Murder on the Orient Express

Like the lovely, extravagantly overemphasized nineteen-thirties' costumes and production designed by Tony Walton, Murder on the Orient Express is much less a literal re-creation of a type of thirties movie than an elaborate and witty tribute that never for a moment condescends to the subject.

No matter how good the performer you can’t escape Christie’s leisurely approach to characterisation — simple concoctions of quirk, guilt and red herring. But Lumet is having loads of credible fun with the formula, keeping up a genuine sense of claustrophobia in this isolated railway car surrounded by crisp white snow.

Elegant and stylish in the best Agatha Christie tradition--a thoroughly entertaining if poky whodunit.

Murder on the Orient Express is a splendidly entertaining movie of the sort that isn’t made anymore: It’s a classical whodunit, with all the clues planted and all of them visible, and it’s peopled with a large and expensive collection of stars.

This all-star version of an Agatha Christie antiquity promises to be a sumptuous spread, and so it is, but not as tasty as one had hoped.

When the plot is this much of a lark, it’s in need of far lighter execution than this.

Murder on the Orient Express falls down so badly as escapist entertainment that it is as if it were designed to prove the proposition that movies and mysteries don't mix.

Agatha Christie was one of the greatest writers of crime novels ever. However, its hard to doubt that the short episodes and films of "Agatha Christie's Poirot" set a new paradigm for the adaptation of these books to cinema or television and that it will be difficult, in the next years, to surpass the interpretation of David Suchet. Anyway, this movie is prior to all this, dating back to 1974. The plot faithfully follows the book, so there is no great mystery here. What struck me most was the luxurious star-cast, worthy of a true super-production, with memorable names like Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean- Pierre Cassel, Sean Connery, Wendy Hiller, Anthony Perkins and Vanessa Redgrave. Impressive. Personally, I didn't find Finney convincing in the role of the Belgian detective. The way he moved and spoke seemed very unnatural, particularly the way he seemed to be hiding his neck all the time. But this is the only negative criticism for cast performance, which did a very good job. Particularly, I would point out Lauren Bacall for the intense and passionate way she was given to her character. Ingrid Bergman and Wendy Hiller also deserve a word of praise. The rest, however, did not have much room to truly shine. It even feels sometimes that the cast has not been completely taken advantage of. Visually, the movie is very good. Cinematography uses a lot of light and the colors are pleasant, as well as the choice of locations, sets and costumes. The soundtrack was competent and did his job well, but it's far from iconic.

The twist in this definitely threw me, but it was one of those where — the more I thought on it (and especially the resolution) — the queasier I felt. I get it and all, but there's just something about the idea of only being selectively outraged in the face of two definite crimes that rubs me the wrong way. Obviously, not all murders are created equal in the context of things as presented here and that's cool and all. I just get a little uncomfortable with the idea that it's okay to be occasionally lenient towards some kinds crime, as long as the people I don't like are getting hurt. Unfortunately, it's that kind of sociological shorthand that has slid us into a lot of the global issues we're facing as a people at the moment. Galaxy-brained take spawned from a 50-year-old whodunit, I know, but still I couldn't help but think about it. As a movie though, it's pretty decent. The cast is stacked and it's handsomely photographed. I think Albert Finney may be playing things a bit campier than necessary, but I'm not familiar with the source material, so eh. Not a bad time overall. Just think the resolution could've been painted in a bit **** light.

Reasonably good adaption with good performances and script though its quite TVish.