TEN LITTLE INDIANS

UK, 1989, 98 minutes. Colour.
Donald Pleasence, Frank Stallone, Sarah Maur Thorp, Herbert Lom, Brenda Vaccaro, Warren Berlinger, Yehuda Efroni, Paul L. Smith, Moira Lister, Neil Mc Carthy.
Directed by Alan Birkinshaw.

This is the fourth version of Agatha Christie’s novel Ten Little Indians (originally Ten Little Niggers but changed because of sensibilities).

It was filmed in 1945 by distinguished French director Rene Clair with a strong cast including Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston, Louis Hayward and Judith Anderson. It was remade in the 1960s as Ten Little Indians by director George Pollock (who had directed the Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple films). It was also made by Peter Collinson in 1974 with an international cast including Charles Aznavour, Stefane Audran, Gert Frobe, Elke Sommer and with Richard Attenborough.

This version is set in Africa, the guests invited to a safari rather than to an isolated island. Nevertheless, they are isolated.

A voice reveals that each of the ten people assembled has been invited because they have been guilty of a murder and they are to pay for their crimes. One by one, the characters are killed off. The mystery is that the killer has to be one of the ten – which makes it difficult for the very last two. In this version, Vera Claythorn is the innocent party and survives with Frank Stallone as Captain Philip Lombard – also innocent because he had taken the place of a friend who could not come.

The film is a B-company rather than an A-list. Brenda Vaccaro acts the grande dame as a Hollywood star, Herbert Lom (who had been the doctor in the previous version, is the general) Paul L. Smith who appeared in spaghetti westerns with Moira Lister as his wife. Sarah Maur Thorp is Vera Claythorn. The focus of the film is on Donald Pleasence as the former judge.

The judge is the murderer, faking his own death – and was played in the various films by Barry Fitzgerald, Wilfrid Hyde White and Richard Attenborough. Donald Pleasence seems to be perfectly cast as the judge.

The film is not an outstanding version of an Agatha Christie novel – but, because the plot is sufficiently strong, audiences enjoy the mystery. Even if they know that the judge is the murderer, it is interesting to see how he manages the deaths of the other guests.

1. The popularity of this Agatha Christie story? Novel, play, the various film versions?

2. The Agatha Christie formula, diverting audience attention from the killer? Setting up the mystery? The focus on the plot – and the variety of characters and what they represent, rather than developing the characters?

3. The African locations, the safari, the period setting? The dunes and the desert, the mountains? The plot utilising the landscapes? The arrival of the guests, their isolation, the plane flying over, the final rescue? The musical score?

4. The title, the rhyme, its being repeated throughout the film, the murders based on the rhyme? The statues and their continually disappearing?

5. The opening, the gathering of the characters? In Africa? Their not knowing each other? The mystery? The host and his absence – and the irony of his name: U.N. Owen?

6. Philip Lombard and his being the guide? Frank Stallone and his Stallone appearance? Strong? His support of the group? His relationship with Vera? Survival? The suspicions of Vera? The happy ending and the rescue? His taking the place of a friend? The various situations which made him suspicious, especially the gun and the bullets?

7. Anhony Marston, the Englishman, his denial of his crime, the careless attitude, his choking to death?

8. Mr and Mrs Rogers, the revelation of their story, as servants, the death of their patron? Their coming to Africa? Mrs Rogers and her fears, her death? Mr Rogers and his defiance of the group, going to sit on the top of the hill, the axe?

9. The judge, his reputation as a hanging judge? His working with the doctor? Faking his own death? His reappearance, evil? His boasting of the murder of the doctor after his being complicit? His confrontation of Lombard and Vera? The seeming death of Lombard? Hanging Vera, taunting her, his illness, taking the poison? His vindictiveness?

10. The general, his military background, his nervousness, his being pushed over the cliff?

11. Marian Marshall, the Hollywood star, the accusation of murder of her companion, the sexual relationship? Her death?

12. The detective, his reputation, responsible for the death? People relying on him? His being killed?

13. The doctor, the background, his access to the means for killing people, medical? Syringes? His helping the judge, his own death?

14. The cumulative effect of the disappearing of the victims? Their paying for their crimes as described by the mysterious voice? The rescue of the two innocent people? The death of the judge?