This movie, while officially based on the novel by Dame Agatha Christie (as per the onscreen credits)], has an ending that resembles her later stage version. While the identity of the murderer is the same in both versions, the survivors of the tale in each are different.
Queenie Leonard (Mrs. Ethel Rogers), who died on January 17, 2002 at age 96, was the last surviving cast member.
Emily Brent's (Dame Judith Anderson's) line, "Those whom the gods would destroy . . . ." is from the Greek dramatist Euripides. "The wicked flee . . ." is from the Book of Proverbs.
The poem: Ten little Indian boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were Nine. Nine little Indian boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were Eight. Eight little Indian boys travelling in Devon; One said he'd stay there and then there were Seven. Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were Six. Six little Indian boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were Five. Five little Indian boys going in for law; One got into Chancery and then there were Four. Four little Indian boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were Three. Three little Indian boys walking in the Zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were Two. Two little Indian boys were out in the sun; One got all frizzled up and then there was one*. One little Indian boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none. (*In some versions Two Little Indian boys playing with a gun; One shot the other and then there was one.)
The original title of the novel was "Ten Little Niggers" when it was published in 1939 in the United Kingdom. When Christie was negotiating with her American publishers in 1940, she was told flat-out that the book would not be published under that title; this precipitated the title change to "Ten Little Indians". During the 1970s, "And Then There Were None" became the preferred title for the novel, but the rhyme continued to use "Indians". Beginning with Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None (2005),"sailors" or "soldiers" have been used instead of "Indians". Film adaptations over the years have been released under all three titles; this film was released in the UK under the novel's original title, and the UK title sequence is included as an extra on the 2001 Image DVD.