More than 80 years have passed since Agatha Christie, one of the world’s best mystery writers, released her beloved book ‘Death on the Nile’. However, the literary icon’s legacy has not waned a bit, as the much anticipated Hollywood adaptation of her book finally sets sail with an all-star cast that includes Kenneth Branagh, Armie Hammer, Gal Gadot, Annette Bening, Russell Brand and Ali Fazal.
The movie is a sequel to the 2017 Christie adaptation ‘Murder on the Orient Express’, which was directed by Branagh and saw him play the laser-sharp Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The famed British stage and screen actor returns as Poirot and as director for ‘Death on the Nile’.
“The passion in Agatha Christie’s original story is very powerful,” Branagh said in a statement shared with Gulf News. “It is one of the most unsettling and captivating of Christie’s books. She presents a veneer of sophistication, sexiness, glamour and romance, but it is, at all times, brittle, fragile, dangerous and disruptive.”
Apart from the drama on-screen, ‘Death on the Nile’ has faced its fair share of real-world hurdles. The movie was initially meant to be released in December 2019 but was delayed multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which scuppered the plans of many Hollywood movies and production houses.
In January 2021, lead star Hammer was accused by multiple women of sexual assault and other deviant behaviours, leading to him being dropped by his agency and publicist. Hammer also quit a number of projects after the scandal. An investigation is still ongoing. Despite this, the ship sets sail with him firmly on board in ‘Death on the Nile’, out now in the UAE. Here’s a primer on the book, the movie and the characters/potential killers.
What is ‘Death on the Nile’ about?
‘Death on the Nile’ is a mystery thriller based on Christie’s 1937 novel, which tells the tale of a seemingly perfect couple’s idyllic honeymoon in Egypt that is cut short by a murder. On call to solve the murder is Poirot, who happens to be on holiday aboard the glamorous SS Karnak along with the passengers who are all suspects. Set against a landscape of desert vistas and the Pyramids of Giza, the story uncovers passion and jealousy, and plenty of twists and turns.
“In ‘Death on the Nile,’ a wealthy socialite marries a man who previously has been passionately entwined with an equally beautiful woman, whom he then rejects for the other,” Branagh said. “The ensemble cast fills out the glamorous wedding party, who claim to be friends of the beautiful newlyweds. As with any classic Agatha Christie story, when love and loyalties are tested, fireworks ensue.”
Screenwriter Michael Green, who previously introduced Poirot in ‘Murder on the Orient Express’, said the new movie was a chance to delve deeper into Christie’s writing.
“The book is very well written,” Green said. “It’s got some of Agatha Christie’s best prose in it, and it has this wonderful plot with a wonderful solution. It’s sprawling. But we just kept coming back to passion and love, diving into those feelings, and making sure all of our characters really had something to say about the power of those emotions.”
Who is Hercule Poirot?
Christie’s character is as well known as Sherlock Holmes, as far are fictional detectives are concerned. Poirot was first introduced in ‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles’ in 1920 and his last appearance was in ‘Curtain’, published in 1975. His impact was so great that he became the only fictional character to have an obituary on the front page of The New York Times.
In ‘Death on the Nile’, Poirot has to face some new demons.
“With the last film, we measured his personality against the events of the movie. Revenge was at the centre of it, and for Poirot, it presented a challenge to his rigorous moral position,” Branagh explained. “Now Poirot again has to respond to the central themes of this story: love and jealousy. As he does, the audience is able to gain a greater understanding of Poirot’s own experience with lost love, giving us more of a window into another part of the mask that is his personality.”
Branagh, known for starring in movies such as ‘Hamlet’, ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ and ‘Tenet’, said viewers will be taken on a twisted journey this time around.
“‘Death on the Nile’ is riven through with the corrosive power of unbridled passion in the most glamorous of settings, and Hercule Poirot gets a ringside-close opportunity to witness the wealth, power, money, influence, glamour, romance, fine clothes, fine wine and luxurious travel,” Branagh said. “But there’s something rotten at the centre of it, and it makes him — and the audience — feel uncomfortable, creating a wonderful sense of tension throughout the film.”
Meet the passengers of SS Karnak
Gal Gadot plays the stylist and wealthy Linnet Ridgeway, an heiress from a prominent family. Because of her riches, she has a number of enemies. “She’s very self-centred, but at the same time, she has so much heart. She’s used to having things her way, but it’s lonely at the top, so she has a great void inside,” Gadot said about her character.
Armie Hammer plays the handsome — and unemployed — Simon Doyle who is in love with Jacqueline de Bellefort, until he is introduced to her school friend, Linnet Ridgeway.
Rose Leslie is Louise Bourget, Linnet’s maid who is devoted to her employer. According to her backstory, Louise has worked for Linnet for the past two years, continuing in her employ after her engagement came to an end (and Linnet had something to do with that). “Louise is very much swept up in the extravagance of Linnet’s life, but that has to be a little bit painful,” Leslie said. “She is enjoying the high life, wanting to be associated with this group, wanting to be a part of the clan, and yet there is always this little kind of twist of the knife from Linnet in reminding Louise just where she is in the pecking order.”
![Copy of Film_Review_-_Death_on_the_Nile_49618.jpg-bff16 [1]-1644556680486](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2022/02/11/Copy-of-Film_Review_-_Death_on_the_Nile_49618.jpg-bff16--1--1644556680486_17ee7377d46_original-ratio.jpg)
Tom Bateman returns as the charming Bouc, Poirot’s right-hand man, which he played in the 2017 film. “Given Poirot’s meticulous nature, even the charming Bouc doesn’t escape scrutiny in the film,” he said. “It was very interesting coming back to him.”
Annette Bening plays Euphemia Bouc, a painter and Bouc’s mother. She’s entitled and protective of her son, and is on the ship to join Tom in Egypt to attend the wedding of his friend, Linnet Ridgeway. “I had a lot of fun reading about women of the period and the bohemian world at the turn of the century,” Bening said. “Learning about painters of the period, and where Euphemia might have trained and how that might have impacted her romantic life, was a very important piece of understanding her.”
Russell Brand plays Linus Windlesham, an aristocratic health-obsessed doctor who was once engaged to Linnet Ridgeway. The actor chose to focus “on the warmth and integrity of the character and his desire to do good in the world.”
Bollywood actor Ali Fazal plays the India-born and Oxford-educated Andrew Katchadourian, who is Linnet Ridgeway’s suave childhood friend, whose law office handles the Ridgeway family affairs. “My childhood was filled with Agatha Christie books,” Fazal said. “I am a big fan of Ken’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express,’ which was stunning and so rich.”
Emma Mackey stars as Jacqueline de Bellefort, a witty young woman who was born into French aristocracy but is presently poor. She’s madly in love with Simon Doyle. “Even though she’s a strong and resilient independent woman, she will do anything for Simon,” Mackey said. “Jacqueline is driven by her love for Simon… he is her whole reason for existing.” Mackey worked closely with Branagh to develop the character. “Jacqui is heartbroken and in a great deal of pain, but we also wanted her to be confident, sexy, warm and full of life. She embodies all of these rich contradictions, and it was a joy to play that on screen,” she added.
Sophie Okonedo plays Salome Otterbourne, the sultry singer hired to perform at Linnet Ridgeway’s Egyptian wedding. “This is a woman who just loves life,” says Okonedo. “She’s very confident in herself and her body.”
Letitia Wright stars as Salome Otterbourne’s niece Rosalie, a well-educated and sophisticated world traveller who manages her aunt’s singing career. “She is young and yet really motivated and diligent,” Wright said. “It is very interesting to bring a levelheaded character like this into the story and see certain situations that knock that confidence.”
Jennifer Saunders plays Linnet Ridgeway’s godmother, Marie Van Schuyler, a feisty yet frail woman who gave up her wealth because of her political views. “I’m a huge Agatha Christie fan… I think I have read almost all of her books,” Saunders said. “The script works beautifully because it combines a lot of characters and their traits while keeping all the wit and all the mystery.”
Dawn French plays is Bowers, Marie Van Schuyler’s nurse and companion. “She’s an educated person but quite an innocent in many ways,” French said. “And she’s in awe at everything that happens in this story. She’s a comfort to Marie, and they adore each other, although they’re quite spiky with each other every now and again.”
— With inputs from Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor - Features
Don’t miss it!
‘Death on the Nile’ is out now in UAE cinemas.
