Death on the Nile

1978 "A murderer strikes on board the luxury Nile steamer Karnak – and Hercule Poirot faces his most baffling case."
7.2| 2h20m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 29 September 1978 Released
Producted By: EMI Films
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

As Hercule Poirot enjoys a luxurious cruise down the Nile, a newlywed heiress is found murdered on board and every elegant passenger becomes a prime suspect.

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Reviews

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.
Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.
Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
gab-14712 When done right, mystery movies can be very fun and engaging movies. One of the best mystery authors of the twentieth century was Agatha Christie, and many of her works were adapted to the big screen to varying levels of success. The biggest hit movie was 1974's Murder on the Orient Express. Following in that film's footsteps, Death on the Nile was released four years later with the same formula. The story is essentially the same, but with a different location and brand new set of characters. While the movie is fine, it is also somewhat forgettable. It has not been awhile since I seen this film and I usually remember my films, but I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what exactly happened. That being said, it is a decent watch. The scenery is fun to see and the costumes are cool to look at. The cast is filled to the brim with veteran British actors and they all deliver fine performances.We are aboard the S.S Karnak as it travels down the great Nile River in Egypt. However, there are many people who want the rich heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) dead. Her riches are sought after by the elderly Mrs. Van Schulyer (Bette Davis), Salome Otterbourne (Angela Lansbury) is an author who has a libel lawsuit brought upon her, Salome's daughter, Rosalie (Olivia Hussey) wants to keep her mother happy, Andrew Pennington (George Kennedy) has been stealing from her family, and an old friend Jacqueline De Bellefort (Mia Farrow) is upset that her fiancé was stolen away from her. After Ridgeway is murdered, it's up to the famed detective Hercules Poirot (Peter Ustinov) to figured out the culprit behind the murder.As you can obviously tell, the film has a large cast full of brand names. So it's no surprise that they all deliver good performances. No one delivers career-best performances, but this is not the kind of film that requires such performances. However, my standout performance goes to Peter Ustinov as the detective. If you read any of Christie's stories, you will be able to tell that he captures the essence of what the character is supposed to be. It's also cool to see an actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the movie. I'm talking about the legendary Bette Davis. She delivers another great performance, and it's cool to note how she addressed the change of filmmaking since her heyday in the 30's and 40's. She called films travelogues in the 70's and essentially they are. I would have love to work along the Nile River traveling through ancient history. All of the names mentioned above did great, but there are even more names in the movie with the likes of Jane Birkin, Maggie Smith, and Jack Warden in the movie.So John Guillermin's Death on the Nile is a fun mystery movie even if its a little forgettable. It is formulaic, but the performances are well worth the watch. Seeing Ustinov in action trying to crack the case is what makes this movie a fun watch. It's hard to remember specific plot details, but that is what happens in a movie based on formula. But the film is successful in being mysterious, and that is really all that matters. I liked how the film was shot on location because we got to see exquisite scenery. Also, I really liked the costumes. Overall, this is a little fun mystery.My Grade: B
Kingslaay After watching every Poirot episode played by David Suchet I knew the bar was set very high. However Peter Ustinov gives a marvellous portrayal of the famous Belgian detective. His acting is effortless as he easily slips into Hercule Poirot's shoes in this mystery. He is very believable as a the great sleuth and you feel he has been doing this all his life. This also happened to be one of the best Agatha Christie Poirot novels that was dramatized. A mystery so well planned and executed it would fool the best of us. The supporting cast was superb as well and gave great performances. We have a rich list of acclaimed stars giving life to Agatha Christie's characters.
grantss Very intriguing, and scenic, whodunnit.Based on the Agatha Christie novel, our favourite Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, is on a cruise up the Nile. He is surrounded by an interesting assortment of characters, including a wealthy heiress and her husband, on their honeymoon. It appears that everyone hates the heiress...Very interesting, mysterious and tense murder mystery. The backgrounds of the different characters, including potential motives, are explored well before the murder occurs. It is never obvious who the murderer is (at one stage I thought we might have another Murder on the Orient Express on our hands...). Great twist at the end.Great scenery and cinematography too. Shot on the Nile, with the characters also visiting pyramids and other ancient sites. Star-filled cast (as seems to be the custom for Poirot movies): Peter Ustinov (as Poirot), David Niven, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury (who really should have been able to solve the mystery herself...), George Kennedy, Maggie Smith, Olivia Hussey, Jack Warden and Harry Andrews. Also includes Lois Chiles who I am surprised did not turn out to be a bigger star (if you see her in this movie, you'll understand...). Solid performances from all of them. Maggie Smith, as Miss Bowers, gets the funniest lines, though has limited screen time.
binapiraeus After Agatha Christie's world famous fictional sleuth Hercule Poirot, the eccentric Belgian with the distinguished mustache and the brilliant 'little grey cells', had been brought to the screen again at last after many years in 1974 with "Murder on the Orient Express" starring Albert Finney, it took the producers four more years to 'dare' trying their hand at another one of Christie's most famous novels; anyway, it had to become an oeuvre able to compete with the previous film, which had been celebrated from the day of its release as one of the GREATEST movie masterpieces of all times - and yet, they DID manage! The atmosphere of the 30s here is recreated in just the same careful way, with magnificent settings (most of them ACTUALLY genuine, since many scenes were shot on location: the Cataract Hotel in Alexandria, the Pyramids and temples of Ancient Egypt, even the original S.S. Karnak) and most beautifully designed costumes (for which Anthony Powell was awarded an Oscar), the plot, with a few little changes, is kept VERY close to the novel - and the cast, of course, quite equals that of "Murder on the Orient Express": the 'creme de la creme' of Hollywood's past and present superstars give the picture a touch of GREAT glamor. Bette Davis, Angela Lansbury, Mia Farrow, Maggie Smith, David Niven, Olivia Hussey - and, of course, Peter Ustinov in the role of Hercule Poirot!Now, inevitably we're being tempted to compare Albert Finney and Peter Ustinov and ask ourselves: who was the 'better' Poirot? From his appearance, Finney matched Agatha Christie's description more, and his behavior and movements also made us feel that the fictional Poirot had actually come 'alive'. But, on the other hand, Peter Ustinov undeniably spoke better French - and not only that: he actually managed to put his OWN stamp on the role of Hercule Poirot; and one that was so popular with the audience that he'd play the master detective five more times, both on the screen and on TV! In fact, for many people he really became 'identified' with Poirot - thanks to his continental charm, his unique humor, and of course his enormous range of facial expressions and tones of voice.And so, with all these ingredients, this big scale production turned out not only an immediate box office hit, acclaimed and highly praised by the critics and beloved by the audience - but in the course of more than 35 years, has become a REAL modern classic, a sort of 'cult movie' for both Agatha Christie and Peter Ustinov fans; and a wonderfully suspenseful and at the same time entertaining movie to simply watch over and over again!