With every decade or so , someone creates a retelling of this Agatha Christie tale of folks disappearing. By the way , none of the cosy Miss Marple here , this is not one of those and would appeal to those who would otherwise be discouraged by the twee style of Marple ! I probably first saw this version forty years ago and what has always stuck in my mind even all this time after is the music ! The film seems to be rarely shown now however I recently was pleased to see it repeated on Talking Pictures TV. An interesting cast mix and although the desert location adds a new interest, I feel this is not the best version yet is somehow engaging due to its '70's ness! Herbert Lom makes a good and convincing Doctor Armstrong and Oliver Reed is fascinating in his whispering delivery. Charles Aznavour gets to sing his signature tune and model a colourful jacket . Richard Attenborough, an actor capable of some of the best acting you will ever see (10 Rillington Place, Seance on a Wet Afternoon ) rather just walks through this film with an indignant stare and I'm afraid rather over does his finale for my money . The methods of dispatch do not seem to follow the Nursery Rhyme in some cases. However , it is always interesting to see how with each successive version of the story just how the murders will take place. There has to be a certain suspension of belief in just how agile and omnipresent the murderer appears to be, given who it is !The accusations scene near the start is the best of any of the versions , with that wonderful 70's lounge music underlying the tones of Orson Welles . All in all not the best version of the story ( the 1945 one still is) but worth a look for the curious. !!!!!!!MAJOR SPOILER ......I recall when this was shown many years ago on TV there was a sort of "make your mind up " break before the finale in which a narrator prompted us to guess the murderer, showing clips of the likely suspects but also saying "or is it xxxxxx , is xxxxx really dead ? " , even going so far as showing xxxx getting up from dead position ....it was rather a give away but I wonder if that version still exists ?
Review of Ein Unbekannter rechnet ab
