Murder on the Orient Express
It was full for the departure from Istanbul of December 1935 of the Orient Express in the first class. This is unusual at this time of year. The famous and meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is still able to obtain last-minute passage to the compartment thanks to Signor Bianchi (one of the railway directors who is making the journey). Poirot’s presence aboard the train is causing concern among first-class passengers. One of the first-class passengers has cause to worry. Later, another passenger in first class, who had earlier asked Poirot for protection due to multiple death threats received, was found dead in his stateroom after multiple stabbings. The victim’s body is discovered by Poirot, who unexpectedly stops the train due to the snow in Yugoslavia. This may make it difficult for the killer to escape now that Poirot has been assigned to the case. He is doing this as a favour to Bianchi and not to involve the Yugoslav police. Poirot soon discovers that the victim is not the person he claimed to be. He also has an unsolved connection to the kidnapping of five-year old Daisy Armstrong in America. Her parents paid the ransom. Although the murderer has been tried and executed, the ransom moneys and a possible accomplice were not recovered. The Armstrong family tragically lost their sons. Poirot asks the valet of the train, as well as the victim’s companion staff and other first-class passengers. He discovers that all had the opportunity to and were motivated by the same thing, which is not obvious. Poirot’s thoughts are pulled in many directions by the evidence found on the train. This information could complicate the investigation into who the killer is. –Huggo
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Director: Sidney Lumet
Actors: Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Lauren Bacall, Martin Balsam, Sean Connery
Country: United Kingdom
