Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Murder on the Orient Express
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Written by Paul Dehn from a novel by Agatha Christie
1974/UK/US
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime rental

Hercule Poirot: Bianchi, Doctor, has it occurred to you that there are too many clu-ues in this room?

Perfect for when you are in the mood for a light-hearted murder mystery with an all-star cast.  And with Albert Finney’s remarkable performance, who wouldn’t be?

The main action happens in 1935 on a train journey between Instanbul and Calais.  The movie begins with a montage of U.S. newspaper headlines covering the kidnapping and murder of Daisy Armstrong, daughter of a famous aviator (clearly based on the kidnapping of the Lindberg baby).

We move on to Istanbul where Hercule Poirot (Finney) is about to board the famed Orient Express after having rendered valuable assistance to the Turkish government.  Orient Express CEO Bianchi (Martin Balsam) wants him to get the star treatment.  Soon after Poirot boards the train, a rich American named Rachett (Richard Widmark) asks him for protection after receiving numerous death threats.  Poirot refuses.  Rachett is stabbed to death the same night.

The train has been immobilized  by an avalanche.  This gives Poirot plenty of time to solve the crime and a captive group of suspects.  The passengers in First Class are all cooperative.  In fact, if anything, there are too many clues and too much information.  But fear not, Poirot is on the case.  The cast includes:  Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Rachel Roberts, Michael York and George Coulouris.

If you have read the novel, the surprise ending will be no surprise.  That doesn’t interfere with marveling at the absolutely unrecognizable Finney’s performance as the little Belgian detective or with enjoyment of the all-star cast and lavish production.  It’s not a must-see but I enjoyed it.

Ingrid Bergman won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as a dowdy Swedish missionary.  I just do not get it.  The other women in the cast have more screen time and are equally good.  Bergman herself apologized to fellow nominee Valentina Cortese, saying Cortese should have won for her performance in Day for Night (1973).

Murder on the Orient Express was nominated for Oscars in the categories of: Best Actor; Best Writing, Screenplay Adapted From Other Material; Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design; and Best Music, Original Dramatic Score.