Murder on the Orient Express: plot, cast and explanation of the ending

When you are looking for the classico and of giallo, con Murder on the Orient Express it’s safe. The film adaptations of the famous novel by Agatha Christie published in 1934, which deserve particular attention are two: the 1974 classic directed by Sidney Lumet (con Albert Finney) and the most recent of 2017 directed and starring Kenneth Branagh.

Branagh doesn’t just play Poirot: he also directs a cast of international starsincluding Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench and Willem Dafoe. Each actor with a concrete, credible character who once again for almost 100 years, it becomes suspicious, raises questions, hypnotizes. The sequence shots and unusual perspectives amplify the claustrophobia of the golden corridors of the iconic train by channeling attention to the most subtle details.

The film reinvents the rhythm of the original novel, alternating moments of introspection with continuous twists, without ever losing sight of its flagship: the elegance and charm of the Thirties.

A story that never tires

A train from yesteryear that crosses Europe has something too irresistible to become obsolete. THE’Orient Expressa luxury train, continues to make entire generations dream with its elegant carriages. Agatha Christie created a story ad hoc with an extraordinary charge of tension, with the snow blocking the tracks and with the passengers, all suspects, who become the protagonists of a timeless mystery.

The anticipation of those who love the crime genre grows even before the film begins: the train leaves with the air of an adventure, but it soon turns into a labyrinth of clues, misdirections and secrets. Branagh, directing and playing Hercule Poirottransforms the film into a sort of theatrical piece on rails, where every gesture, every look, every object can hide a key to solving the enigma. And while the passengers show themselves to the public with polite smiles and suspicious glances, the spectator is invited to guess who among them is the culprit.

The story begins with Hercule Poirot in Istanbul, busy solving a delicate case. Urgently called back to London, the famous investigator takes his place on theOrient Expresswhere he immediately discovers an unusual climate: the carriages are extraordinarily crowded and luxury coexists with a latent tension. During the night, the journey is interrupted by an avalanche, and the following morning the shocking discovery emerges: Ratchett, a wealthy American on board, was murdered.

Poirot begins his investigation, examining the deceased’s cabin and finding apparently incongruent clues: a stopped watch, a woman’s handkerchief and a personal object of unusual use. Every detail leads to misdirection and a different suspicion. With the help of the train conductor, Mr Bouc, and the ship’s doctor, Poirot questions the passengers one by one, discovering hidden links with the victim and reasons for revenge, including old grudges and family secrets.

The story skillfully mixes the Poirot’s investigative rigor with the pathos of the protagonists, making each scene full of tension. After questioning all the passengers and collecting clues, Hercule Poirot comes to a surprising conclusion. The ending confirms the complexity of the plot: not a single murderer..Poirot offers two possible explanations: a superficial oneinvolving a stranger, and a more complex one, which reveals the common action of the passengers.

On the Cover: Murder on the Orient Express-Copyright of the production studio and/or distributor-badtaste