This is the only movie adaptation of Agatha Christie's landmark story that stays true to the novel's ending, and for that, many people are willing to overlook its flaws. But the flaws are there, largely due to the language barrier, and it keeps this from being the perfect Christie adaptation that it could have been.
Very little has been cut from the book, so that anyone who owns a copy of the book can practically dig out their copy and recite the dialogue word-for-word. And by the time the fifth murder happens, you're tempted to do so. The adaptation goes beyond faithful into slavish, and you can practically put your brain on autopilot.
Moreover, whoever did the subtitles either has never read the book or is simply not familiar enough with English to do a good job. When Rogers greets the guests upon their arrival in the novel, for example, the scene is presented from Anthony Marston's point of view, and Marston is not paying attention, so Rogers' dialogue comes out (deliberately, on Christie's part) choppy and missing some words ("What was it the butler chap was saying? Mr. Owen...unfortunately delayed...unable to get here till to-morrow."). The translator evidently thought that that was how English is constructed, and repeats Rogers' words exactly.
But while not everything has been cut, some material has been...and some of that is important. In both novel and film, after the accusation scene, it's revealed that Mr. Blore is traveling under an assumed name, "Mr. Davis", from South Africa. But while the novel gives us a scene where he introduces himself as Davis, the film doesn't--so the "revelation" doesn't have the impact it should.
Even more important is the second murder--it hinges on the poisoned drink being left where anyone could tamper with it. However, in the film, the drink isn't administered, so the second murder is impossible.
Another, minor point is Anthony Marston's confession. He describes as what happens as "beastly bad luck", at which point someone asks, "For them, or for you?" Marston's next line is cut from the film--"Well, I was thinking - for me - but of course, you're right, Sir, it was damned bad luck on them." This is the key to the whole character--Marston isn't the kind of person who actively does wrong, he simply does and thinks about it afterwards, if at all.
Still, as one other reviewer has mentioned, this is the adaptation that "goes there". The final murder is absolutely chilling. But it could have been so much tighter, and it's not.
Very little has been cut from the book, so that anyone who owns a copy of the book can practically dig out their copy and recite the dialogue word-for-word. And by the time the fifth murder happens, you're tempted to do so. The adaptation goes beyond faithful into slavish, and you can practically put your brain on autopilot.
Moreover, whoever did the subtitles either has never read the book or is simply not familiar enough with English to do a good job. When Rogers greets the guests upon their arrival in the novel, for example, the scene is presented from Anthony Marston's point of view, and Marston is not paying attention, so Rogers' dialogue comes out (deliberately, on Christie's part) choppy and missing some words ("What was it the butler chap was saying? Mr. Owen...unfortunately delayed...unable to get here till to-morrow."). The translator evidently thought that that was how English is constructed, and repeats Rogers' words exactly.
But while not everything has been cut, some material has been...and some of that is important. In both novel and film, after the accusation scene, it's revealed that Mr. Blore is traveling under an assumed name, "Mr. Davis", from South Africa. But while the novel gives us a scene where he introduces himself as Davis, the film doesn't--so the "revelation" doesn't have the impact it should.
Even more important is the second murder--it hinges on the poisoned drink being left where anyone could tamper with it. However, in the film, the drink isn't administered, so the second murder is impossible.
Another, minor point is Anthony Marston's confession. He describes as what happens as "beastly bad luck", at which point someone asks, "For them, or for you?" Marston's next line is cut from the film--"Well, I was thinking - for me - but of course, you're right, Sir, it was damned bad luck on them." This is the key to the whole character--Marston isn't the kind of person who actively does wrong, he simply does and thinks about it afterwards, if at all.
Still, as one other reviewer has mentioned, this is the adaptation that "goes there". The final murder is absolutely chilling. But it could have been so much tighter, and it's not.