From showman-director, Kenneth Branagh, comes the latest rendition of this Agatha Christie classic, Murder on the Orient Express. The Orient Express is considered an epitome of luxury on rails. It was created in 1883. While the route of the Orient Express has changed often, with Paris and Istanbul remaining fixtures on most routes, the Orient Express in this tale, travels from Istanbul to London.

Branaugh’s rendition is massive in magnitude in terms of outdoor locations, sets and a stellar ensemble cast. The movie’s opening scenes offer breathtaking views of Jerussalem, Istanbul and throughout the movie, we are presented, with snow covered picture postcard scenery as the train makes its way through mountainous locales.

Add to this an ensemble cast of Branaugh, Depp, Pfeiffer, Odom Jr et. al and even a movie whose plot is familiar to the viewer becomes engaging fare. The premise is a common one for whodunits, a dead body, an astute sleuth, several suspects and at least one of them is guilty of homicide. As the Orient Express caters to the elites of society, most of the passengers are affluent.

The 12 suspects include a rich American widow, a businessman, the businessman’s assistant, his manservant, an old Russian woman of royalty, a Hungarian government official and his spouse, a physician, a baby sitter, a missionary, a car salesman and a college professor.

Joining them is legendary and world renowned Belgian detective,Agatha Chirtie’s most famous sleuth, Hercule, Poiroit. While Christie’s Poirot is is short, overweight and balding, Kenneth Branaugh’s Hercule Poirot is tall, lanky, groomed and well maintained. Like Christie’s Poirot, Branaugh sports a large mustache.

Branaugh has taken several poetic liberties in altering the plot at many places, sometimes to captivate the viewer and at other times, to make the plot more politically correct for our time. For instance, at the beginning of the movie, we see Poirot in Jerusalem solving the mystery of a theft of a relic. After completing the task, Poirot heads to Istanbul to take a respite from solving crime soaked mysteries. This part is not in the book.

However, upon arrival at Istanbul, Poirot receives a telegram informing him that his services are in need immediately in London. Through a friend, Bouc who is a director of the company, which operates the Orient Express, Poirot manages to secure a bunk on the Orient Express.

The next parts of the movie is commonplace in typical whodunits. We are acquainted with the 12 passengers in the car of the train, that Poirot has bunked in. There is an unsavory businessman, Rachett(Depp) who accosts Poirot and asks Poirot to be his bodyguard, as Rachett has many enemies, who may harm him.

Poirot refuses the responsibility. At this time, any viewer who is familiar with whodunits would have an ominous premonition that something evil is in the offing.

The businessman, as expected is killed and Poirot plunges into the investigation, interrogating the suspects. The rest of the movie is how Poirot uncovers the person or persons responsible for the deed. Unlike an earlier rendition of the book, which was also made with a stellar ensemble cast and with Albert Finney playing Poirot, this rendition takes on a dark, more serious overtone.

Viewers who have seen the older version will realize that the celebration and clinking of Champaign glasses, after the murder is solved has not been included in this version. Poirot quietly leaves the passengers after bidding them a morose goodbye, probably to do some soul -earching on his own.

One other place where Branaugh has taken his poetic license is with the doctor’s character. This character who was played by Sean Connery in the older rendition is an African American individual, very well played by Odom Jr. This is Branaugh’s attempt to give the plot a more contemporary feel.

If one is unfamiliar with how the plot end, she will like the end of this movie, and find it unexpected and unpredictable. For the rest of us, the movie is still a good watch mainly because of the great performances from seasoned actors who enact the characters in the story. This movie is recommended for any fans of mystery or thrillers.

Trivia

In 1953, when it was decided that ‘Murder On the Orient Express’ was going to be made in cinematic form, there was skepticism as to whether a Beligian sleuth like Poirot would resonate with an American audience. At this point it was proposed that Raymond Chandler’s Marlowe would tag team with Poirot in the movie. Luckily this plan fell through.

Raymond Chandler himself took a dig at the improbable ending of “Murder On The Orient Express” saying that ‘The end was so ridiculous that only a half-wit could guess it.’ (courtesy: Justin Chang, NPR)

Cast: ,Johnny Depp, Kenneth Branagh, Leslie Odom Jr.,Michelle Pfeiffer

Director Kenneth Branagh,

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Quotes:

Poirot: The impossible could not have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances.

Poirot : I am of an age where I know what I like and what I do not like. What I like, I enjoy enormously. What I dislike, I cannot abide. For instance, the temporary pleasantries before what is determined to be a business discussion.

Poirot: Whatever people say, there is right. There is wrong. There is nothing in-between.

Poirot: Romance never goes unpunished.

One of the suspects: To a man with a hammer, every problem is a nail. You live crime. You see evil every day.

Poirot’s response: Not so. I see enough crime to know that the criminal act is the anomaly. I believe it takes a fracture of the soul to murder another human being.