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To many people, especially mystery fans, British writer Agatha Christie is known as "The Queen of Crime." Christie's stories are known globally for their surprising twists and beloved sleuths. Christie is probably most well-known for her stories about Miss Marple and Detective Hercule Poirot. Her books, short stories, and plays have been adapted into movies worldwide.
Of course, some film adaptations are better than others, as it can be easy for cozy mystery films to become too cheesy and venture into TV movie territory. The best adaptations of Agatha Christie's work bring to life the tension and suspense from her writing onto the screen.
10 'Dhund' (1973)
Directed by B. R. Chopra
Dhund is a Hindi thriller based on the play, The Unexpected Guest, by Agatha Christie. The 1973 movie stars Navin Nischol (Chandrashekhar / Prakash), Zeenat Aman (Rani Ranjit Singh), Sanjay Khan (Advocate Suresh Saxena), and Danny Denzongpa (Thakur Ranjit Singh). A young man named Chandrashekhar gets into a car accident in the middle of the night and wanders to a nearby house to get assistance. He discovers a woman named Rani who appears to have murdered her husband, who is a wheelchair user. Instead of turning her into the authorities, Chandrashekhar decides to help Rani create a cover story.
There are a lot of international adaptations of Agatha Christie's stories, but Dhund is one of the best international book-to-screen adaptations.
There are a lot of international adaptations of Agatha Christie's stories, but Dhund is one of the best international book-to-screen adaptations. Instead of England, Dhund takes place in India. The movie really leans into the aesthetic of a 70s detective/ police procedural series, especially in its fun music, composed by Ravi and written by Sahir Ludhianvi. The courtroom drama scenes and the musical sequences make Dhund worth a watch.
9 'Murder on the Orient Express' (1974)
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Image via Prime Video Murder on the Orient Express is one of Agatha Christie's most well-known novels, besides the classic, And Then There Were None. The murder mystery aboard the Orient Express has been adapted for both the silver screen and television. The screenplay by Paul Dehn closely follows Christie's novel. Poirot and his fellow passengers travel by train from Istanbul to London. Poirot meets Samuel Ratchett (Richard Widmark), an American business executive, who is concerned for his safety. A murder occurs on a snowy night while the train is stuck near Yugoslavia, and Poirot must find the murderer.
Most recently, an adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, starring Kenneth Branagh, was released in theaters in 2017. While Kenneth Branagh does an excellent job of portraying Poirot, there is nothing like the 1974 film adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express. It's a classic film with an all-star cast, led by Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot. It's easy to see why this is one of Agatha Christie's favorite film adaptations of her novels. Finney's Poirot matches the grace and wit of what Christie imagined Detective Hercule Poirot to be. Besides Finney's performance, cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth is a lens into the elegance of train travel during the 1930s, which greatly contrasts with a shocking murder that shakes the wealthy travelers onboard the Orient Express.
Release Date November 24, 1974
Runtime 128 Minutes
8 'The Mirror Crack'd' (1980)
Directed by Guy Hamilton
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Image via Lionsgate The Mirror Crack'd, based on The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side, is one of the most interesting of Agatha Christie's mysteries featuring Miss Marple. The 1980 film adaptation stars Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple, Elizabeth Taylor as Marina Gregg, Kim Novak as Lola Brewster, and Rock Hudson as Jason Rudd. Film stars are in Miss Marple's hometown of St. Mary Mead to film a movie about Queen Elizabeth. A murder occurs at a production party, and Miss Marple is the only one who can solve the case.
While Miss Marple doesn't appear too much in The Mirror Crack'd, Angela Lansbury steals any scene that she is in as an amateur sleuth, who doesn't let anything prevent her from solving a case. The rivalry between Taylor's Marina and Novak's Lola heightens the plot's tension and keeps fans guessing until the tragic ending. Hamilton's direction combined with Jonathan Hales and Barry Sandler's script provide plenty of opportunities to add a bit of comedic flair to balance out an intriguing mystery.
Release Date September 19, 1980
Director Guy Hamilton
Runtime 105 minutes
7 'Endless Night' (1972)
Directed by Sidney Gilliat
Image via British Lion Film Corporation Agatha Christie published Endless Night in 1967, and several years later, a film adaptation was released. What is interesting about Endless Night is that there is no Poirot or Miss Marple. In Endless Night, photographer Michael Rogers (Hywel Bennett) falls in love with Ellie Thomsen (Hayley Mills), an American who is traveling around Europe with her personal assistant, Greta (Britt Ekland). He discovers that Ellie is a rich heiress. Despite their different social statuses, Ellie and Michael marry. However, Ellie doesn't want her family to know about her marriage, and she tries to keep it a secret.
This plot is quite different from Agatha Christie's other novels, as it is more of a psychological thriller than a cozy mystery. This is ultimately what makes both the novel and its film adaptation so intriguing is that it deviates from what fans expect. Endless Night is gripping from beginning to end, especially as it reaches a shocking ending, which even the most seasoned mystery fans would find surprising. Besides the film's twist, it is worth watching for Bennett and Thomsen's chemistry as a newly married couple who might not know each other as well as they think.
6 'Evil Under the Sun' (1982)
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Image via Warner Bros. Guy Hamilton's Evil Under the Sun isn't as popular as other adaptations of Christie's works, but it is still an enthralling mystery. The 1982 movie stars Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot, whose investigation into an expensive diamond for an insurance company leads him to an exclusive resort near the Adriatic Sea. The film also stars Maggie Smith (Daphne Fern), Jane Birkin (Christine Redfern), James Mason (Odell Gardener), Colin Blakely (Sir Horace Blatt), and Arlena Marshall (Diana Rigg).
A modern comparison to Evil Under the Sun would be Mike White's TV series, The White Lotus. Ustinov's portrayal of Detective Poirot is charming, and perhaps, a bit more "edgy" than other actors who have portrayed Hercule Poirot. He isn't afraid to confront suspects and tell them what he thinks. Maggie Smith and Diana Rigg give stand-out performances as well, especially in scenes where their characters interact tersely with each other.
Evil Under the Sun (1982)
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Rating
Runtime
5 'A Haunting in Venice' (2023)
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Image via 20th Century Studios A Haunting in Venice isn't like any other film adapted from an Agatha Christie mystery. The 2023 film, adapted from Agatha Christie's short story, Hallowe'en Party, is where the supernatural meets Poirot. Hercule Poirot, played by Kenneth Branagh, is asked to attend a seance, but what starts off as a Halloween party turns deadly for the seasoned detective and party guests.
To many Agatha Christie fans, Kenneth Branagh, right up there with David Suchet, is one of the best actors to portray Detective Hercule Poirot. This film is proof of Branagh's great dedication to evolving the role of Poirot, from the enthusiastic detective to the retiree who is over mysteries. In A Haunting in Venice, Poirot has to confront the supernatural, which isn't something he believes in, and it is fascinating to see him struggle to find logic and reason. Not only does Kenneth Branagh give a remarkable performance, but he also pushes the boundaries of a Poirot mystery so that the film brings horror elements into it to heighten the sense of mystery, and ultimately, creates an ending with a thrilling twist.
Release Date September 15, 2023
Runtime 100 Minutes
4 'Murder, She Said' (1961)
Directed by George Pollock
Image via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 4.50 from Paddington is probably one of the most adapted Miss Marple mysteries, and one of the best film adaptations is the 1961 movie, Murder, She Said, starring Margaret Rutherford as Miss Jane Marple. Miss Marple witnesses a murder outside her window while she is traveling on a train. Unfortunately, the authorities can't find any evidence of the murder, so Miss Marple decides to investigate it herself. Miss Marple's investigation leads her to Ackenthorpe Hall, the home of the Ackenthorpe family. Murder, She Said also stars Muriel Pavlow as Emma Ackenthorpe, James Robertson Justice as Luther Ackenthorpe, Thorley Walters as Cedric Ackenthorpe, Arthur Kennedy as Dr. Paul Quimper, Conrad Phillips as Harold Ackenthorpe and Charles Tingwell as Inspector Craddock.
Murder She Said is an engaging mystery with a very eccentric sleuth at its center.
The film definitely would not be what it is without Rutherford's portrayal of Miss Marple. Margaret Rutherford brings a lightheartedness to Miss Marple, which is a nice contrast to the seriousness of the murder mystery that she is trying to solve. Despite the slight changes from Agatha Christie's novel, Murder She Said is an engaging mystery with a very eccentric sleuth at its center.
3 'Death on the Nile' (1975)
Directed by John Guillermin
Image via EMI Films Death on the Nile is a sequel to the 1974 movie, Murder on the Orient Express, and stars Peter Ustinov as Detective Hercule Poirot. The newly married Linnet Ridgeway and Simon Doyle run into Linnet's jealous friend, Jackie, while they are on their honeymoon in Egypt, even though they tried to make plans to avoid her during their travels. Linnet, Jackie, and Simon join other vacationers, including Poirot, on a river cruise down the Nile. During the cruise, a murder occurs and Poirot teams up with Colonel Race to determine who did it.
Death on the Nile thrives due to its solid cast. As usual, Peter Ustinov does a great job of portraying the Belgian detective. In addition, Maggie Smith gives one of the best performances of her career in the film. Death on the Nile's plot is one of Agatha Chistie's most intricate mysteries, and it definitely keeps fans guessing until the very end.
Release Date September 29, 1978
Director John Guillermin
Cast Peter Ustinov , Jane Birkin , Lois Chiles , Bette Davis , Mia Farrow
Runtime 140 Minutes
Main Genre Mystery
2 'Witness for the Prosecution' (1957)
Directed by Billy Wilder
Image via United Artists Witness for the Prosecution is based on the play and short story by Agatha Christie. A barrister named Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton) decides to take on a criminal case, even though he has been warned by his doctors to avoid stressing his heart. Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power), Sir Wilfrid's client, is accused of murdering Emily French (Norma Varden), a wealthy woman who named him the benefactor of her estate in her will. Sir Wilfrid looks into Leonard's wife, Christine (Marlene Dietrich), and discovers complexities that will challenge him (and the law).
Witness for the Prosecution amplifies the courtroom drama, with a big twist at the movie's end. Besides the surprising ending, the 1957 film has great pacing to help keep the suspense going from scene to scene. Wilder keeps the intrigue of Witness for the Prosecution going by incorporating film noir elements. The film has won numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Picture.
Release Date December 17, 1957
Director Billy Wilder
Cast Tyrone Power , Marlene Dietrich , Charles Laughton , Elsa Lanchester
Runtime 116 Minutes
1 'And Then There Were None' (1945)
Directed by René Clair
Image via 20th Century Fox And Then There Were None is Agatha Christie's most adapted novel, and out of all the film adaptions, the 1945 movie is the best film adaptation. In this classic Christie novel, ten strangers are invited to a mansion on an island by The Owens. When they all arrive at the island, they are confronted with a message accusing them of murder. They discover that they are not able to leave the island, as the boat will not be coming back in a few days.
And Then There Were None is a favorite movie among Agatha Christie fans, and it is one of Christie's most famous mysteries. The movie stars Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston, Roland Young, Louis Hayward, June Duprez, Mischa Auer, C. Aubrey Smith, Judith Anderson, Richard Haydn, Queenie Leonard, and Harry Thurston. Each and every cast member brings something special to their character under the direction of René Clair. The suspense is very great as strangers are forced together, and they do not know who is coming after them.
Release Date October 30, 1945
Director René Clair
Cast Barry Fitzgerald , Walter Huston , Roland Young , June Duprez , Louis Hayward , Mischa Auer
Rating
Runtime 97 Minutes
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