Movies / Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

6/10

Runtime: 128 min

Genres: Crime Drama Mystery

Languages: English French German Italian Swedish Turkish

Countries: UK


Like many of Agatha Christie's mysteries, Murder on the Orient Express is predicated on an actual event, in this case the Lindbergh kidnapping. In the movie, everyone on board the Orient Express seems to have concluded that hateful financier Ratchett (Richard Widmark) was behind the abduction and murder of the infant daughter of a famed aviatrix. Thus, when Ratchett is himself found murdered, everyone is suspect. Normally, the police would handle the investigation, but the train has been stalled by a snowslide halfway between Istanbul and Paris. Thus, it's up to the insufferable but brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (an unrecognizable Albert Finney) to activate his "little grey cells" and determine who's guilty. Among the suspects are colorful characters played by Lauren Bacall, Martin Balsam, Jacqueline Bisset, Sean Connery, Wendy Hiller, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, and Ingrid Bergman, whose performance won her a third Academy Award. (In her acceptance speech, Bergman apologized for her win, insisting that Day for Night's Valentina Cortese deserved the prize.) The first and best in a long line of contemporary Christie adaptations, the film scores on atmosphere, period detail, and richness of characterization. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi


Directors (1) Credit
Sidney Lumet ...
Writers (2) Credit
Agatha Christie (novel) (uncredited)
Paul Dehn (screenplay)
Composers (1) Credit
Richard Rodney Bennett ...
Editors (1) Credit
Anne V. Coates ...
Cinematographers (1) Credit
Geoffrey Unsworth (photographed by)
Actors (26) Credit
Albert Finney Hercule Poirot
Anthony Perkins McQueen
Colin Blakely Hardman (as Colin Blankey in opening credits)
David de Keyser Turkish Ticket Collector (voice) (uncredited)
Denis Quilley Foscarelli
George Coulouris Doctor
George Silver Orient Express Chef (uncredited)
Ingrid Bergman Greta
Jacqueline Bisset Countess Andrenyi
Jean-Pierre Cassel Pierre (as Jean Pierre Cassel)
Jeremy Lloyd A.D.C.
John Gielgud Beddoes
John Moffatt Chief Attendant
Lauren Bacall Mrs. Hubbard
Leon Lissek Dining Car Steward (uncredited)
Martin Balsam Bianchi
Michael York Count Andrenyi
Nubar Terziyan Traveling Salesman (uncredited)
Rachel Roberts Hildegarde
Richard Widmark Ratchett
Robert Rietty Loudspeaker (uncredited)
Sean Connery Col. Arbuthnot
Vanessa Redgrave Mary Debenham
Vernon Dobtcheff Concierge
Vic Tablian Hawker (uncredited)
Wendy Hiller Princess Dragomiroff