Mort sur le Nil

This movie was the first and best of Peter Ustinov's performances as Hercule Poirot. Though physically not very accurate to Agatha Christie's description of the little Belgian detective, for this one movie everything worked and the discrepancy was not a problem. The film is well-paced, with all the plot turns and clues coming with perfect timing, not too fast to be confusing, but not too slow to strain the rather flimsy fabric of the story. The whole cast is very good, especially Bette Davis as a malevolent old spider of a woman, gleefully tormenting her long-suffering companion, Maggie Smith. The scene where she smiles indulgently at a group of Egyptian children waving at her on the river bank, only to sink into mortified disgust as they turn around and moon her, is a highlight of the movie. The climax of the film is quite surprising, and unlike many mysteries, does not cheat the viewer by withholding vital information until the last moment. We feel the pleasure of being honestly fooled throughout, and the conclusion is thoroughly satisfying.

I had read DEATH ON THE NILE (probably Christie's best novel, superior to the overrated MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS) before I saw the movie, so I was sure there would be no real suspense. But, to the everlasting credit of everyone involved, the movie does manage to hold the book's air of mystery throughout. It's not as faithful to the book as it could have been--a whole major subplot is given just a few small scenes; several characters who were more substantial in the book are reduced to barely more than window dressing--but it is remarkably true to the main story, sticks to it nicely, and allows both Poirot and the viewer to come to such a completely logical conclusion about the murder that you will wonder on repeat viewings how you could have possibly missed the clues the first time.

The real gems in this film are not the leads and big names, but the smaller parts--Simon MacCorkindale as Doyle, Lois Chiles as Linnet, Jane Birkin as Louise. In particular, Simon MacCorkindale (more familiar to American audiences from MANIMAL, FALCON CREST, and COUNTERSTRIKE) is a criminally underused actor, and he does a spectacular job here in this, his first movie role, playing the hopeless and hapless Simon Doyle, caught between two captivating women (Lois Chiles and Mia Farrow--wow, what a choice to have) and ultimately driven by greed as he chooses between them.

This film is finally out in DVD, and widescreen at that, so if you like good murder mysteries and old-fashioned costume dramas, pick yourself up a copy and prepare to be entertained.

I watched this film when it was broadcast on channel four last Christmas and I was so blown away by it that I had to buy the movie on DVD. Coming from a true fan of murder mystery TV shows with my all-time favourite series being Midsomer Murders, I can tell you this has to be one of the best detective dramas ever to be adapted from one of Agatha Christie's novels. Peter Ustinov gives a wonderful performance as Christie's world famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, who along with his sidekick has to solve three violent shootings on a luxury cruise ship sailing off the coast of Egypt. The story is full of red herrings, great and really well acted characters and lots of fantastic humour. It is also very gripping with a crime that is forever tricky to work out and a truly unpredictable killer gives the film a perfect ending. I would suggest to all fans of classic British Murder Myestries to see this 1970's Agatha Christie tale but you will have to be prepared to be blown away by it. I overall give Death on the Nile 8/10 stars.

ONE OF THE BEST DETECTIVE STORIES EVER WRITTEN!

The screen version of Agatha Christie's Death On The Nile would be one of the definitive adaptions of the very old fashioned(but still strangely popular) murder mystery genre. After twenty-seven years the movie holds up very well.

The most was made of the Egyption setting of the film as it was filmed mostly on location and the stunning ancient sites of Egypt are filmed beautifully. Tourism in Egypt apparently increased significanlty after the film's release. Not surprising.

Also making the film a treat is the wonderful cast. Peter Ustinov stepped into the role of Hercule Poirot for the first time and despite no resemblance to Christie's descriptions of Poirot, made the role his own for the next decade. Ustinov gives a stern but comic portrayal of Poirot which is balanced with the casting of Ustinov's close friend David Niven as Colonal Race, Poirot's sidekick.

Heading the feast of suspects is the legendary Bette Davis as a grand dame with a sour Maggie Smith as her paid nurse/companion. There bickering scenes together are a hilarious highlight of the movie. Angela Lansbury is also a scene stealer as a tipsy, uninhibited novelist who does a hilarious tango with David Niven. Mia Farrow delivers a very good dramatic performance, as the women scorned which almost steers away from the usual cardboard stereotype characterisations of Agatha Christie.

Director John Guillerman let his great cast have fun with their characters partly because veteran thriller writer Anthony Shaffer wrote the screenplay. Although the murder mystery is a clever one and played out very well Shaffer injected the script with more wit and spice than the original novel had. (The Bette Davis and Maggie Smith scenes being the best example) The soundtrack of the film is an underrated gem with veteran composer Nino Rota producing a grand, sumptuous, inviting and mysterious soundtrack which perfectly complements the setting and the drama. Also his arrangement of the tango tune "Jealousy" is the best I've ever heard.

All this makes for a fun, lively old fashioned treat of a film that can be returned to from time to time.

Jack Cardiff was the director of photography, Anthony Powell, the costume designer, Nino Rota composed the score, Anthony Shaffer signed the screenplay and the list goes on and on and I haven't even mention the cast yet. Agatha Christie's novels have a structure that is a sort of cardinal rule. Murders, a set of suspects, all of them with a motive for the killing and then the unmasking of the killer or killers. Anthony Shaffer, the author of "Sleuth" milks it for all its worth. Snippets of wit trying not to obstruct the implausible plot. Tough gig. Dressed in a fantastic Nino Rota score, Jack Cardiff does his marvelous thing and Anthony Powell envelopes the stars in costumes that are not only stunning but character revealing in the most entertaining way. Peter Ustinov's Poirot is great fun and the cast moves through the carefully plotted story with disarming precision. Mia Farrow is the only one who plays it for real. Her jealousy is so believable that in a way we're guided by her pain and dismiss the obvious. Bette Davis does a Bette Davis impersonation for our benefit, I guess, and she gets away with it. Maggie Smith, Davis's long suffering lady in waiting, is always fun to watch and I imagine she had a lot of fun herself pushing around Bette Davis. My favorite? Angela Lansbury's Salome Ottobourne. Her alcoholic pulp fiction writer is a complex, compassionate, realistic caricature. David Niven,Jack Warden, Jon Finch, Olivia Houssey, Lois Chiles, Jane Birkin etc complete the who's who of this whodunit. I haven't mention the director: John Guillermin, from "The Towering Inferno" fame.