Death on the Nile (1978 film)

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Death on the Nile
Original Film Poster
Directed by	John Guillermin
Produced by	John Brabourne Richard B. Goodwin
Written by	Novel: Agatha Christie Screenplay: Anthony Shaffer
Starring	Peter Ustinov Simon MacCorkindale Lois Chiles Mia Farrow Bette Davis George Kennedy Maggie Smith Angela Lansbury Olivia Hussey David Niven Jon Finch Jack Warden Jane Birkin
Music by	Nino Rota
Cinematography	Jack Cardiff
Editing by	Malcolm Cooke
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	6 October 1978
Running time	140 min
Country	UK
Language	English
IMDb profile

Death on the Nile is a 1978 film based on an Agatha Christie mystery novel of the same title, directed by John Guillermin. The film features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot played by Peter Ustinov. It takes place in Egypt, mostly on the Nile River. Many of the cultural highlights of Egypt are also featured in the film, such as the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, and temples at Abu Simbal and Karnak.

Peter Ustinov played Poirot again in Evil Under the Sun in 1982.

1 Plot Summary
2 Differences from the novel
3 Cast
4 Reception
5 Awards & Nominations
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Plot Summary

The film begins with a meeting between wealthy heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) and her close friend Jacqueline de Bellefort (Mia Farrow). Jackie wants her fiancé, Simon Doyle (Simon MacCorkindale), to work for Linnet. But he and Linnet have a whirlwind affair and end up marrying. While honeymooning in Egypt, they are continually hounded by a jilted Jackie. In an attempt to get away, the Doyles board a Nile paddle steamer.

The next day, when the passengers venture off-shore to examine a nearby temple, a large boulder is pushed off a pillar narrowly missing Simon and Linnet. They once again encounter Jackie, who boards the ship, and ignoring Poirot's warnings to stay away she reveals that she carries a small pistol. After a late-night game of cards in the ship's lounge, Jackie confronts Simon, and after an argument, shoots him in a drunken rage, hitting him in the leg. Shortly thereafter, Linnet Ridgeway is discovered murdered in her cabin, shot in the head by a similar weapon, with almost everyone aboard the S.S. Karnak having had a reason to want to do away with the heiress. The pistol is missing.

Her jewels were coveted by elderly Mrs. van Schuyler (Bette Davis). Van Schyler’s nurse, Miss Bowers (Maggie Smith), was forced into servitude when Linnet’s father destroyed her family. The maid, Louise Borget (Jane Birkin), was upset because Linnet refused her a promised dowry. James Ferguson (Jon Finch), a Communist, resented Linnet's life of luxury. Eccentric novelist Salome Otterbourne (Angela Lansbury) was facing a libel suit brought by Linnet. The author's daughter Rosalie (Olivia Hussey) wants to protect her mother. American lawyer Andrew Pennington (George Kennedy) has been embezzling from the Ridgeway family. Dr. Ludwig Bessner (Jack Warden) was upset because Linnet made defamatory remarks about his clinic. Jacqueline de Bellefort was upset with Linnet for obvious reasons. Poirot admits he found out all this by being a "nasty evesdropper", while Pennington blatantly tried to get Linnet to sign contracts in front of everybody without letting her read them. Now it’s up to Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov), along with his vacationing friend Col. Race (David Niven), to solve the mystery.

Jackie is a natural suspect but has a perfect alibi, having been sedated and observed by Miss Bowers. Simon Doyle was also unable to commit the crime due to his leg wound. Poirot is convinced someone had been walking on deck and overhearing the argument before the shooting, removed the gun and used it to kill Linnet. While Poirot and Race conduct their investigations, the maid Louise is murdered. Her throat had been cut by one of Dr. Bessner's scalpels and a fragment of a banknote was in her hand. Poirot realizes she probably saw the murderer coming out of Linnet's cabin and attempted to extort money in return for her silence. Salome Otterbourne in turn has seen Louise's murderer and is about to tell Poirot when she is shot in the head through an open cabin door with Pennington's revolver, too large to have been used on Linnet.

A bundle had been found in the Nile. The pistol wrapped in Mrs. van Schuyler's stole with a bullet hole in it. The stole was used to muffle sound and scorching, as seen around Linnet's injury. The only witness to Doyle's shooting was Rosalie who confirms that the stole was not used. A hankerchief was also included stained with red ink, some of which was found in Linnet's nail-varnish.

With several suspects eliminated, Poirot reveals the solution -- that Simon Doyle murdered his wife, with Jacqueline as his accomplice. They staged Simon's shooting, leaving him free to murder Linnet while the doctor was being fetched by Mr. Ferguson and as Jacqueline was attended to by Miss Bowers. Simon was left alone long enough to shoot Linnet, then return to the lounge and shoot himself in the leg. Jackie covered up, stealing the knife and revolver, and killed the maid and Salome Otterbourne, who were witnesses to the murders. Poirot convinces Simon that his hands would be tested for grains of gunpowder removed with wax. When they realize that they have been found out, it is revealed that Simon's marriage to Linnet had been cleverly plotted in order to gain her money. In a love embrace, Jackie covertly takes back her pistol and shoots Simon - then herself.

[edit] Differences from the novel

The character line-up was changed significantly from the novel: Cornelia Robson, Fanthorp, Richetti, the Allertons, Joanna Southwood, and Lord Charles Windelsham were deleted. The remaining characters' roles were altered due to the deletion of the above eight characters: Rosalie witnesses Simon's "shooting", not Cornelia, and it is Ferguson who falls in love with her, not Tim Allerton. Fanthorp's role in investigating Pennington's embezzlement is given to Colonel Race. The sub-plot regarding the fake pearls is minor, but the rich American Heiress is found to have stolen and replaced them. And there is no mention of Linnet getting married before she meets Simon.

[edit] Cast

Actor	Role
Peter Ustinov	Hercule Poirot
Lois Chiles	Linnet Ridgeway Doyle
Simon MacCorkindale	Simon Doyle
Mia Farrow	Jacqueline De Bellefort
Jane Birkin	Louise Borget
George Kennedy	Andrew Pennington
Bette Davis	Marie Van Schuyler
Maggie Smith	Miss Bowers
Angela Lansbury	Salome Otterbourne
Olivia Hussey	Rosalie Otterbourne
David Niven	Colonel Johnny Race
Jon Finch	Mr. James Ferguson
Jack Warden	Dr. Bessner
Celia Imrie	Maid
Harry Andrews	Barnstable

[edit] Reception

Death on the Nile received generally positive reviews, with a 73% fresh rating on Rottentomates.com, based on 11 reviews. "Fine entertainment that is lovely to look at and easy to enjoy" and "made more watchable because of its all-star cast". Some reviews mention that it "suffers by comparison with Murder on the Orient Express".

The film was expected to be popular with audiences as the recent discovery and tour of the tomb of King Tut had peaked interest in Egyptian artifacts. However, the box office return was $14.5 million in the United States, lower than the $25 million high for Orient Express, despite its generally positive reviews and similar formula of exotic locales, sumptious period detail, and all-star cast.^[1]