Death on the Nile1978

“Sometimes I do take the hair of the dog, but never the scale of the crocodile.” I never really wanted to watch this because I was never interested in seeing Peter Ustinov’s take on the character. Truth be told, I’ve never really been interested in watching any interpretation of Poirot other than David Suchet’s. But this was on prime, and I thought I’d throw it on. I had seen the Branagh film, and I don’t remember much aside from a certain “actress’s” performance. So this plot was pretty fresh, and I didn’t recall the solution until the reveal.  All that to say, I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed Ustinov’s performance. I have loved Ustinov in other films, but I didn’t think his take would be very strong. But he is definitely my second favorite version of the character. He has an outward layer of charm and joviality, but beneath that is a cold and calculating machine. They do a great job showing how simply, without trying, he can’t help but notice every little detail going on around him. As another famous detective once said “Its a gift… and a curse.” I also think this is a better story than murder on the Orient Express. The Orient Express NEEDS the moral dilemma to work, and that’s something the 70s version does not have at all. This story is much more enjoyable without any needed subtext. I was delighted to learn there are more Ustinov Poirot films, and I’m very excited to watch them.  “On n’attrape pas les mouches avec le vinaigre.”