Murder on the Orient Express, the most famous, witty, and most human book. Take it out and read it when you travel long distances by train in China!
Agatha Christie's grandson Matthew Pritchard (Chairman of Agatha Christie LLC), who wrote the preface to "Agatha Christie's Autobiography", wrote to Chinese readers:
I want to mention three books that, in my mind, explain why Christie has always been loved. The first is Murder on the Orient Express, the most famous, but also the most witty, and most human. Take it out and read it when you travel long distances by train in China!
On the long train to the north, I reopened the famous Murder on the Orient Express (hereafter referred to as "The Express") and the 1974 film adaptation of the original book of the same name. In this version, the 58-year-old national treasure actor Ingrid Bergman, known as the "Light of Sweden", also won the Best Supporting Actress at the 47th Academy Awards for this film.
The story takes place in 1935, our old friend Detective Poirot came to Istanbul to take the Orient Express back to London, the first class sleepers on the train were all sold out, thanks to old friend, Mr. Bianchi, the director of the Orient Express, Poirot went well boarding.
In the night, Mr. Rachel, a wealthy American businessman, was stabbed to death, with 12 stab wounds on the front of his body, with varying depths of stab wounds.
Mr. Bianchi naturally asked Poirot to investigate the matter. Poirot found that the case was related to the notorious "Armstrong kidnapping and tearing-up case" five years ago. Mr. Rachel, the deceased on the express train, was originally named Cassetti. The main culprit in the Armstrong case!
In 1930, the kidnappers kidnapped the youngest daughter Daisy of Colonel Armstrong's family. Although Armstrong and his wife paid a huge ransom according to the request of the bandits, the kidnappers still brutally killed little Daisy. Mrs. Armstrong, who was already pregnant, was heartbroken, gave birth to a stillborn child, and died in childbirth; Colonel Armstrong committed suicide by shooting himself; the maid jumped out of the window because she was suspected of colluding with the kidnappers.
Poirot immediately interrogated the passengers in the car, and the hidden identities of the passengers were revealed one by one.
12 people (one-to-one comparison, in fact, there are 13 people in total, I don’t know if it is a bug in the movie, some film critics analyzed that because Countess Andre couldn’t make a move, and Count Andre replaced the murderer, so I temporarily Merge the Earl and the couple into one person) At the call of Mrs. Hubbard, a "jury" was formed to try Cassetti, the murderer who killed 5 people, each stabbed him, while disguising the case as a "mafia" Disguised as a flight attendant to seek vengeance and kill Cassetti and escape from the train." The only thing that was not planned was Poirot's presence on the train, and the cover-up did not escape his eyes.
I think this work has the following highlights:
1. The rich and colorful scenery
During the filming of the film, the Orient Express did not actually exist. The Orient Express used in the movie doesn't go very far. But the film does a good job of handling the changing landscape, showing the geographic picture.
The heavy snow blocked the road, creating an "island model" for the case. The indoor scene is single, and the outdoor scenery is constantly changing with the traveling of the train, which makes the presentation of the movie more magnificent, and also constantly reminds the audience of the passage of time and the evolution of things.
2. Witty and alert dialogue
Secretary McQueen complained a little. Poirot, who was sleeping in the upper bunk, was purring too loudly, affecting his sleep. Unexpectedly, as soon as he wanted to eat, the boss Rachel directly asked him to go back to make up for sleep (not to affect the subsequent work). It was so annoying, not only did he have no empathy, he defended his subordinates, and immediately stopped the meal.
Mrs. Herbert said so much that the male passengers in the car avoided her. During the interrogation, the sly Poirot and her quickly asked Qantas, basically not letting her finish a sentence. Contributed rare humorous scenes in the film.
When Her Royal Highness said that her best friend (that is, Mrs. Armstrong's mother) was a great tragic actress, Poirot immediately responded with a line from "Macbeth" and tested her.
Poirot seemed to inadvertently admire the cooking skills of the princess' maid. Before successfully conjuring up a maid, she was a cook and served other masters.
The overall rhythm of the film is slow for more than two hours. These humorous or alert dialogues neutralize the relatively depressing atmosphere of the film.
3. The brilliance of humanity
All the memories in film and television dramas are extremely important supplements to the fate of the characters.
Although the film is about revenge, the memories of the Armstrong family let the audience know that they should be a very, very gentle family. The 13 related people are also very affectionate and take the initiative to participate in this revenge operation.
The Colonel's "great soldier, great friend" is also moving.
4. The Silence of the Great Detective
Poirot offered two conclusions to the case: a simple, mafia revenge; and a complex, private trial of 12, a cooperative crime that would have put all the passengers on board to face murder charges.
Poirot left the two conclusions and left silently.
"Justice, how many evils are committed in your name", although the kidnappers are extremely vicious and deserve what they deserve, the method of using violence to suppress violence is not correct and violates the law.
The 1974 version of the film, Poirot's Silence, gave the audience more room to think. How to choose between "feeling" and "reason"?
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