I'm sure I found this at least amusing....tho not riveting...when it was new. But it pales when compared with the Suchet version in every way, and most particularly in pacing, which is excruciating. And the photography. Strained through a clotted scrim....what's with that? I found myself more taken with the costumes than the plot.....that cannot be good. And poor Ustinov has been so overshadowed as to be irrelevant.

DEATH ON THE NILE is the lavish, Hollywood blockbuster version of one of the Agatha Christie/Hercule Poirot stories, featuring an all-star cast and plenty of money to bring the scenery and setting to life (the film was shot on location throughout Egypt). It's certainly a fine-looking thing with some expert direction from the reliable John Guillermin (who knew a thing or two about directing all-star casts since making THE TOWERING INFERNO).My only complaint about DEATH ON THE NILE? It's overlong. It takes an hour for the plot to really kick into motion and some of the narrative before that point feels quite stark and obvious - the careful setting up of each character's murderous motives, for example. I also found the ending reveal to be easily guessable, but that's only because I've had experience of it with other Christie adaptations, so I had a feeling I knew where the story was going.Otherwise this is great fun and basically a showcase for the actors to strut their stuff. Peter Ustinov has the biggest role and succeeds in making his Poirot likable. David Niven plays second fiddle and turns out to be great at it - one of the warmest turns I've seen from him. Bette Davis is, well, Bette Davis, and larger than life as always, while Jon Finch is a pleasant surprise as I always wondered what happened to him after FRENZY. Olivia Hussey and George Kennedy are underutilised but always welcome presences in cinema. Lois Chiles makes for a very convincing heiress to the degree that I didn't recognise her from her roles in the Bond franchise. Angela Lansbury is great comic relief and Maggie Smith plays her usual aloof character. And I've always found Simon MacCorkindale a warm and charismatic player, quite underrated by the public, and certainly not just a handsome face.

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.

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!