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Death on the Nile (1978)

Cast: Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin (Louise Bourget), Lois Chiles (Linnet Ridgeway), Bette Davis (Van Schuyler) Mia Farrow (Jackie), Olivia Hussey (Rosalie Otterbourne), Angela Lansbury (Salome) David Niven (Col Race), I. S. Johar Manager of the Karnak

Director: John Guillermin

Screenwriter: Anthony Shaffer from a novel by Agatha Christie

Composer: Nino Rota

Cinematographer: Jack Cardiff

While David Suchet’s interpretation of Agatha Christie’s little Belgian sleuth, Hercule Poirot, is now taken as the gold standard, this film is engrossing for its big picture grandeur and star-studded cast. In 1974, Sidney Lumet directed everyone’s favourite Christie novel, “The Murder on the Orient Express.”

The film starred Albert Finney as Poirot and featured Hollywood royalty in its cast — from Ingrid Bergman (who won an Oscar for actress in a supporting role), Lauren Bacall and Jacqueline Bisset to Sean Connery and John Gielgud. The movie was a lavish production which brought alive the art deco palate of the 1930s. Come to think of it, the USP of the David Suchet television series is the loving recreation of the 1930s.

In the making-of feature of “Death on the Nile”, director John Guillermin says how important setting is to a Christie novel, as the story pretty much follows a template. So while in “Orient Express”, the closed circle of suspects, all of who had reason to do away with the obnoxious Mr. Ratchett are snowed in the lush Orient Express, in “Death on the Nile” the suspects are aboard the Nile steamer, the Karnak.

The victim is the rich American heiress Linnet Ridgeway and there is no dearth of suspects as every passenger has the means and motive to do away with her. There is Linnet’s best friend Jacqueline, whose fiancé, Simon Doyle, Linnet married. Pulp fiction writer, Salome Otterbourne and her daughter, Rosalie might have reason to do away with her as Linnet threatened to sue for libel.

There is a doctor whose business Linnet has ruined, an embezzling family lawyer and young, idealistic James Ferguson who believes Linnet to be the epitome of capitalist excess. The imperious Mrs. Van Schuyler wants Linnet’s fabulous pearls, while her companion Bowers has an axe to grind with the heiress as her family was ruined by Linnet’s father and finally there is Linnet’s maid Louise, who hates Linnet for spoiling her chance of getting married.

In the midst of all this drama and intrigue, Jacqueline confronts Simon and shoots him in the leg. The next morning Linnet is found shot in the head and the question is of course whodunit. Luckily for all of us Hercule Poirot is on board the Karnak and with Col. Race watching admiringly, solves the crime but not before two more deaths.

Like “Orient Express”, “Death on the Nile” is chock-a-block with stars. Peter Ustinov plays Poirot, David Niven plays Race, Angela Lansbury plays Salome Otterbourne, while Olivia Hussey plays Rosalie. There is Bette Davis as Mrs Van Schuyler, Mia Farrow as Jacqueline and Maggie Smith who we all know as Professor Minerva McGonagall as the acid-tongued Bowers. There is also I.S. Johar providing comic relief as the manager of the Karnak.

The action moves smoothly on and the location shooting adds to colourful parade. The making-of feature talks of the level of detailing when Niven comments that since the movie is set in the Thirties, the paper in his introductory shot is from the Thirties and he goes on to read some advertisements from the paper including one of a Christmas tour to Monaco and Spain for twelve guineas!

While the David Suchet version of “Death on the Nile” follows the book even more faithfully (the movie version lopped off a couple of suspects) this one gives us an irresistible brush of Hollywood glamour.

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