The Agatha Christie Collection

Four of the finest Agatha Christie ‘Whodunnit’ adaptations have just been released newly restored in a 4K UHD & Blu-ray Format - presented in a box set and with a plethora of Extras!

First up is MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974), directed by Sidney Lumet. Here we have Albert Finney taking on the role of Belgian super-sleuth Hercule Poirot and rumour has it that during time of shooting the film, all local drugstores and barber shops sold out of hair pomade, as copious amounts were used on Finney’s hair. I’m kidding of course but really, Finney’s hair really does look like it had been dipped in shiny black shoe polish first, with a generous dollop of hair pomade to slick it all back. In fact, Finney is almost unrecognisable here, which makes his Poirot (dig that accent) all the more believable if somewhat ott. Before we are boarding the famous train, there’s a b/w prologue which concerns the kidnapping and ultimately the killing of toddler Daisy Armstrong in America in 1930 (clearly inspired by the real-life case of the Lindbergh baby murder). Needless to say, Daisy’s parents were extremely well-off. The story continues (or rather, it actually starts here) five years later, namely when Hercule Poirot travels from Istanbul to London on the famed Orient Express, after his old buddy Signor Bianchi (Martin Balsam), director of the rail line company, manages to secure a him accommodation after all first-class compartments happen to be sold out. This being only December, it seems a little odd given that it’s not the cosiest time of year for traveling but as we find out later on, there is a reason for it. The first-class passengers are the usual motley crew of toffs, high society twits and aristos one is accustomed to from many of Christie’s stories. Among them are English governess Mary Debenham (Vanessa Redgrave), American socialite Harriet Hubbard (Lauren Bacall), Swedish missionary Greta Ohlsson (Ingrid Bergman), Hungarian couple Count Andrenyi and his wife Elena (Michael York and Jacqueline Bisset respectively), Lt. Colonel Arbuthnott (Sean Connery), elderly Russian Princess Natalia Dragomiroff (Wendy Hiller) and her German dogsbody Fräulein Schmidt (Rachel Roberts), to name but a few.
Most importantly though is American businessman Sam Ratchett (Richard Widmark), who asks Poirot for protection as he has been receiving death threats. As there is no reason to believe that something bad will possibly happen to Ratchett while traveling by train (even though said train comes to a complete standstill, courtesy of a snowdrift as it travels through Yugoslavia). However, when Rachett is found brutally murdered in his bed the following morning, Poirot finds himself tasked not only with finding the killer but the motive…and it all leads back to the kidnapping and murder of toddler Daisy five years earlier. The performances are of course stellar though who on earth came up with Wendy Hiller’s frightful make-up and outfit? She looks like a goth version of Mrs. Havisham in Dickens’ ‘Great Expectations’.

DEATH ON THE NILE (1978) was directed by John Guillermin and is, as the title suggests, set in considerably warmer climes. Here it’s Peter Ustinov who takes over from Albert Finney (with a less ott appearance and considerably less hair pomade). Before we find ourselves on the luxurious Nile paddle steamer S.S. Karnak though, there is, as always, a little prologue story which in this case takes place at a grand English estate where new arrival, spoilt rotten expat heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles), gives in to her dear friend Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort’s (Mia Farrow) request of hiring her fiancé, Simon Doyle (Simon MacCorkindale) and offer him a job as her new estate manager. Initially hesitant as she knows nothing about Simon’s skills which would make him suitable for the position, she eventually gives in upon realising just how much in love Jackie is with Simon. Not for much longer though, than no sooner does he arrives at the estate, a brief exchange of looks between him and his future boss Linnet is all we need to know in order to realise that the wedding bells won’t be ringing for Jackie, but for Simon and Linnet in what is hailed as the society wedding of the year. Fast forward, and we’re now in Egypt, one of the destinations along the route of the aforementioned paddle steamer. As expected, the usual assembly of filthy rich individuals make for the majority of the guests: Marie Van Schuyler (Bette Davis) and her long-suffering travel companion Miss Bowers (Maggie Smith), Salome Otterbourne (a garishly made-up Angela Lansbury) with her young niece, Rosalie (Olivia Hussey), Colonel Johnnie Race (David Niven), Andrew Pennington (George Kennedy), Dr. Bessner (Jack Warden), down-to-earth nice guy James Ferguson (Jon Finch) and yes, Linnet Ridgeway-Doyle and hubby Simon! Alas, there are some unexpected (and to some passengers) unwanted guests on board: Jilted Jackie Bellefort, who is hell-bent on revenge and Louise Bourget (Jane Birkin) - on/off servant to the Doyles. When Linnet Ridgeway-Doyle is found shot in her cabin, the main culprit is of course Jackie de Bellefort but that would be too obvious and too easy… As Poirot tries to put the pieces together and constantly shoots blanks in doing so (only Salome Otterbourne gets shot with a real bullet), there’s an unexpected twist in store even Poirot couldn’t have guessed… until the very end!

THE MIRROR CRACK’D (1980), directed by Guy Hamilton, is brilliant fun because for once, it’s not set among the world of the upper ten-thousand but it has a rather humble setting in a quaint little English ‘chocolate box’ village called St. Mary Mead. We also don’t get Hercule Poirot in this one but Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple, another A. Christie super-sleuth. The year is 1953 and the tranquility of the village gets interrupted courtesy of a Hollywood production company, arriving to film a period costume drama about Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. While the former part is played by Marina Gregg-Rudd (Elizabeth Taylor), whose husband, respected film director Jason Rudd (Rock Hudson), has been working hard on his wife’s comeback, who was absent from stage and screen following a lengthy spell of illness after her baby son was born with a severe brain damage). Things aren’t off to a good start when both Marina and Jason’s assistant Ella Zielinsky (Geraldine Chaplin) learn that none other than Lola Brewster (Kim Novak) has been cast as Elizabeth’s rival, Mary, Queen of Scots, seeing how the two actresses loathe each other in real life… Of course, this was precisely the reason for Jason Rudd’s casting decision. Ella refers to Lola as ‘Mary, Queen of sluts’. During the village fete, organised by Marina Gregg superfan Heather Babcock (Maureen Bennett), the stars thank the villagers for their hospitality and it’s Heather who is invited to a grand reception at nearby Gossington Hall, where Marina would like to thank her personally. As hardcore fans have a habit of babbling on and on and on, Heather is no different and keeps on yak yak yakking away, boring Marina, who puts on a brave smile, almost to tears in the process. Until Heather recalls a meeting with Marina which took place years ago during WW2, backstage in a theatre where Marina was performing at the time. The brief encounter, which Heather remembers fondly, suddenly causes Marina’s face to freeze up, staring at a painting opposite her. Composing herself, she offers Heather a cocktail. Minutes later, the young woman is found dead in a chair, apparently from poison… Jane Marple has her hands full but here, it’s her nephew, Inspector Craddock (Edward Fox) who does most of the detective work. Why would anyone want to kill poor, unassuming Heather Babcock? Why did Marina Gregg stare at an oil painting when Heather revealed the two had briefly met years earlier? And why does Ella Zielinsky use the public phone box to make some anonymous calls? This is great fun and worth watching for the verbal catfights between Marina Gregg and Lola Brewster alone, while director husband Jason Rudd and Lola’s agent Marty Fenn (Tony Curtis) are caught in the middle.

Finally, it’s EVIL UNDER THE SUN (1982), directed by Guy Hamilton. Peter Ustonov returns as Hercule Poirot and some familiar faces we’ve already seen in ‘Death on the Nile’ (Maggie Smith and Jane Birkin) make a welcome return. It’s back to the realm of the rich and despicably arrogant, with the story taking place in the Mediterranean. Before though, we’re briefly on the North York Moors where the body of Alice Ruber is found, strangled to death. A few months later, Hercule Poirot is tasked with examining an expensive diamond which belongs to millionaire Sir Horace Blatt (Colin Blakely) but there’s some confusion going on as to whether the piece of bling, initially purchased for actress Arlena Stuart Marshall (Diana Rigg) is genuine. This brings our detective to a luxury (what else) hotel somewhere on an island in the Adriatic Sea and the hotel is now run by former actress Daphne Castle (Maggie Smith), who in turn got it as a gift. Sparks fly (though not in a good way…) when Arlena arrives at the hotel with new hubby Kenneth (Denis Quilley) in tow and it becomes evident that there’s no love lost between Arlena and Daphne. Arlena also behaves ghastly towards her stepdaughter, Linda (Emily Hone). Among the other hotel guests are Rex Brewster (Roddy McDowall), theatrical producers Odell and Myra Gardener (James Mason and Sylvia Miles respectively) and last but not least, rather dashing looking Patrick Redfern (Nicholas Clay), who enjoys a holiday with his young wife Christine (Jane Birkin), a painter. Not that this stops Arlena from flirting with him. No doubt the Odells will find plenty of inspiration for a new play just by witnessing the shenanigans in the hotel’s cocktail lounge. When Arlena is found murdered on a beach, no one is really surprised and even fewer feel sorry about her demise… Once again, it’s up to Poirot to establish a motive and identify the killer but in this case, he has a hard nut to crack indeed, seeing how everyone seems to have solid alibis…

Each film comes with Extras including audio commentaries, interviews, ‘Making of’ featurettes, stills gallery, trailers, radio spots etc. The restored films look superb, with the picture crisp and sharp and almost 3D. This 4-disc box set makes for an ideal Christmas present for any Agatha Christie fan!