Search - Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1974 DVD Release: 09/07/2004 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Restored/Remastered,Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 7 mins Studio: Paramount Members Wishing: 5 Genres: Mystery, Detective Film, Ensemble Film, Whodunit See Also: Murder on the Orient Express [Circuit City Exclusive] [Checkpoint], Murder on Orient Express

Like many of Agatha Christie's mysteries, Murder on the Orient Express is predicated on an actual event, in this case the Lindbergh kidnapping. In the movie, everyone on board the Orient Express seems to have concluded that hateful financier Ratchett (Richard Widmark) was behind the abduction and murder of the infant daughter of a famed aviatrix. Thus, when Ratchett is himself found murdered, everyone is suspect. Normally, the police would handle the investigation, but the train has been stalled by a snowslide halfway between Istanbul and Paris. Thus, it's up to the insufferable but brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (an unrecognizable Albert Finney) to activate his "little grey cells" and determine who's guilty. Among the suspects are colorful characters played by Lauren Bacall, Martin Balsam, Jacqueline Bisset, Sean Connery, Wendy Hiller, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, and Ingrid Bergman, whose performance won her a third Academy Award. (In her acceptance speech, Bergman apologized for her win, insisting that Day for Night's Valentina Cortese deserved the prize.) The first and best in a long line of contemporary Christie adaptations, the film scores on atmosphere, period detail, and richness of characterization. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Albert Finney - Hercule Poirot
Lauren Bacall - Mrs. Hubbard
Ingrid Bergman - Greta
Sean Connery - Col. Arbuthnot
Martin Balsam - Bianchi
Vanessa Redgrave - Mary Debenham

Albert Finney stars as Agatha Christie's fussy Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in this star-studded mystery, which gets a respectful presentation on DVD. Murder on the Orient Express has been given a letterboxed transfer to disc in the widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1, which has been enhanced for anamorphic play on 16 x 9 monitors. The film's original English-language audio has been remixed for Dolby Digital 5.1, while the original single-channel mix appears in Dolby Digital Mono, as does a dubbed track in French. Optional English subtitles also appear on this edition. Bonus materials include a four-part documentary on the production of the movie, a profile of author Christie, and the film's original trailer. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide