Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

5/10

Starring

Albert Finney

Lauren Bacall

Martin Balsam

Ingrid Bergman

Directed by Sidney Lumet

Based on an Agatha Christie book of the same name, Murder on the Orient Express is supposed to be a classic, one of those movies Agatha Christie herself loved. For me, the movie did not age well. The whole feel of the 1930s, which the movie tried hard to recreate, kind of envelopes the entire film. With conversations that were way too long to matter and investigations that seemed overly stretched, this is a movie made for those who have insomnia.

Even the star-studded cast could not save this movie from casting a cloud of boredom over a plot that lacked the excitement needed to capture my interest. It reached a point where I just didn’t care anymore and wanted the movie to be over. That said, the film does have a nice thirty-minute ending, which, while it didn’t save the movie, was interesting to watch as Poirot unraveled the convoluted plot.

The story follows Poirot aboard the Orient Express by chance, as his friend insists he join him on the train. While on the train, a murder occurs. A man who had earlier approached Poirot for protection is found murdered, stabbed twelve times after being drugged.

The famous detective Hercule Poirot is tasked with solving the case. The challenge he faces is that everyone on the train either claims to have been asleep or offers a strange story that points to the killer being an outsider—someone who wasn’t on the carriage at the time. As Poirot digs further, he connects the murder to an act that happened five years earlier.

Poirot is played by Albert Finney, who earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance.

In the end, the movie follows the typical formula, where Poirot’s presence coincides with a case to solve. However, the cinematography deserves praise. The production managed to depict the confined setting of the train without evoking claustrophobia, which is worth noting.

The film was both a commercial and critical success, earning six Academy Award nominations. Of the six, Ingrid Bergman won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Her performance in the movie was undoubtedly deserving of the honor.

I feel this movie must have been fantastic in the 1970s, but watching it now, it feels more like a bore. Until the last thirty minutes, it didn’t matter much for the eyes. But, when it did pick up, it was a fun ride to the end.