Poirot - Death on the Nile - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
For almost the first half of Death on the Nile, any viewer who hasn't read Agatha Christie's intricate mystery won't be wondering who-done-it--instead, it's who's-it-going-to-be. The movie, from the television series Agatha Christie's Poirot, swiftly lays out a panoply of enjoyably odious personalities, from the American heiress who stole her best friend's fiance to the snotty, unkempt radical thinker to the boozing gargoyle of a pulp novelist named Salome Otterbourne, any of whom could be a suitable victim. Puttering amongst this mix of fops and harridans is Christie's most popular creation, the fastidious Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, played with exquisite precision by David Suchet (The Way We Live Now). Once the murder occurs, Poirot sets to work sifting through red herrings and petty deceits to unravel the truth. The crisp script and vigorous editing of this adaptation of Death on the Nile (a previous star-studded version from 1978 starred Peter Ustinov as Poirot) are at their best in the first half, zipping from catty remarks to petty bickering to fussy grumbles, deftly planting clues with the skill of a magician's misdirection. Once the interrogations and searches begin, the movie feels hemmed in. But through it all Suchet, with his beady eyes glittering from under his heavy lids, drives the mystery forward with his magnetic portrayal. --Bret Fetzer

Description
Tony Award nominee David Suchet returns to his celebrated role as Hercule Poirot in a lavish A&E adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic--DEATH ON THE NILE. When Linnet Doyle, the richest woman in London, steals and marries her best friend's fiance, the

Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Suchet tackles a favorite of mine September 21, 2004
39 out of 43 found this review helpful

Suffering only in comparison with its illustrious 1978 predecessor, this continuation in the David Suchet series of Hercule Poirot movies debuted on A&E television (who co-produced this movie) only last weekend and had me reveling in its almost quaint, vintage British-ness of it all.
Possibly one of Agatha Christie's most enduringly popular novels and certainly one of her best crafted who-dunnits, it is surprising that it took so long for Suchet and company to get around to filming this suspense thriller. Perhaps it was for fear of comparisons with the star-studded Peter Ustinov theatrical feature, or perhaps it was the sheer budgetary restrictions of filming in Egypt? Whatever the reason, I was elated to see that, after almost two decades of playing the trusty, sometimes eccentric French (errr...okay Belgian) detective Hercule Poirot, that we finally have the excellent David Suchet tackling this favorite of mine.
Unable to compete with the earlier version in terms of star power (David Niven, Bette Davis, Angela Lansbury and Maggie Smith were just some of those in the 1978 adaptation) what this production does boast is some stunning location photography and a tour de force performance by fan favorite Suchet.
Based on Christie's 1937 novel of the same name, this tale of intrigue and mystery is a cleverly woven riddle of red herrings and double crosses that center around a spoilt heiress Linnet Ridgeway who appears surrounded by enemies on a honeymoon trip down the Nile.
Before the trip is over Ridgeway will lie dead along with two others, murderer(s) will be exposed and Poirot will have the satisfaction of having tackled one of his most puzzling mysteries. But, of course it's the getting there that is most of the fun.
To say more is to spoil many of the surprises in this movie but it was great to see James Fox give valuable assistance to Poirot (in the role Niven played in 1978) and the scene that finally unmasks the guilty party is handled expertly.
Sit back as you would with a good book and just indulge yourself one evening to one of the finest (and best crafted) who-dunnits to come across the screen since 1978.

3 out of 5 stars

An unnecessary remake of the big budget film masterpiece November 16, 2004
14 out of 21 found this review helpful

This reviewer considers the original 1978 British film; "Murder on the Orient Express"; and "The Last of Sheila"; as the three best mystery films ever made. Both the 1978 version and this A&E remake follow the basic plot of the novel but take liberties with the details: Characters are combined or omitted; dialog is drastically revised; lesser circumstances are changed.

This A&E remake is not bad, simply disappointing. The opening sex scene and cocaine use are uncalled-for non-Christie fabrications. Material from the novel's opening pages is confusingly sandwiched in or passed by altogether: The initial Southwood scene from the novel (omitted in the 1978 original) is a plus, but gutting Andrew Pennington's background is a serious minus. The dining-room conversation between Poirot and Salome Otterbourne about the other passengers is annoyingly incomplete. Making each passenger a suspect with motive and opportunity is absent. When the story finally gets rolling, one struggles with a muddled conglomeration of characters of unknown motives. But can more be expected with only 97 minutes, a modest budget, and the respect shown the novel's complexities?

These problems were avoided in the original film (140 delicious - and expensive - minutes). The novel's fragmented opening pages were given considerable embellishment and cinematic continuity by folks with very fertile imaginations who were very much in the spirit of things. Poetic license with the characters and their motives was taken to produce a film that SHOWS, not just TELLS: One SEES the clever portrayal of Linnet stealing Simon away from Jackie. One SEES the deception planned by Linnet and Simon to escape Jackie on the ship cruise. One SEES Poirot's shipboard wine bottle being drugged. One SEES each shipboard character's motivations for becoming a major suspect. One SEES how each suspect could commit the murder(s), acted out front and center! That film represented movie making at its finest, employing the full cinematic potential of the novel.

Peter Ustinov made an excellent Poirot in the original, suitably nuanced to fit his personality and physique (see the making-of special feature included on that DVD). Here, the performance of David Suchet (who has become the archetypal Poirot through the sheer volume and force of his past performances), while adequate, is much too serious and lacks the light-hearted flourishes afforded by imaginative direction that so endears his character in other adaptations. Emma Malin turns in a modestly OK performance as Jacqueline de Bellefort (though not approaching that of Mia Farrow's). Frances de la Tour does well as Salome Otterbourne (outrageously and hilariously portrayed by Angela Lansbury in the original). The other (unknown) actors' characterizations are undistinguished.

The DVD's (4x3) picture quality and sound are good. The cinematography is above average for TV productions, but is no match for the big budget original's magnificent wide-screen presentation with elaborate studio sets created to support it. The A&E sound-track is unnecessarily intrusive, loud music becoming a substitute for character emotions and acting. At one point the music almost overwhelms even the conversation. (What is it with these technicians anyway? Do they ever actually review what they put together?)

You think the crime has not been committed here? You put rather the anger on this reviewer, the no gloves of kid words, the three stars, nes pa? Consider well, mon ami. Would you rather such finite efforts (make not the mistake, they ARE finite) be squandered on unnecessary remakes or used for brand-new, never-before-filmed Poirot-Hastings-Japp-Lemon adventures? You like that A&E spend more FINITE RESOURCES on second-class remake of, say, the Murder on Orient Express? Le crime, il est partout!

5 out of 5 stars

Irresistible. January 11, 2005
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Agatha Christie's 1937 murder mystery adapts well to film and television format. It offers the obvious travelogue element, provides opportunities for the music and clothing fashions of the day to be presented, and its action involves a group of passengers on a journey. The 1978 film adaptation exploited all these elements lavishly. It also incorporated a series of "re-runs" of the principal murder, showing how it was possible for almost all of the passengers to have committed it. This TV adaptation, on a smaller scale in all respects, provides enough of the entertainment, the suspense, and the final shock revelation to add up to a very satisfying treatment.

Many famous actors have portrayed Agatha Christie's sleuths. Many have succeeded though few have closely approximated to the originals. Agatha Christie herself would no doubt wish that David Suchet could be adorned with a much more luxuriant moustache than the little "clip on" one seen here.

4 out of 5 stars

Suchet Superb, A&E version leaves a bit to be desired. January 20, 2005
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

This A&E version of Death on the Nile is not a full length movie and as a result it lacks the length and depth and intricate detail of Ustinov's version but this version also lacks the often over-the-top over acting that was so pervasive in the Ustinov movie (Davis, Landsbury, both ludicrous, among others). A lot of details had to be left out of the A&E attempt simply because of the constraints of time and because of this, the A&E version is flawed, though not critically in my opinion. I really preferred the lack of big name stars; those in the Ustinov version were critically distracting. I didn't care for the silly Hollywood humor in the Ustinov version ("This takes the camel's hump!") and prefer the seriousness of the A&E version. And while I did enjoy Ustinov's portrayal, I kept seeing Ustinov and not Poirot. With Suchet, it is just the opposite and this is why I prefer this version to the 1978 movie. Yes details are glossed over, yes it is overly serious (the 1978 version though seemed to trivialize the murders), but this version succeeds nicely for me because of Suchet's simply excellent, carefully wrought portrayal. He really IS Hercule Poirot.

1 out of 5 stars

Death of a Series January 24, 2005
6 out of 10 found this review helpful

With "Death on the Nile," the producers of the A&E "Poirot" series can claim to have broken all ties with the original British program starring David Suchet, save the presence of the star. The qualities that made the original program endearing-the wit, the exquisite production design, the fastidious attention to detail, the superb character acting of both the regulars and guests-are gone. That is not to say that this new Poirot is completely devoid of redeeming qualities, just that they pale in comparison with the original series.

The novel from which the movie is derived provides one of Christie's more complexly interwoven series of plots and sub-plots. It is no coincidence that the late 70s theatrical version starring Peter Ustinov ran well over two hours, and even at that simplified the story considerably. This new adaptation effectively eliminates the motivations for murdering the victim for most of the characters, and even those with motivation are given barely a scene or two to express those reasons. There really isn't much going on at all except the central love triangle and Poirot's sage pronouncements on the sidelines.

Even so, the movie seems to be rushing to its conclusion, as if all involved had other commitments they were eager to fulfill. Even Suchet just seems tired of the part, racing through his summing up speech as if reading a laundry list. (And the screenwriters really should be shot for burdening Poirot with pensive regrets about his failed love life. If there is one thing true of Christie's Poirot, it was that he didn't give a hoot about emotional entanglements. This is a sentimental hack's notion of "deepening" a character best known for his airy aloofness.)

The compensations? Some nasty humor at the edges which may not be everyone's cup of tea. Some nice location photography, and the occasional odd bit of behavioral detail from some of the supporting players. Alaistair MacKenzie as the aristocrat going through a Marxist phase and Steve Pemberton as the mysterious Dr. Bessner stand out. At their best, they are within calling distance of the better character playing in the series, although in Pemberton's case, at least, the character has been stripped of any motivation, and thus is something of a gratuitous appendage to the mystery.

Otherwise, it's a depressing lack of distinction across the board. A&E would be doing all of us a favor by stopping now, while they are behind.

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