Review: Death on the Nile (1978)

Death on the Nile

Rating

Director

John Guillermin

Screenplay

Anthony Shaffer (Novel: Agatha Christie)

Length

2h 20m

Starring

Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Lois Chiles, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Jon Finch, Olivia Hussey, I.S. Johar, George Kennedy, Angela Lansbury, Simon MacCorkindale, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Jack Warden, Harry Andrews, Sam Wanamaker

MPAA Rating

Review

Agatha Christie wrote many popular books and while few of them had been rendered on the big screen, several of her most popular found their way to cinemas, Death on the Nile was the first to follow the success of the 1974 hit Murder on the Orient Express and while it doesn’t reteam any of the principles of that film, they found a way forward that preserved some of the opulence and talent that made that film successful.

In this film, Poirot finds himself aboard an Egyptian steam ship taking a tour up the Nile river visiting several locations including the Temple of Karnak where the first attempt on heiress Linnet Doyle’s (Lois Chiles) life takes place. Linnet, there on honeymoon with her husband Simon Doyle (Simon McCorkindale), had won Simon’s heart over his ex-fiancée Jacqueline (Mia Farrow). Pursued by a vengeful Jacqueline, the pair think they’ve escaped aboard the steamer S.S. Karnak only to be trapped aboard with the unhinged woman who may try to kill her.

Enter Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov), an unexpected guest. He navigates the strange crime where the purported killer has the strongest alibi. As he navigates the various motives (everyone on board has one), several discoveries eventually lead the master sleuth to deduct the killer. Among the suspects is a cavalcade of Oscar winners and nominees and notable figures including Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, David Niven, Angela Lansbury, Olivia Hussey, Jack Warden, George Kennedy, Jon Finch, and Jane Birkin.

Ustinov is an interesting Poirot. While he’s certainly got a lot of the mannerisms down and the use of the occasional French expression, his physical carriage is too large for character. Ustinov’s is a massive frame that thankfully doesn’t overwhelm the performance as he is just that good an actor. As for the rest of the cast, they are all strong with Angela Lansbury easily standing out as the flamboyant Salome Otterbourne, a romance novelist, whose flouncing and peacocking are a delight, bringing color and vibrancy to duller moments.

Her costumes alone may have contributed to Anthony Powell’s deserving Oscar win. The rest of those outfits were pretty great, including those of Davis and Smith. Also playing a key role in the film’s success was Nino Rota’s luscious score, which gave the film an elegance throughout. The opening credits sequence was simple, but given bountiful and majestic crescendo, which then transitioned into some beautiful themes that provided an otherworldly feel to a region of mystery and suspense, the perfect location and score for a film like this.

For fans of the novel, there are a few changes, but none that overwhelm the essence of the story, allowing viewers to take a trip on the Nile with the world-famous sleuth and his inimitable talents. Death on the Nile, while not quite as good as Murder on the Orient Express, is still a fun, engaging film that will please Christie fans with its faithfulness and the effectiveness of its story.