Many people rate this as Christie’s best movie adaptation. I disagree and find several others to be better. It’s good of course but I much prefer Death on the Nile from ‘78 which is my favorite. It has great actors, much more interesting characters and possibly the best on locations sets of any film.
As for this movie, Tyrone Power’s acting is pretty awful. The way he speaks makes it seem as if he is repeating memorized lines - which he is of course lol but he’s not supposed to show it.
What’s great about this film IMO is Christie’s plot and not so much the movie itself.
Plus court room dramas suck. There I said it.
I think this is a generally good movie. The problem is, by this point, it's been copied many times over. Another movie that popped immediately into my head was High Crimes with Ashley Judd, Jim Caviezel, and Morgan Freeman. However, there are many others. This is a common problem with classics and it's unfortunate because I'm sure at the time this was a great hit. But now it's been said and done so many times, it just feels like a run-of-the-mill courtroom drama. And especially in our current time, when the curtain of idealism about criminal justice has been pulled back to reveal the harsh (and unfair) reality, the shock and cynicism of this movie simply falls flat. Still, that's not to say it wasn't an enjoyable watch. Tyrone Power, Charles Laughton, and Marlene Dietrich all gave great performances. Laughton, in particular, is very convincing and humorous as a crotchety old lawyer. Of course, as with many classics, there's the usual sprinkling of misogyny and xenophobia. And there's ample amounts of exposition. I'm beginning to think it can't be a classic without a heap of that. Overall, if you like courtroom dramas, mysteries, or just classics in general, this is definitely worth a watch. If not, it's still probably worth a watch but expect it to feel very familiar.
I love you Wilder, but this is one of the most disappointing films I've watched. You broke my heart.
Such a disappointment of a film, that is promising a great storyline and an end from the start. I'm giving it a 6/10, just because it kept me thrilled until the final scene. I'm sorry but I'm not okay with the ending. Was it really supposed to be a plot twist?
The ending ruins it. The whole thing is really good and interesting, but that last twist is so unnecessary that it takes away from the rest of it. A real bummer, because I was about to give it a 8 of 9 out of ten. Not now though.
Definitely disappointed. I expected more out of this film.
The forced humor throughout the film really takes away from the serious nature of the film. The subplot concerning Sir Wilfrid’s health is so unnecessary and Miss Plimsoll is obnoxious and unfunny. The ending was soap opera bad and the script is chock-full of character exposition.
How can anyone not be entertained by this movie?! Most courtroom dramas are dry but this one is funny a hell!
Kinda amazed how much shows like HTGAWM have taken this genre and really amped things up.
Revisiting this Wilder classic for the first time in a long time. I remembered a lot about this movie, like the ride up the stairs and Charles Laughton being hilarious and cranky. What I didn't remember was the ending, I was like what? then what again then what again?! Great stuff.
I was suspicious that the woman in the bar was really Dietrich in disguise because the accent was something else, but I wasn't 100%. It was 100% more convincing than the shit that went down in Body Double the other night.
Shout by DeletedBlockedParent2020-08-01T07:38:25Z
"Touching isn't it? The way he counts on his wife."
"Yes, like a drowning man clutching at a razor blade."
Sharp dialogue. Crisp photography. Brilliant performances. Billy Wilder directing an Agatha Christie play. The recipe for absolute perfection.
They don't make 'em like this anymore.