Murder on the Orient Express (1974) Review

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Murder on the Orient Express follows world famous detective Hercule Poirot, who, while on a train ride home, is thrust into a case after one of the passengers is mysteriously killed, making everyone on board a suspect. 

Unlike my Mom, I have never really shown a vested interest in Poirot—books, television, or film—and so when it comes to this first adaption of Christie’s famous series, I’ll strictly focus on the movie at hand (rather than accuracy to source material). That said, while the original is typically regarded as the best, I find that hard to believe with the original Murder on the Orient Express. Despite a truly all-star cast, there is something about the circus-level atmosphere that doesn’t quite sit right with me, feeling less like a mystery and more a clash of very, very odd (if not particular) personalities and a bizarre way of investigating that doesn’t breed thoroughness, just pure guesswork. 

Orient Express however, much like Poiror, requires the viewer to be very attentive to every bit of detail that is thrown out, no matter how big or small. Because in a film where literally everyone is the killer, it’s important to navigate through what to pick up on. As for Poiror himself, definitely an acquired taste. He comes off rather squirrelly, naturally thinks highly of himself, though lacking in a modicum of confidence. It’s not until the third act, really,  that Finney comes into the role and shines, but by then, it all seems for naught with such a cop-out ending (the man killed was so bad, we’re gonna let it slide). 

We get a pretty stacked cast as well, starring Richard Widmark, Michael York, John Gielgud, Richard B. Goodwin, Vanessa Redgrave, Wendy Hiller, Rachel Roberts, Jacqueline Bisset, Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Martin Balsam, Anthony Perkins, and Albert Finney. As I mentioned above, a lot of this hinges on Finney’s performance as Poiror and he just didn’t really do it for me, with a truly weird portrayal that took me out of most of the movie. 

Based on the novel by Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express, directed by Sidney Lumet, is definitely a bit of an acquired taste, requiring some slight knowledge to fully appreciate (which I guess I lack), but it nonetheless offers compelling mystery, offbeat and unconventional, but compelling all the same. 

7.2/10