BEST AGATHA CHRISTIE MOVIES
“And Then There Were None” (1945) With the PBS special “Agatha Christie’s England” debuting Sunday, Jan. 24 (check local listings), director René Clair’s thriller offers an early view of an atmosphere that inspired Christie’s writing, with Barry Fitzgerald and Walter Huston as two of the manor guests targeted by an unknown killer.
“Witness for the Prosecution” (1957) Not involving one of Christie’s legendary detective characters, Billy Wilder’s version of her courtroom drama casts a fabulous Charles Laughton as a twilightyears British lawyer defending an accused killer (Tyrone Power) whose wife (Marlene Dietrich) becomes the unexpected title witness for the prosecution. “Murder, She Said” (1961) Margaret Rutherford began a multiple-movie run as Miss Jane Marple with this caper, in which she has a hard time convincing anyone that she saw someone being killed on a train while she was passing it aboard another one.
“Ten Little Indians” (1965) Infused with a sly sense of humor, this then-modern take on “And Then There Were None” has an attractive cast featuring Hugh O’Brian, Fabian and “Goldfinger’s” golden girl, Shirley Eaton.
“The Alphabet Murders” (1965) In a unique instance of Poirot being played by a non-European actor, Tony Randall’s take on the role is interesting. “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974) Arguably the top film treatment of a Christie story to date – even the author herself approved, which reportedly was rare – director Sidney Lumet’s elegant drama boasts a great Albert Finney as Poirot in a mind-boggling cast that also includes Lauren Bacall, Jacqueline Bisset, Sean Connery, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael York and an Oscarwinning Ingrid Bergman.
“Death on the Nile” (1978) Peter Ustinov assumes the part of Poirot to probe the murder of an heiress aboard a cruise down the legendary Egyptian river; “suspects” include Bette Davis, David Niven, Angela Lansbury, Maggie Smith, Mia Farrow and George Kennedy. (A newer version currently is awaiting release.)
“Agatha” (1979) Rather than being based on a work by Christie, this drama fictionalizes a period of her life, with Dustin Hoffman as a reporter who becomes interested in finding the missing writer (played by Vanessa Redgrave).
“The Mirror Crack’d” (1980) Angela Lansbury stepped into Miss Marple’s shoes, looking into a poisoning that seemed intended for a different victim. Those she quizzes represent a who’s-who of classic Hollywood: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis and Kim Novak.
“Evil Under the Sun” (1982) Ustinov returned as Poirot to visit an island paradise where – you guessed it – a murder occurs. Diana Rigg plays the victim, with James Mason, Maggie Smith (yes, a suspect again) and Roddy McDowall as possible perpetrators. “Crooked House” (2017) Another Poirot-less, Marple-less Christie tale puts a private detective (Max Irons) in a race against Scotland Yard to solve the murder of an ex-flame’s grandfather. Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson and Christina Hendricks are on the suspect list.
“Murder on the Orient Express” (2017) As both star (as Poirot) and director, Kenneth Branagh gave this mystery another solid screen workout, merging great external (and computer-enhanced) views of the title train into the puzzler involving another all-star cast.