Colonel Race, played to a T by David Niven, try and sort out the clues as two more people are killed. Stellar story and acting, with a wonderful cast that includes, Bette Davis, Angela Lansbury, Mia Farrow, Maggie Smith, Simon MacCorindale, George Kennedy, Olivia Hussey, and Jane Bilken make up the guilty suspects. Great murder mystery in an exotic location. Enjoy this gem.
Rating:
Summary: Elegant Fun
Review: If you can accept this adaption of Agatha Christie's "Death on the Nile" in the spirit it was intended, you'll have a good time. Die hard readers of her great books may find a lot of little details to nit-pick over but as a fun murder mystery this one is truly grand. The production is visually gorgeous and the star-studded cast are fun to watch. At the center is Peter Ustinov's fine portrayel of Christie's greatest creation, Hercule Poirot. His interpretation of the Belgian detective with the 'little gray cells' is both smart and humourous. The film is lighthearted fun for murder mystery fans. On vacation in Egypt, Poirot overhears one conversation after another about the rich and selfish Lynette. It seems everyone has reasons for wanting her dead. She stole away her best friend's boyfriend, is suing a sexpot writer for slander, is on the verge of finding out her attorney is swindling her, is cruely keeping her servant girl from happiness with another, and on and on. When Poirot is told by Mia Farrow, the jilted lover of Lynette's husband, "If love can't live in your heart, evil will do just as well" he knows this trip to Egypt will be no vacation for 'the little gray cells.' The period production is sumptuous in it's presentation of both Egypt and their excursion by boat down the beautiful Nile River. It is resplendent and elegant fun and the cast is allowed to play it out with gusto. Ustinov gives Poirot a droll humor even after nearly being killed by a cobra, planted in his cabin by one of the suspects, no doubt. Angela Landsbury and Betty Davis both ham it up in appropriate fashion and Lois Chiles is good as the not so deep Lynette. Jack Warden, George Kennedy, Maggie Smith, Olivia Hussey, and John Finch join David Niven, as Poirot's old pal, to round out this great ensemble cast of Holywood legends. If you have a couple of hours to kill and want an old-fashioned entertaining murder mystery to pass the time with, this one will definitely do the trick. This trip down the Nile is a lot of fun.
Rating:
Summary: "Belgian! Belgian eavesdropper!"
Review: In 1978, theater audiences were treated to another wonderful film adaptation of the novel "Death on the Nile", which was written by famed murder-mystery author Agatha Christie (1890-1976) and was first published in 1937. In the story, Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot (played by the brilliant actor Peter Ustinov, 1921-2004), is vacationing in Egypt. As part of his vacation, Poirot rides a steamer named the Karnak down the Nile River and visits a number of ancient Egyptian sites along with an assortment of other guests on board. Played by an all-star cast, the other guests include the elderly & wealthy Marie Van Schuyler (the incomparable Bette Davis, 1908-1989), her nurse/assistant Miss Bowers (Maggie Smith), the very wealthy Linnet Ridgeway Doyle (Lois Chiles), her newly-wedded husband Simon Doyle (Simon MacCorkindale), her maid Louise Bourget (Jane Birkin), Simon's ex-girlfriend Jacqueline De Bellefort (Mia Farrow), the noted romance author Salome Otterbourne (Angela Lansbury, who has often played one of Agatha Christie's other memorable detectives Miss Jane Marple in the 1980 film "The Mirror Crack'd"), her daughter Rosalie Otterbourne (Olivia Hussey), boyfriend James Ferguson (Jon Finch), businessman Andrew Pennington (George Kennedy), Colonel Johnny Race (David Niven, 1910-1983), Doctor Ludwig Bessner (Jack Warden) and the Manager of The Karnak (I.S. Johar, 1920-1984). The mysterious murder of Linnet on board the steamer begins an investigation by Poirot, who is assisted by Colonel Race, and leads to many interesting possible motives by many of the guests. Can Poirot solve the mystery before anyone else might be murdered? You'll just have to watch this compelling film to find out.
Filmed in Egypt, the views of Egypt along the Nile are breathtakingly beautiful as the mysterious story in the film unfolds. The film won its only Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design (Anthony Powell). It was also nominated for several BAFTA awards, including Best Actor (for Peter Ustinov) and two separate nominations for Best Supporting Actress (Angela Lansbury and Maggie Smith). Anthony Powell again won the BAFTA for Best Costume Design. Memorable scenes in the film include the visit to Temple of Karnak, the visit to the four statues of Ramses II, the discovery of the murder, Poirot's questioning of various guests and the final scenes of the film.
Overall, I rate "Death on the Nile" with 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to any mystery film aficionado. Peter Ustinov was always brilliant in any role he played and is sorely missed. It is also probably the best film that John Guillermin ever directed.
Rating: 
Summary: They Should Have Gone Down With The Boat
Review: In spite of a distinguished cast and a script which remains faithful the author's famous novel, Death on the Nile is remarkably lackluster. Ustinov plays the celebrated Poriot largely for laughs, and the supporting players (a truly stellar cast, including Bette Davis and Angela Lansbury) largely follow suit; in consequence, the complicated and justly famous plot seems more a vehicle for its cast than the driving story it actually is. Easy on the eyes, fairly mindless, and certainly no Murder on the Orient Express.
Rating: 
Summary: A Mysterious Movie and a Superb Tale!
Review: It begins with a rich woman who gets EVERYTHING SHE WANTS and when her best friend Jackie's new fiance meets her. The rich woman immediatly steals Jackie's hunk and in a matter of weeks they are married and set off for their honeymoon in Egypt. Poor Jackie. Her only love has been stolen for her BY HER BEST FRIEND! But Jackie is determined and follows the new couple to Egypt. After meeting a host of new characters, the couple plus Jackie boards a little Nile tour thing. But suddenly the rich woman is dead (shot). Who could it be?
Rating:
Summary: Best Ustinov as Poirot
Review: Much like 1974's Murder on the Orient Express, this is a stunningly photographed, well directed, all-star cast movie. Frankly, I think Finney made a better Poirot, however this is certainly the best one Ustinov made, and much better than the several TV movie Poirots he finished with. On the other hand, this is a far better movie than the recent Suchet as Poirot version.
This one is worthwile viewing for Lansbury's performance alone.
Rating:
Summary: Total De-Nile
Review: My only exposure to the work of mystery author Agatha Christie's work has been watching the various adaptations of her stories for the big screen. The 70's and 80's saw a string of such films and Death On The Nile is among the best in the series.
During a luxurious pleasure cruise down the Nile aboard a lavish vessel populated with wealthy passengers, widely despised heiress and home wrecker Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) is murdered. Among the list of passengers are plenty of suspects. Also aboard the ship is famed Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) and his trusted traveling companion, Colonel Johnny Race (David Niven). Poirot decides to undertake an investigation into finding the true culprit behind the Ridgeway's murder.
Like all of the Poirot films, the director, in this case, John Guillermin has assembled an all star cast of "suspects". Classic Hollywood legends like Bette Davis as Marie Van Schuyler, Maggie Smith as Miss Bowers, Jon Finch as James Ferguson and future TV sleuth Angela Lansbury takes quite a turn as Salomne Otterbourne, are just to name a few. The film also makes stunning use of its exotic locales with Jack Cardiff's cinematography which helps to transport the viewer. Hands down the late great Ustinov makes the best Poirot. He also has great chemistry with the Gentlman's Gentleman Niven. The adapted script by Anthony Shaffer is well constructed and should keep those who don't know whodunnit guessing.
The DVD has a nice featurette on the making of the film, along with archival interviews with Ustinov and co star Jane Birkin, who plays Louise Bourget gives a pretty good look at how things came together. I wish there were more of it though for posterity. The original theatrical trailer and talent files top off the disc.
This is a good mystery and a good movie for fans of the author. I couldn't bring myself to watch the 2004 remake as a TV movie that aired on the A&E network...to me this is the definative version.
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