Murder on the Orient Express [1974]

Murder on the Orient Express (1974) starring Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Michael York, directed by Sidney Lumet

Synopsis of Murder on the Orient Express

Famous detective Hercule Poirot is on the Orient Express, but the train is caught in the snow. When one of the passengers is discovered murdered, Poirot immediately starts investigating the Murder on the Orient Express.

Review of Murder on the Orient Express 1974

Murder on the Orient Express is one of the best adaptations of Agatha Christie’s work, ever. It’s also one of the best murder mysteries ever filmed. Why is that?

Wonderful cast

The cast is absolutely excellent. Everyone does a wonderful job. There’s nobody on screen who has hired for their name. Although they’re all famous actors, they’re famous because they’re great actors. The audience is pulled in completely to the movie. Everyone is complete believable.

The mystery is intriguing.

The murder victim had asked Hercule Poirot for protection. The night before he was murdered. And Poirot, relying on instinct, said “no”. So, there’s a bit of guilt playing on the Belgian detective. But it turns out the murdered man wasn’t merely unlikable. He was a very evil man. Behind the kidnapping, and murder, of a young child.

As the mystery unfolds, it turns out that multiple people on board had a connection to the murdered child’s family. Which, if any of them, is responsible? It’s a truly great mystery twist. Which I won’t reveal here.

Cast of characters

• Albert Finney (Scrooge) … Hercule Poirot
• Lauren Bacall (To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep) … Mrs. Hubbard
• Martin Balsam (Psycho) … Bianchi
• Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca, Gaslight) … Greta
• Jacqueline Bisset (Casino Royale 1967) … Countess Andrenyi
• Jean-Pierre Cassel (Those Magnificent Men in the Flying Machines) … Pierre
• Sean Connery (The Untouchables, Dr. No) … Col. Arbuthnot
• John Gielgud (Arthur, Julius Caesar) … Beddoes
• Wendy Hiller (Separate Tables) … Princess Dragomiroff
• Anthony Perkins (Psycho) … McQueen
• Vanessa Redgrave (Howards End) … Mary Debenham
• Rachel Roberts (Foul Play) … Hildegarde
• Richard Widmark (O. Henry’s Full House) … Ratchett
• Michael York (Logan’s Run, The Island of Dr. Moreau) … Count Andrenyi
• Colin Blakely … Hardman
• George Coulouris … Doctor
• Denis Quilley … Foscarelli
• Vernon Dobtcheff … Concierge
• Jeremy Lloyd … A.D.C.
• John Moffatt … Chief Attendant

Editorial review of Murder on the Orient Express courtesy of Amazon.com

The Belgian detective Hercule Poirot boards the Orient Express. One of the passengers requests his protection, but Poirot declines. The next day the passenger is found dead in his compartment and Poirot is asked to solve the case. The train is forced to stop due to a snow drift blocking the tracks. This gives him a few hours to figure out the murderer’s identity before the local police take over the investigation. During his investigation, Poirot discovers that many of the passengers have some connection to a 5 year old case where an infant was kidnapped and murdered in which the mastermind escaped prosecution. This lead to the death (during childbirth) of the mother and the suicide of her father. This could be the vital clue to crack the case, but can he do it in time? …Murder on the Orient Express ( 1974 )