Death on the Nile
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Movie Reviews of Death on the Nile
Movie Review: Elegant Fun
Summary: 5 Stars
If you can accept this adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Death on the Nile" in the spirit it was intended, you'll have a good time. Faithful followers 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 pleasing and the star-studded cast are all fun to watch. At its center is Peter Ustinov's fine portrayel of Christie's greatest creation, Hercule Poirot. His interpretation of the Belgian detective with the little grey cells is both smart and humorous. The film is great fun for murder mystery fans.
On vacation in Egypt, Poirot overhears one conversation after another about the rich and selfish Lynette. It seems almost everyone has a reason for wanting her dead. Among Lynette's many trophies is her best friend's boyfriend. She is suing a sexpot writer for slander, is on the verge of finding out her attorney is swindling her, and is keeping her servant girl from happiness with another. Poirot knows this trip to Egypt will be no vacation when Mia Farrow, the jilted lover of Lynette's husband, tells him: "If love can't live in your heart, evil will do just as well."
The period production is sumptuous in its 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 a close brush with a cobra, planted in his cabin by the murderer.
Angela Lansbury 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, in a great ensemble cast of movie legends.
If you have a couple of hours to kill and want an old-fashioned and 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.
Movie Review: Spectacular!
Summary: 5 Stars
The novel Death On The Nile ranks as my favorite of all of the Christie novels I've read, and so I was hoping that this movie was faithful to the original material. I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed.The performances of the many actors are great. Simon MacCorkindale's portrayal of Simon Doyle is wonderful, and Angela Lansbury as Salome Otterbourne is very entertaining. Maggie Smith and Bette Davis as Miss Bowers and Miss Van Schuyler, respectively, have some wonderful scenes together and have great chemistry. David Niven as Colonel Johnny Race is great and makes for a good Watson to Poirot. Jack Warden as Dr. Bessner and Jon Finch as Jim Ferguson, while don't have a ton of screentime, still portray their characters perfectly, and of course Peter Ustinov as the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is great.
The scenery is beautiful. The scene where Simon and Linnet Doyle are climbing the pyramid is simply breathtaking.
The extras on the DVD are pretty good. The 24-minute featurette "The Making of Death On The Nile" is interesting, and the interviews (both in French with subtitles) with Peter Ustinov and Jane Birkin (who plays Louise Bourget), while not extremely interesting, are still a nice addition.
There are a few flaws in the movie. The largest one is the fact that they cut out Tim and Mrs. Allerton. For those of you who have read the book, you'll know that cutting out Tim Allerton changes a few important things. Cornelia Robson is also cut out, as well as James Fanthorp and Signor Richetti (which again changes a few things). While I did like these characters a lot in the book, during the movie, these characters were hardly missed.
The movie runs approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, and despite the PG rating, has some slightly graphic violence in it.
I would highly reccomend buying this DVD, however, I would suggest reading the book first.
Movie Review: Best of the Christie adaptations
Summary: 5 Stars
To my mind, Peter Ustinov is Hercule Poirot. He may not bear much resemblence to the character famed mystery writer Agatha Christie described him in the many novels in which he appeared, but Ustinov made the role his own in a series of movies in the late 1970s through to the late 1980s - of which DEATH ON THE NILE is the first.
Brought to the screen by the same team who entertained four years earlier with the MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS production that headlined Albert Finney as Belgium's most famous literary detective among a high calibver all-star cast, the 1978 production of "Death on the Nile" also presented an impressive group of veteran actors (such as David Niven) to ypung and upcoming stars such as actress Lois Chiles (who would go on a year later to appear in the blockbuster MOONRAKER).
Chiles plays the victim in this riddle of a mystery, a spoilt heiress who seems to have the misfortune of having taken a cruise with a boatload of people the majority of whom all have a reason to kill her. It's up to Poirot to navigate his way through all the red herrings and clues and come up with a conclusion that is just as shocking and ingenious as any that has ever been brought to the screen.
This is my favorite of all the Christie adaptations, the entire cast is uniformly excellent, the direction solid and the locations awe inspiring.
Also of note is the inclusion of a MAKING OF... vintage featurette made to coincide with the movle's release as well as an interview with Ustinov.
All in all, well worth a look by mystery fans and a definite purchase by Christie devotees.
Movie Review: Bitchery,Scandal,And A Juicy Whodunnit.What More Can You Ask For?
Summary: 5 Stars
At A Club In London,Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) Overhears Simon Doyle (Simon McCorkingdale) And Jacqueline DeBellfort (Mia Farrow) Celebrating And Toasting Their Upcoming Marriage.When He Next Sees Simon A VERY Short While Later In Egypt,He IS On His Honeymoon Alright,But With Jackie's Best Freind,Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles).And Jackie Keeps Swearing She Will Have Her Revenge.
She Starts An Unending Campaign Of Stalking And Harrassment.When This Stops Working She Decides She Will Just "Appear" Wherever Simon And Linnet Happen To Be.It's A Good Way To Get Under The Newlyweds' Skin,But Eventually This Stops Working As Well.When Linnet Is Found Dead,Poirot Has To Wonder,Was Jackie's Next Step Murder?
This Is Undoubtably One Of The Best Adaptations Of 8 Of Dame Agatha Christie's Movies (That I Know Of) That Have Been Done Yet (Along With Ten Little Indians And,Of Course,Murder On The Orient Express).It's Practically Lifted Right Out Of The Book.I Felt I Was Watching Verbatim Exactly What I Had Read.
It Also Boasts A Dynamite Cast.Along With Chiles,McCorkingdale,Ustinov,And Farrow,There Are Also Stellar Performances By David Niven,Harry Andrews,Bette Davis,Jack Warden,Jane Birkin,And Maggie Smith.And As An Added Bonus-Just Watching George Kennedy As Uncle Andrew,Angela Lansbury As An Over The Top,Has-Been Author Salome Otterbourne (Who Else But Lansbury Could Play THAT!!!!),And Olivia Hussey As Angela's Understandably Embarrassed Daughter Rosalie-MADE The Show For Me.
Aaaah.Camp AND Treachery.And Don't Forget The Bitchfest.Save Me A Seat And Some Popcorn For This One !
Movie Review: I have never seen such a reptile in a first class cabin
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a good adaptation from the book. After watching "Evil under the Sun" and "Appointment with Death" you naturally think of Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. The whole movie is packed with great actors, yet even thought you recognize them they do not distract from the characters that they play.
I thought that it was a nice touch when the kids along the shore mooned Mrs. Van Schuyler (Bette Davis) as kids would do everywhere.
Simon (Simon MacCorkindale) and his new bride Linnet (Lois Chiles) are being perused by Jacqueline De Bellefort (Mia Farrow) the girl he jilted. Once onboard a boat down the Nile bodies are dropping like flies. Everyone is a suspect. Everybody could have done it. And yet nobody could have done it. Only Hercule Poirot can figure this out. Naturally Hercule Poirot is in the right place at the right time to hear everything and extract the truth.
Agatha Christie Collection featuring Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot (Dead Man's Folly / Murder in Three Acts / Thirteen at Dinner)
Evil Under the Sun