DEATH CRUISE

US, 1974, 90 minutes, Colour.
Richard Long, Polly Bergen, Edward Albert, Kate Jackson, Celeste Holm, Tom Bosley, Michael Constantine.
Directed by Ralph Senensky.

A brief entertaining murder mystery, which owes a great deal to Agatha Christie's Ten Little Niggers (And Then There Were None). The film has the atmosphere of such television series as The Love Boat and makes it the situation for a succession of murders. Michael Constantine has a good role as the ship's doctor who has to unravel the mystery. The film stars Kate Jackson in a pre-Charlie's Angels role. There are interesting brief performances from Polly Bergen, Tom Bosley and Celeste Holm. Richard Long has an unusual role. Average in its way but nevertheless engrossing while on screen.

1. The impact of telemovies, the influence of television series with their styles? Cast? Glossy production?

2. The variation on the Agatha Christie theme of the murderer die, appearing as victim and killing the others? The strength of the plot? The intricacies of the screen play? The twist with Mary at the end? The cruise, the sea voyage style, the Caribbean atmosphere?

3. The introductions to each couple? How well did the film develop the situations and characters with a brief space of time? The successful communication of personalities, some depth? The puzzle in not knowing why the victims were killed, who would be next? The effect of the murders on each of the characters?

4. How well did the film give clues, indications for the solution: Jerry's cigarette case after he disappeared, his being the first to go, the mysterious doctor and his disguise, Mary and her shooting, the brief contact between Jerry and Mary?

5. The focus on the doctor - personality, arrival, Navy background, the encounter with the Captain, his friendliness to the groups, his sitting at the table and being in the photo, his skill in detection, his methods? His final confrontation with Jerry, with Mary? An effective detective character?

6. The relationship between Jerry and Sylvia? Their bickering her humiliation, his flirting behaviour, meals, dancing? His making up to her when hurt and her forgiving him? Her reaction to his death? Her consolation to Mr Mason? The violence of her death and the irony that Jerry was wanting to kill her?

7. The contrast with the relationship between David and Elizabeth - older, her concentrating on the children, their long marriage, discussion in the stateroom. meals, their background, David's aggression about his job for Jimmy to guess it, his complaining about Elizabeth and her thinking of the children, her complaining about his absences and her whole life being the children? His gruffness? Her private sorrow and then her death? His reaction and grief, the encounter with Sylvia? The ugliness of his death? The quick sketch of a long marriage and disillusionment and yet love? The lack of opportunity to express the truth?

8. Mary and Jimmy, the second honeymoon, their compatibility, dancing, the meals? Mary and her outlet in shooting? The discussions about the baby? The ugliness of Jimmy's death? The irony of the truth?

9. The build-up to suspense as the captain took charge, the doctor investigated, the arrangements made about legalities? The protection of the remaining victims and their deaths?

10. The confrontation of Jerry on the beach, his explanation of things, his killing the doctor but Mary's shooting him? Mary and her seeming innocence and the irony that she was the mastermind and the strongest?

11. The quality of the mystery and audience participation in solving it?

12. The strength of characterisation and situations? The credibility of the events, the characters, motivation?