Tonight, PBS Masterpiece Mystery will broadcast Murder on the Orient Express with David Suchet. I’ve seen the 1974 movie version of Murder on the Orient Express with Albert Finney as Poirot. I have not seen the made-for-TV version from 2001 starring Alfred Molina as Poirot. Agatha Christie published her classic novel in 1934. It had the title of Murder in the Calais Coach to avoid confusion with Graham Greene’s Orient Express. Later, the title was changed back to Christie’s original title. Murder on the Orient Express would make any list of Christie’s TOP TEN mysteries, maybe even the TOP FIVE. The crime is ingenious and the solution is mind-boggling. If you haven’t read the book or seen the films, you’re in for a Big Surprise when Poirot announces his solution to the murder.
It was definitely one of her most memorable books. They did a good job with the all-star movie version but Finney is not the Poirot that Suchet is.
I’m looking forward to watching Suchet in this classic, Jeff.
One of my favorite Christie books–and I love Suchet at Poirot, so I’ll definitely be watching this tonight. I really enjoy the 1974 movie and never miss it if I happen to come across it while channel-surfing. Yeah, Finney went over-the-top in a big way as Poirot–but, after all, it was one of those mid-1970s all-star extravaganzas. Agatha Christie attended the premier of that movie–I think it was one of her last public appearances.
The Finney version of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS was a hit back in the Seventies, Deb. Yes, Finney went over-the-top but he had plenty of stars in that movie to play off of: Lauren Bacall, Martin Balsam, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark, and Michael York.
I think the seventies version was so good I am reluctant to replace it in my mind. Jeff is probably right that Finney isn’t Suchet. But Ingrid Bergman and a few others are irreplaceable to me. I think it’s her second best book. Oh, heck. I will DVR it.
You’re right about MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS being one of Christie’s best books, Patti. I eager to see how Suchet handles this classic.
This ought to be a good one!
David Suchet has made the Poirot role his own, Rick. I’m curious to see what he does with Christie’s classic.
Poirot seemed a lot angrier than I ever remember him in this one.
I had to come back post-show to express a bit of let-down. Perhaps in an attempt to distinguish it from the 1974 movie (which, as I recall, was relatively faithful to the book), the makers of this program decided to have Poirot go through a lot of angst (the whole bit with the rosary was really hoakey) about whether or not to turn in the culprits. Poirot had no such qualms in the original. There seemed to be a lot of arty camera shots and Robert Altman-esque whispered and criss-crossing conversations, but not a lot of leavening humor (which there was in the book and the 1974 movie). I missed the jauntiness of the other Poirot episodes. This one seemed to drag without the foils of Hastings, Japp, and/or Miss Lemon.
I had the same reaction, Deb. The Suchet version ended up being a bit of a drag when compared with the 1974 classic.
One more thing–I did enjoy the “David Suchet on the Orient Express” program that ran after the “Murder on the Orient Express.”
I recorded the DAVID SUCHET ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS program, Deb. I plan to watch it today.
Yeah, what was with the whole rosary beads thing? I don’t ever remember Poirot being particuarly religious. Also, he seemed to figure out everything awfully quickly. I realize they needed to compress it to 90 minutes but this was fast.
I thought the pacing of the Suchet version of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS was all wrong, Jeff. The rosary beads were NOT in Christie’s book.
I thought not.
Sounds like a disappointment. I guess I’m glad I didn’t watch.
Compared to the 1974 classic, Suchet’s version didn’t measure up, Rick.