Death on the Nile (1978)

Death on the Nile (1978)

8/10

Starring

Peter Ustinov

Jane Birkin

Lois Chiles

Bette Davis

Mia Farrow

Jon Finch

Directed by John Guillermin

Death on the Nile is a fantastic movie based on an equally fantastic book of the same name by Agatha Christie, published in 1937. It’s worth noting some changes in this movie adaptation of the crime thriller. A few characters from the book were removed, and an additional subplot involving Colonel Race, who in the book joined the steamboat to track down a murderer and thief, was completely omitted.

That said, the movie itself is well-paced and cohesive. Despite the expected confinement of a steamboat from the 1930s, there’s a surprising sense of movement and activity. The characters’ actions keep everyone—including you, the viewer—on edge, wondering who killed the heiress.

The craftsmanship of this movie is excellent. The costumes and settings are so well done that, for a moment, I felt transported to the 1930s. This attention to detail was rightly recognized when the film won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

As expected, after a brief introduction to the key players, we’re thrown into a murder mystery. This time, it’s on a steamboat sailing the Nile during an Egyptian excursion. The victim is an heiress, and there are plenty of people aboard who might have wanted her dead.

First, there’s her former best friend, who was also the former lover of her now-husband, whom the heiress stole. Then, her maid, whom she refused to give promised money because she disapproved of how it would be spent. There are two people with legal disputes against her. Her shady lawyer wants her to sign documents without reading them to avoid prosecution. There’s a woman who hates her family for past wrongs. And let’s not forget the kleptomaniac who covets her jewelry. With all these potential suspects, you’re constantly guessing who might have done it.

Things get even more complicated when two other deaths occur, leading Poirot, who is on board with his friend Colonel Race, to deduce that the murderer must have been known to the additional victims.

The movie concludes with Poirot gathering everyone together to unravel the mystery, using subtle clues that the film cleverly reminds us of through flashbacks. I particularly enjoyed how the production incorporated visuals to show how events unfolded as Poirot explained them.

As is typical of anything based on Christie’s books, the murderer is not who you’d expect, and the plot is far more intricate and well-thought-out than anticipated.

This is a wonderful film and one I wouldn’t mind watching again, just to appreciate how all the clues align so perfectly.