The Hollywood Royalty of Agatha Christie Adaptations ~ Cinenus

Hollywood’s best love a good whodunnit.

The first adaptation of best selling crime author Agatha Christie in decades doesn’t disappoint in its star-studded ensemble cast. 2017’s version of Murder on the Orient Express uses Willem Dafoe, Penelope Cruz, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Daisy Ridley to bring Christie’s suspects to life. Adaptations of Christie’s work have long attracted Hollywood stars. Let’s look at some of the most memorable.

Marlene Dietrich in ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ (1957)

<p>Even later in her career, Dietrich is marvelous as the calloused wife of a man being tried for murder. Christie stories require deception and Marlene delivers with mystery throughout the movie, all building up to her final monologue. According to director Billy Wilder in <a href="http://ift.tt/2hdtmde"><em>Conversations with Wilder</em></a>, she enjoyed playing “a murderess.” In this famous clip, Dietrich puts on a show for the prosecution, which we later find out wasn’t entirely the truth.</p> <h4>Lauren Bacall in ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (1974)</h4> <p><iframe width="356" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Hhz3WGsPBk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allowfullscreen="">

Bacall’s effortless grace lends perfectly to her performance as sassy socialite Harriet Belinda Hubbard. This performance is proof that her take-no-shit-attitude only got better with age. Here, her character’s talkative nature brings a little humor to the clue-puzzle film.

Walter Huston in ‘And Then There Were None’ (1945)

Huston plays a doctor invited to a dinner party, but it’s soon clear this is far from an ordinary dinner party. On an island, each one of the shady guests is killed off one by one. Huston’s rough voice and classic look fit perfectly within the glamorous and suspenseful adaptation. In the beginning of this clip we find out that Huston’s character isn’t an innocent man and neither are the other dinner party guests.

Angela Lansbury in ‘The Mirror Crack’d’ (1980)

Miss Marple is Christie’s famous village sleuth. The cynical old-woman-turned-detective benefits from the spunk Lansbury brings to every role. She delivers Marple’s theories with ease and occasional humor that’s exactly how I pictured Miss Marple as I read Christie’s novels. You can see her in the trailer for the movie above.

Mia Farrow in ‘Death on the Nile’ (1978)

Everyone on the S.S. Karnak has a motive to kill Linnet, but Farrow’s Jacqueline de Bellefort stands out amongst the group of suspects. Thanks to her dainty appearance and emotional performance, Farrow makes the heartbroken best friend of the victim uniquely interesting. At the end of this clip, she walks in on her fiancee and her best friend dancing together.

Sylvia Sidney in ‘Love From a Stranger’ (1947)

Albeit not the best adaptation of Christie’s work, the film is loosely based on her short story “Philomel Cottage.” Sidney brings an edge and allure to a character suspecting her husband of murder. Despite the melodramatic tone of the film, Sidney brings her unique style to a suspenseful story.

Ingrid Bergman in “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974)

As does Bacall, Bergman uses her stardom to bring elegance to an already sophisticated story. Her passionate performance as a missionary returning from Africa adds to the mystery around the case. She won Best Supporting Actress at the 1975 Oscars for the role and her acceptance speech is above.

Elizabeth Taylor in ‘The Mirror Crack’d’ (1980)

Mirrorcrackd

Taylor’s onscreen intensity has made for some other memorable performances, but her role as Marina Rudd is one of her craziest. At the heart of the crime Marple investigates, Taylor’s dramatic character makes the story exciting.

The article The Hollywood Royalty of Agatha Christie Adaptations appeared first on Film School Rejects.

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Tuesday, 7 November 2017