And Then There Were None (1974)

[mrs_emma_peel]

And Then There Were None (1974)



Directed by Peter Collinson (Up The Juction, The Italian Job) and based on one of Agatha Christie's most famous novels, And The There Were None focuses on a group of people who are lured to a remote luxury hotel in the Persian desert and are murdered one by one. The solution to the problem seems impossible … and the brilliantly unexpected end-game is an absolutely inspired piece fiendishly clever plotting.





This is my favourite version of one of Agatha Christie’s most ingenious murder plots … this cult-classic 1974 Oliver Reed version gets a very welcome DVD Region 2 release by Studio Canal. The extraordinarily fine and diverse international cast includes two classic Bond villains …



Charles Aznavour as Michel Raven

Stéphane Audran as Ilona Morgan

Elke Sommer as Vera Clyde

Gert Fröbe as Wilhelm Blore

Herbert Lom as Dr Edward Armstrong

Oliver Reed as Hugh Lombard

Richard Attenborough as Judge Arthur Cannon

Orson Welles as the Voice on the Tape



Co-starring

Maria Rohm as Elsa Martino

Alberto de Mendoza as Otto Martino

Adolfo Celi as General André Salvé



Emma

[Windthrop]

Not in the same leage as Rene Clair's original IMHO but servicable enough due to the strong cast. Better than Mr Towers last version with Herby Lom turning up again in this time as the General.

[Grant]

I picked this up a while back. Nice to see it again after many years.

[Gerald Lovell]

I think Harry Alan Towers had about three goes at making this!

[didi-5]

I always liked this version although the Rene Clair one is better. Must pick up a copy of the DVD.

[chuffnobbler]

Studio Canal has also released Agatha's Ordeal By Innocence, with Donald Sutherland, Annette Crosbie and a very instrusive jazz soundtrack. I watched it recently, and it's not a patch on the book.



I have this version of And Then, but not seen it yet. Watched the 1940s American version recently, and it annoyed me a bit.

[whatsthetime4]

This version is poor to fair, but with quite a snazzy soundtrack. The 60s version is mediocre, and the 40s version, despite the wonderful reviews, was fine but a bit of a letdown too - fair too flippant for my liking and lacking in suspense. I wish someone (like David Fincher perhaps) would tackle this wonderful novel and create a nerve jangling psychological thriller from it. It always amazes me how bad the majority of Agatha Christie films are considering how brilliant so many of her plots are.

[Windthrop]

name='whatsthetime4' timestamp='1282690154' post='467799']

It always amazes me how bad the majority of Agatha Christie films are considering how brilliant so many of her plots are.

I think the key here is that film makers haven't known whether to go for a period piece, parodic or po-faced approach to the material. The fact that her two main characters are asexual and aged wouldn't have helped matters.



I think Lumet got it right with Murder on the Orient Express.