DEATH ON THE NILE

UK, 1978, 140 minutes, Colour.
Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Lois Chiles, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Jon Finch, Olivia Hussey, I.S.Johar, George Kennedy, Angela Lansbury, Simon Mac Corkindale, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Jack Warden, Harry Andrews, Sam Wanamaker.
Directed by John Guillermin.

Death on the Nile is designed (successfully) for those who enjoyed orient Express. Peter Ustinov makes a portly, jovial Poirot (more Ustinov than Poirot) assisted by David Niven as Colonel Race. The opulent British opening, beautiful Egyptian locations give us exotic Agatha Christie-land. The mystery is good (written by Anthony Shaffer of Sleuth fame) and the suspects numerous and the audience eminently trickable. Bette Davis (over-embalmed?), Maggie Smith do the expected thing well; Angela Lansbury overdoes it scenestealingly. Mia Farrow is given a good vigorous part for a change. Leisurely, likable, witty and doing justice to Agatha Christie's oddly dated, unreal but engaging world of death and puzzle. Angela Lansbury became Miss Marple in The Mirror Cracked.

1. Audience response to Agatha Christie's mysteries, world, Poirot? An 'old world' of the '30s and the '40s. how well does it transplant to the '70s? An adaptation to contemporary responses?

2. The star treatment, Peter Ustinov as Poirot? The location photography, Egypt, the use of the past? The British introduction? How did this all contribute to a particular atmosphere and time?

3. Audience response to the variety of stars? How did their performances correspond to expectations? Did they transcend expectations? Especially Mia Farrow and the revelations at the end?

4. The appeal of Agatha Christie as a writer? Her mystery, suspects,, the clues given,. the attention drawn away from the guilty? How well did this film capture her style visually? The build-up to the murder,, the variety of characters. the complexity of their motivations., the drawing of attention away from the guilty parties?

5. Why do audiences enjoy murder mysteries? The puzzle, the tricks, the clues. the variety of possibilities,, the attention that must be given., the revelation sequence? How satisfying was the film in this way?

6. Audience expectations of Hercule Poirot? As Agatha Christie described him, presented him? Peter Ustinov's embodiment of him? His mannerisms, his quickwittedness, his slowness in picking up some clues? The celebrity that people turn to? Exercising his brain on the matter? The revelation sequence? A genial man, a kind nun, his particular snobberies and foibles? His friendship with the Colonel? Their working together?

7. The importance of the visuals of the Nile and the dramatic music during the credits, the transition to Britain.. wealth? The attention to detail - the butler and the staff lined up, Lynette and her arriving? Jacqui and her presence? The bond with Lynette? The build-up to Jacqui’s romance and telling Lynette about Simon? Lynette and her haughtiness? The ironic transition from Simon's arrival and love for Jacqui to his marrying Lynette and the photos of each? Audience judgment on Jacqui’s sincerity, Lynette's attitudes?

8. The focus on Lynette as victim? The spoilt heiress. her arrogance, her behaviour towards the various people on the ship? The irony of their all being in Egypt? The reaction of each to Lynette in Cairo e.g. at the dinner and the dancing? The fact that she was unlikeable and so could be murdered? Did audience sympathy lie in her direction, in her death?

9. The atmosphere of Egypt, wealth, the hotel, elegance, dressing up for dinner in the traditional British style? Simon and Lynette as the romantic couple? Their riding together near the pyramids, kissing, dancing, romance and the ship? The irony of Jacqui’s appearances and her vengeful attitudes? The fact that Poirot observed these things and pleaded with Jacqui? How important was the confrontation between Poirot and Jacqui and its disastrous repercussions at the end?

10. Poirot in himself as a character in this story, his reputation, presence. genial personality, his hearing so much of what the characters were saying, his moving slowly, his attitudes towards detection, his revelation? His vanity, Belgian pride?

11. David Niven as Colonel Race and his typical style? Elegant, enjoyable? His attitude towards the French, the typically British Colonel? His assisting Poirot? A likable character for the audience and for identifying with him in the search for the truth?

12. The build-up of the suspects: Salome and Rosalie: their appearance, mother and daughter, the flamboyance of Salome in her dress, her talk, her permissive attitudes, her novels and their censorship, the court case and her being prosecuted, her attitude towards Lynette? Rosalie and the burden of her mother, her love for her mother? The importance of Rosalie's falling in love? Her participation in the sequence when Simon was wounded? Salome and her knowledge of the truth and the suddenness of her death? Angela Lansbury's clever characterisation? Rosalie as the sweet young heroine? Ferguson and his mouthing of anti-British and anti-wealthy slogans? His acid attitude towards life, the way that he was dressed, his frowning, his presence on the boat? His comments on the various characters and his antagonism towards Lynette? The inevitability of the romance with Rosalie? Mrs. van Schyler and Bette Davis' strength in portraying the old woman? Spoilt, pushy, fighting with Bowers, coveting the pearls, stealing them, denying this, returning them? Bowers as her assistant - the initial appearance with her smoking the cigarette, the catty fights with Mrs. van Schyler, her presence on the boat, acting as nurse, the link of her family with that of Lynette? The doctor and his Germanic background, his attitude towards Lynette and trying to persuade her not to ruin his reputation, his activity as doctor with the various killings? Louise and her presence with Lynette, her being ill-treated by her, her knowledge of what was going on, blackmail and the violence of her death? A sufficient gallery of characters? The crew of the ship? Who was most likely to be murderer before the revelation?

13. The importance of the visual flashbacks and the visualising of the possibilities of each of the characters having done the crimes? Dramatically interesting, helpful for the imagination and for suspects?

14. The atmosphere of the early part of the film in Egypt, going on the boat, the crew, the dance etc.? Playing cards? The socialising?

15. The importance of the visit to the ruins - the atmosphere of the ruins, the history of Egypt, interesting but sinister? The importance of the stone being thrown down? Jacqui and her presence at the ruins? The various suspects and their behaviour at the ruins especially when the stone was thrown?

16. The build-up to the evening of the attempt on Simon, the playing of the cards, the placing of the people, the drugging of the wine? Jacqui’s hysterical outburst and the shot? The activity in helping Simon, in helping Jacqui, the involvement of all the characters that night?

17. Poirot's reconstruction of what Jacqui had done and the visualising of this? The callousness of their plan, their love for one another? Mia Farrow's range in presenting the various aspects of Jacqui’s character and her guilt, especially her quick-wittedness and the murders?

18. George Kennedy and American big business, New York offices, the American abroad, attempt on Lynette with the boulder?

19. The build-up of melodrama towards the end especially when Poirot told the truth? The feelings of each of the characters about their guilt? Jacqui’s confessing the truth, her final speech, the initiative of her killing Simon and herself?

20. What was the audience left with: the study of a crime, the presentation of passion, greed? Aspects of human nature? The curiosity of the human mind to detect the truth? The finale with Poirot and Colonel Race and the corpses?

21. How appealing as an entertainment? Why was it popular?