Agatha Christie originally wrote Death on the Nile in 1937. Peter Ustinov played Christie’s famous detective
and mustache enthusiast Hercule Poirot (one of six times) in the 1978 movie
version of the story. Here – it is
Director Kenneth Branagh’s second appearance as Poirot in his follow-up to the 2017
Murder on the Orient Express.
As with many Poirot mysteries, this story begins with a fairly simple set-up: Poirot is on semi-vacation in Egypt when he meets up with his friend Bouc and Bouc’s mother, in town for the wedding celebration holiday for socialite Linnet Ridgeway and her new Husband Simon Doyle. Linnet approaches Poirot and asks him to join due to some worries about her former friend Jacqueline de Bellefort. As Simon’s former fiancée, she is slightly unhinged and has begun stalking the couple. From there, things get more complicated as each of the guests seems to have shady reasons for being there and legitimate reasons for disliking Linnet. Her former fiancée, Linus Windlesham, is also aboard, along with her cousin and business trustee Andres Katchadourian. Linnet’s personal maid seems to have some suspicious intentions, as well as Salome Otterbourne, a famous jazz singer and Salome’s manager/niece, Rosalie. There’s also Linnet’s godmother, Marie Van Schuyler, who recently became a communist, and her nurse, Mrs. Bowers – who may or may not just be along to watch Marie’s health.
As the trip goes along, sure enough, Linnet ends up dead on a boat, and Poirot has to prove – in very dramatic fashion - which of the very suspicious guests committed the murder.
Once again directed by Branagh, the movie looks lovely for the most part, but does seem to drag a bit more than its predecessor. This is not entirely unexpected. With this many suspects, it does take time to explain them all and provide reasons they are on the boat and their relationship to the victim. Branagh does well with that, but adds a backstory for Poirot and his mustache that was never in the Christie books. That feels both self-indulgent and oddly necessary to cement Poirot as the lead and central character in a movie that spends a lot of time on everyone else. The cast is all good, but there are so many of them, it did feel like I needed one of the papers from my Clue: Master Detective game to keep everyone straight.
Tom Bateman returns as Bouc from the Orient Express – he functions both as guest and Poirot’s assistance and friend. Annette Bening joins as Euphemia, Bouc’s mother. She is a very serious painter and has no interest in allowing Bouc to fraternize with Rosalie, who he has fallen in love with. Letitia Wright brings just the right level of energy to Rosalie and Sophie Okonedo is very fun as Salome, who is less interested in Rosalie and Bouc’s relationship, but more interested in flirting with Poirot.
Gal Gadot seems perfectly cast as the aloof socialite Linnet and Armie Hammer fits well as her new husband. It’s pretty easy to see why so many have an issue with her, and the marriage. Although, step one for them may have been to not invite so many former fiancees on the trip. Rose Leslie plays Linnet’s personal maid, Louise Bourget, and of course, Linnet doesn’t treat her all that well, so she certainly looks like a suspect.
Emma Mackey was interesting as Jacqueline – she is very up front about her intentions to simply cause havoc. She knows Simon is still in love with her and lets Poirot know she intends to keep stalking the couple until he admits it. Nothing like being up front about your intentions.
Russell Brand plays Dr. Windlesham and again, seems very unhappy about being on board for his former fiancee’s wedding celebration. Ali Fazal plays her cousin and he is just a little too concerned about bringing up business decisions at random times.
French & Saunders reunite to play Bowers and Marie Von Schuyler, which is a treat for those who remember their sketch comedy pairings. Here, Marie is just a little too loud about how much money her goddaughter has, and Bowers is conveniently ready to help out with spending it.
Overall, the movie in entertaining and it is always fun to try to figure out exactly who the killer is as the story unfolds. I started out right, then changed my mind, then was way wrong, then came back to being right. That is one of the appeals of a murder mystery. I will say that I found this one a little slow with too many characters. That is a bit of an odd complaint on my part as I learned the book had even more characters and suspects!
5 out of 10
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