Anthony PerkinsMurder on the Orient Express

Reviewed by: RevitMurder on the Orient Express, was one of Agatha Christie's greatest mysteries. It was inspired by the Lindbergh kidnapping in 1932, written in 1933 and published in 1934. This movie, staring Albert Finney as Poirot, was the first and by far the best of three movies based on Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. It was released in the United States in November of 1974. The other two movies, the second staring Alfred Molina as Poirot and the third staring David Suchet as Poirot, have been reviewed under those headings.This film was directed by the gifted Sidney Lumet. Its star studded cast included: Albert Finney as Agatha Christie's famous detective Hercule Poirot, Lauren Bacall as Martha Hubbard, Sean Connery as Col. Arbuthnot, Ingred Bergman as Greta Ohlsson from Sweden, Wendy Hiller as Prices Dragomiroff, Anthony Perkins as Hector McQueen, Ratchett's secretary, Jean Pierre Cassel as Pierre Michel, Sir John Gilgud as Beddres, Richard Windmark as Samuel Ratchett, and several more filling all twelve available births in the Calais Coach. After the first stop of the train Martin Balsam as M. Bouc, a director of the Orient Express Compagnie International des Wagons-lits was the only passenger in the second class car. Twelve is an important number in this mystery; it is also the number of tried and true men in a British jury.The story begins when Poirot, who had just completed a little affair in Syria and had planed on spending a few days in Stamboul (Istanbul), received a telegram from London asking him to return home with all speed. He immediately booked passage on the Orient Express to Calais; it was the fastest and most luxurious train in the world. At the Tokatlian hotel he met an old friend, who was a director of the Orient Express and would join him on the trip to Calais. They boarded the train which traveled at high speed but stopped in the middle of the night between Vincovei and Brod in north-central Yugoslavia. A heavy snow storm built up so much snow that huge drifts from the high ground slid down surrounding the train preventing it from moving forward or backward and prevented anyone from leaving the train. The next morning Ratchett was found dead in his cabin with twelve stab wounds. M. Bouc pleaded with Poirot to investigate and solve the case explaining that the Brod police lacked the experience.Poirot soon discovered that Ratchett was really Cassetti the man responsible for the Armstrong kidnapping, the murder of little Daisy Armstrong, and a total of five deaths resulting from that crime. Hours and hours of questioning followed, and even though it all took place in the train's atmosphere of luxury and glamour, tensions mounted. Soon it became apparent that rescue by a rail mounted snow plow was near and they would have to face the police from Brod.Poirot asked all of the passengers in the Calais Coach to gather in the dinning car where he would reveal the solution to the crime. In a long monolog Poirot described two solutions for the crime and asked M. Bouc, a director of the line, to choose the one that would be presented to the Brod police. The first and simplest solution was murder by an unknown, but possibly Mafia related, person who boarded the train at the Belgrade or Vincovei station wearing a Wagons-lits conductor's uniform with a pass key in his pocket. He repeatedly and violently stabbed Ratchett who was under the influence of a sleeping drug and left his compartment through the pass door to the next compartment where he lost a button from his coat and deposited the dagger in the occupant's luggage. At the next station he removed the conductor's uniform, which he wore over his regular clothes, and departed the train. The second solution involved more people and scandal and although deserved, a repulsive murder. Twelve people from the Calais Coach who had their lives destroyed by the kidnapping and murder of little Daisy Armstrong collectively planned and carried out the sentence on Cassetti that the courts passed but failed to execute. M. Bouc chose one of the two solutions, at which point Agatha Christie's story ends with Poirot saying, "having placed my solutions before you, I have the honor to retire from the case..."If you add this disc to your collection you can repeatedly consider and reconsider all of the facts, weigh the emotions and come to your own conclusion; and then compare your conclusion with the one in the movie. We know that Dame Agatha Christie viewed justice as not always being identical to the law. This is truly a great story, written by one of the greatest mystery writers of all times. It was made into a terrific movie with a stunning cast and deserves a place in the history of cinema and in your library of Great Movies. It has definitely earned five stars.

Over the years I have watched this movie 4-5 times. One of the truly great ones.

I remember reading Agatha Christie as a kid and when this movie came out it was just a classic who-done-it. When it popped up on an Amazon Prime movie search one night I had to watch it again and it has stood the test of time like few movies do. I highly recommend this movie for a star packed movie that will keep you guessing!

For the price, it is ok

Agatha Christie attended the premiere of this film and proclaimed it the best and only satisfying adaptation of her novels and it's no wonder. Superb director Sidney Lumet and a cast that can truly be called all-star make this sumptuously mounted period mystery into a true classic. Lumet usually directed serious films like Long Day's Journey Into Night, The Pawnbroker and Serpico and would go on to direct Dog Day Afternoon, Network and The Verdict. This film was almost like a vacation for him from darker material but of course he gave it his all. it had its own share of potential problems with its large cast, complex plot and confined shooting space. He came through making a film that was nominated for six Academy Awards and won Best Actress for Ingrid Bergman. It also spawned a series of sequels which was unusual then.The cast also came through, even the smaller parts were excellent; it's no mean feat to get a bunch of established and rising stars to act so well together as an ensemble. Not only that but the tone of the film - which was as a subtly comic rather than a realistic, tense drama - required them to be just a bit over the top without falling into caricature. Like the extravagant costumes, each character is played as the epitome of their type, a difficult balancing act for an actor who risks overdoing it. The result is that even with such a large cast each character is memorable and the audience can identify each and every one of them. The script is perfectly balanced with each character getting time in what could have become an Hercule Poirot vehicle. Albert Finney is absolutely unrecognizable as Poirot (would you believe Finney was only 37?) and it's not just make-up but his whole way of being. His portrayal is quirky but not buffoonish. Martin Balsam is dependable in a rather large role for him (think Breakfast At Tiffany's or Psycho). Lauren Bacall's talkative American and Sean Connery's Colonel are spot on. John Gielgud personifies the perfect English butler as only he could. The two up-and-comers, Michael York and Jacqueline Bisset make a wonderfully haughty but loving pair of Hungarian nobles. And Vanessa Redgrave is herself lovingly devoted to Connery's Colonel in that way of hers that lights up the screen. Anthony Perkins is appropriately creepy as is Rachel Roberts Hildegarde, a hard boiled German maid to exiled Russian Princess Dragomiroff (Dame Wendy Hiller). Ingrid Bergman's missionary, Greta, is such a country woman that Bergman had to take coaching lessons to develop a thick Swedish accent after her years as a Hollywood actress had erased her own. Everyone else is great as well.The film is super lush in every way. It's a Valentine, a tribute to old genre films, but done up grandly in a way they could never afford. For one thing it was kept in 1930, the period in the novel and not updated to the present to save money. The Locomotive engine was the actual engine of the Orient Express. The cars were detailed reconstructions. The interiors are letter perfect from the burled wood paneling to the dining car lamps.No expense was spared on the costumes either, which are as lush as all the rest. The music is kept low key and unobtrusive (which Lumet liked) except when the train takes off and Richard Rodney Bennett's delightful waltz appears with full orchestra. Despite it's over two hour running time, narrow set and talky script the time goes by very quickly. It may not have as much "action" as current-day movie goers might like but all others should find this a totally entertaining classic.

Un film déjà un peu plus ancien mais toujours un plaisir de le regarder.

Une pléiade d'acteurs remarquables au service d'une mise en scène admirable. Du GRAND cinéma.

Esta versión es de mis favoritas

Esta película está muy bien ya la había visto varias veces y me sigue gustando muy buenos actores y buena calidad de imágenes para mi colección la recomiendo

This oldie but goodie is Albert Finney's only outing as Poirot. And in a time long before David Suchet made the faddy little Belgian his own, he does a commendable job. Reportedly, even Ms Christie herself approved of his portrayal of her detective. The film dates from 1974, but it is a beautiful period piece written and set in the 1930s, and as such it still works a treat. The film follows the book closely. This means anybody who has read the novel will know the outcome, which may be drawback in a classical whodunit like this, but I personally much prefer this to many of the later adaptions of the works of Agatha Christie which were re-written to such an extent as to make them barely recognizable.The cast is quite stellar with some ot the biggest names in cinema of the time: The great Albert Finney is Poirot, Sean Connery is in there as a military man, Vanessa Redgrave is the English rose, the inimitable Lauren Bacall is a wealthy middle aged American lady, Ingrid Bergman won an Oscar for her portrayal of the Swedish missionary, and Michael York and an utterly bewitching Jacqueline Bisset appear as a couple of glamorous young Hungarian aristocrats. Jean-Pierre Cassel, John Gieldgud, Anthony Perkins, Wendy Hiller, Martin Balsam and a few more big names of the time round out the cast. The acting is superb throughout, the costumes are beautiful, and although, apart from a few short introductory scenes in Istanbul, the entire film is set inside a train, the sets are lavish and luxurious. Also worth mentioning is the iconic original score with a main theme that is probably familiar even to those who have never seen the film.Having seen (and quite enjoyed) the recent remake with an equally exciting all star cast and Kenneth Branagh as Poirot, I still prefer this classic. It hasn't lost any of the appeal it held back when it was first released. Cannot recommend the film highly enough. A masterpiece all round.