subject: Review of the film Death On The Nile [print this page] Review of the film Death On The Nile Review of the film Death On The Nile
Death On The Nile is one of Agatha Christies most famous novels and it was the first of the author's films I saw. The 1978 classic saw Peter Ustinov star as the fictional, Belgium detective Hercule Poirot and his travelling companion Colonel Race who was played by David Niven.
As the title suggests, the film is set on the River Nile in Egypt. When a young heiress is murdered, Poirot is called upon to solve the crime. The film is set on board the Nile River boat the SS Cataract with stops at some of Egypt's best known ancient sites.
After Linnet Doyle (nee Ridgeway) is murdered it soon becomes apparent that there is more than one person with a potential motive for murder. Linnet Doyle was on honeymoon in Egypt with her new husband Simon. The couple were being followed by Jacqueline, Simon's jilted lover. She follows the couple from the Pyramids in Cairo down to the Nile and boards the SS Cataract.
Linnet Doyle was the first murder victim and as Poirot began to investigate, the other suspects motives started to be revealed. Her valuable necklace was coveted by Mrs van Schuyler, Salome Otterbourne faced a libel suit from Doyle over something she had written, Doyle had refused her maid the dowry she had promised and there were others too.
As the boat cruised down the Nile stopping at places including the Temple of Karnak, Aswan and the Temple of Abu Simbel, other passengers were also being killed. Eventually Poirot works out the clues and the murderers are unmasked. Simon Doyle had married Linnet to gain access to her money. With her out of the way, Simon would be free to marry his true love, Jacqueline.
The deaths don't stop here as in desperation, Jacqueline first shoots Simon and then herself rather than face justice. Originally written in the 1930s, the story is a Christie classic. Although some of the trips are unlikely (such as cruising from Karnak to Abu Simbel in an afternoon), this doesn't detract from the film at all. Fortunately, todays holiday makers don't experience quite so much drama on their Nile Cruise holidays.
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