"Death on the Nile" may be the darkest of the many Hercule Poirot mysteries by Agatha Christie. Although it was one of her early stories about Poirot (published in 1937), it was made into a film late in the series. The significance of that for film fans is that there are some changes in what one had come to expect in the Poirot mystery movies.
The first big change is the absence of Poirot's usual associates. Captain Hastings, Miss Lemon and Chief Inspector Japp are now absent. And, they won't reappear until near the end of the series. Yet, Poirot is never all alone because there's almost always one or more other characters whom he has known and befriended in the past. One such acquaintance appears in a number of the remaining stories - Ariadne Oliver. Zoe Wanamaker plays the woman who is a mystery writer and usually helps Poirot in some way in half a dozen films. In this film, Poirot's acquaintance is Colonel Race, played by James Fox.
The second noticeable change is in Poirot himself, especially his mustache. Instead of the short, turned up mustache that fits neatly above his mouth, he now sports a straight mustache that tapers to points beyond his mouth. This more closely resembles the description that Christie gives of him early on - with a larger mustache. A third change that Christie and Poirot film buffs will notice with this mystery, is its lack of any humor - even light-hearted moments. One suspects that is due partly to the lack of Poirot's usual company, with whom he is more comfortable and at ease, and partly due to the unusually dark nature of this story.
One doesn't know to expect such a darkness at the start of this film. But it's just part of this story and the characters and crimes. With two killers, three murders and a suicide, it is very grim to the very end. I wrote this review with spoilers to include some of this and to point out some very clear clues that one can spot early on. Some critics have complained that Christie withholds clues or evidence from readers, but in this film version of her story, we have two early clues that should lead one to suspect Jacqueline De Bellefort
. In the opening bedroom scene with her lover, Simon Doyle, she says she will think of something so that they will be able to marry and have a good life. Then, when she is with Poirot in the garden veranda outside the hotel dining room, she drops her purse and a small pistol falls out. She tells Poirot that she knows how to use it - that her father taught her to shoot. And, she said she's a very good shot.
So, when she later supposedly shoots Simon at close range aboard the cruise boat, he appears to be shot in the leg. Tipsy or not, someone who was a good shot and angry enough to shoot someone, should be able to hit them in a more critical spot on their body. What's particularly interesting is that Poirot never seems to suspect her at all - or remember how handy she said she was with a gun. But Poirot also seemed to be taken in by Jacqueline, feeling empathy for her, and counseling her to bear up and get over her anger at the loss of her fiancé to her former best friend.
This seemed too much out of character for Poirot. But it is testimony to the convincing portrayal by Emma Malin in the role, and to Christie for the ingenious plot.
Here are two poignant lines that reflect the dark nature of this film.
Joanna Southwood, "Isn't it awful when one's friends fall on hard times? One simply has to drop them."
Jacqueline De Bellefort, "It's so dreadfully easy killing people, Monsieur Poirot. You begin to feel that it doesn't matter."
The first big change is the absence of Poirot's usual associates. Captain Hastings, Miss Lemon and Chief Inspector Japp are now absent. And, they won't reappear until near the end of the series. Yet, Poirot is never all alone because there's almost always one or more other characters whom he has known and befriended in the past. One such acquaintance appears in a number of the remaining stories - Ariadne Oliver. Zoe Wanamaker plays the woman who is a mystery writer and usually helps Poirot in some way in half a dozen films. In this film, Poirot's acquaintance is Colonel Race, played by James Fox.
The second noticeable change is in Poirot himself, especially his mustache. Instead of the short, turned up mustache that fits neatly above his mouth, he now sports a straight mustache that tapers to points beyond his mouth. This more closely resembles the description that Christie gives of him early on - with a larger mustache. A third change that Christie and Poirot film buffs will notice with this mystery, is its lack of any humor - even light-hearted moments. One suspects that is due partly to the lack of Poirot's usual company, with whom he is more comfortable and at ease, and partly due to the unusually dark nature of this story.
One doesn't know to expect such a darkness at the start of this film. But it's just part of this story and the characters and crimes. With two killers, three murders and a suicide, it is very grim to the very end. I wrote this review with spoilers to include some of this and to point out some very clear clues that one can spot early on. Some critics have complained that Christie withholds clues or evidence from readers, but in this film version of her story, we have two early clues that should lead one to suspect Jacqueline De Bellefort
. In the opening bedroom scene with her lover, Simon Doyle, she says she will think of something so that they will be able to marry and have a good life. Then, when she is with Poirot in the garden veranda outside the hotel dining room, she drops her purse and a small pistol falls out. She tells Poirot that she knows how to use it - that her father taught her to shoot. And, she said she's a very good shot.
So, when she later supposedly shoots Simon at close range aboard the cruise boat, he appears to be shot in the leg. Tipsy or not, someone who was a good shot and angry enough to shoot someone, should be able to hit them in a more critical spot on their body. What's particularly interesting is that Poirot never seems to suspect her at all - or remember how handy she said she was with a gun. But Poirot also seemed to be taken in by Jacqueline, feeling empathy for her, and counseling her to bear up and get over her anger at the loss of her fiancé to her former best friend.
This seemed too much out of character for Poirot. But it is testimony to the convincing portrayal by Emma Malin in the role, and to Christie for the ingenious plot.
Here are two poignant lines that reflect the dark nature of this film.
Joanna Southwood, "Isn't it awful when one's friends fall on hard times? One simply has to drop them."
Jacqueline De Bellefort, "It's so dreadfully easy killing people, Monsieur Poirot. You begin to feel that it doesn't matter."