Death on the Nile (B+ or 3/4 stars)
Peter Ustinov stars as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in this Agatha Christie whodonit, 'Death on the Nile' (directed by John Guillermin). During a luxurious pleasure cruise down the Nile aboard a lavish boat populated with wealthy passengers, despised heiress & home wrecker Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) is murdered. After she is shot, Poirot & his vacationing friend Col. Rice (David Niven) begin checking out a long list of eccentric suspects. Atop the list is Jacqueline DeBellefort (Mia Farrow) whose fiance, Simon (Simon MacCorkindale) was stolen by her so-called "friend", Linnet Ridgeway.
The others who are also questioned include a widowed, alcoholic novelist, Salome Otterbourne (Angela Lansbury) & her prim daughter Rosalie (Olivia Hussey); James Ferguson (Jon Finch), a Marxist who hates Capitalists; cranky maid Louise (Jane Birkin); lawyer Andrew Pennington (George Kennedy), who was swindling Ms. Ridgeway; crotchety old socialite, Mrs. Van Schuyler (Bette Davis) & her cynical traveling companion, Miss Bowers (Maggie Smith); & the oddball De. Ludwig Bessner (Jack Warden). As more bodies pile up, however, it appears that everyone aboard this vessel has a motive.
The director makes the most of the exotic Egyptian locales (the Sphynx, pyramids), sumptuous period detail, & the use of a flashback technique to create variations on how the crime(s) took place. And of course, there is a surprise ending. Now, I wasn't bowled over by the revelation. But I also think that is part & parcel to the format of this (and Murder on the Orient Express) type of film. In other words, it's much more fun watching & trying to piece the puzzle together than when the truth is finally revealed. Another slight problem this film has (though, not as irksome as it's more lauded predecessor, Orient Express') is its length/deliberate pacing.
Still, if you're a mystery fan, this film should be right up your alley. It's easy to enjoy. And the performances from the all-star cast are very entertaining; namely, Ustinov as Poirot; Lansbury's humorous alcoholic; and Maggie Smith's tightly-wound Miss Bowers. Really, 'Death on the Nile' is the perfect movie to curl up to on your couch on a rainy Sunday afternoon while sipping some tea. It's that type of movie.
The others who are also questioned include a widowed, alcoholic novelist, Salome Otterbourne (Angela Lansbury) & her prim daughter Rosalie (Olivia Hussey); James Ferguson (Jon Finch), a Marxist who hates Capitalists; cranky maid Louise (Jane Birkin); lawyer Andrew Pennington (George Kennedy), who was swindling Ms. Ridgeway; crotchety old socialite, Mrs. Van Schuyler (Bette Davis) & her cynical traveling companion, Miss Bowers (Maggie Smith); & the oddball De. Ludwig Bessner (Jack Warden). As more bodies pile up, however, it appears that everyone aboard this vessel has a motive.
The director makes the most of the exotic Egyptian locales (the Sphynx, pyramids), sumptuous period detail, & the use of a flashback technique to create variations on how the crime(s) took place. And of course, there is a surprise ending. Now, I wasn't bowled over by the revelation. But I also think that is part & parcel to the format of this (and Murder on the Orient Express) type of film. In other words, it's much more fun watching & trying to piece the puzzle together than when the truth is finally revealed. Another slight problem this film has (though, not as irksome as it's more lauded predecessor, Orient Express') is its length/deliberate pacing.
Still, if you're a mystery fan, this film should be right up your alley. It's easy to enjoy. And the performances from the all-star cast are very entertaining; namely, Ustinov as Poirot; Lansbury's humorous alcoholic; and Maggie Smith's tightly-wound Miss Bowers. Really, 'Death on the Nile' is the perfect movie to curl up to on your couch on a rainy Sunday afternoon while sipping some tea. It's that type of movie.