And Then There Were None (1945)

Director:

René Clair

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
Dudley Nichols (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 October 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Based on a novel and subsequent stage play by Agatha Christie; ten people are invited to an isolated island, only to be killed one-by-one. Could one of them be the killer?

Plot Keywords:

Island | Record | Guest | Death | Murder

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Barry Fitzgerald	...	Judge Francis J. Quinncannon
Walter Huston	...	Dr. Edward G. Armstrong
Louis Hayward	...	Philip Lombard
Roland Young	...	Detective William Henry Blore
June Duprez	...	Vera Claythorne
Mischa Auer	...	Prince Nikita 'Nikki' Starloff
C. Aubrey Smith	...	Gen. Sir John Mandrake (as Sir C. Aubrey Smith)
Judith Anderson	...	Emily Brent
Richard Haydn	...	Thomas Rogers
Queenie Leonard	...	Ethel Rogers
Harry Thurston	...	Fred Narracott

Directed by
René Clair		(as Rene Clair)

Writing credits
Agatha Christie		(novel)
Dudley Nichols		(screenplay)

Produced by
René Clair	....	producer (as Rene Clair)
Leo C. Popkin	....	associate producer
Harry M. Popkin	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco		(as M. Castelnuovo-Tedesco)

Cinematography by
Lucien N. Andriot		(director of photography) (as Lucien Andriot)

Film Editing by
Harvey Manger

Art Direction by
Ernst Fegté		(as Ernst Fegte)

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle		(as Edward Boyle)

Costume Design by
René Hubert		(uncredited)

Production Management
Ben Berk	....	unit manager
Joseph H. Nadel	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Nelson	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Arthur Johns	....	sound recordist
Corson Jowett	....	sound recordist

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Previn	....	musical director

Other crew
Harry M. Popkin	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Rene Clair Productions (as Popular Pictures Inc.) (uncredited)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1945) (USA) (theatrical) (as A 20th Century-Fox Release)
• Netherlands Fox Film Corporation (1948) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Beverly Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Constantin Film (1953) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Constantin-Filmverleih (1953) (Austria) (theatrical)
• BFS Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• BFS Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Englewood Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Englewood Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Punto Zero (2009) (Italy) (DVD) (as Enjoy Movies)
• Studio Canal (2006) (France) (DVD)
• VCI Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• VCI Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1980) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

"Rene Clair's 'And Then There Were None'" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording) | Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:(Banned) (1946) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1948) | West Germany:16 | USA:Approved | Sweden:15 | UK:U (2002)

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company:

Rene Clair Productions

Trivia:

This movie, as all existent versions of "Ten Little Indians," is based not on the novel by Agatha Christie but on her very similar play. While the identity of the murderer is the same in both versions, the outcome of who survives the murderer's plot is very different.

Goofs:

Continuity: In a flashback, Mr. Owen kills the seventh victim, takes a drink from a flask, and then tosses the flask away, leaving the stopper open. However, when two characters find the flask the next day, the stopper is closed.

Quotes:

Detective William Henry Blore:[every time he's about to make some blunder] I get it!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mindhunters (2004)

Soundtrack:

Ten Little Indians

A wonderful adaptation(A tribute to Agatha Christie)

I am a great fan of Agatha Christie. She says in her autobiography, that 'And then there were none'(it was titled differently) was one of the most difficult and satisfying books to write. I read the book when I was 13 and was blown away by the sheer genius behind it.

Now the movie which I watched a couple of minutes earlier offers a fresh view into the story. The direction is simply superb with perfect casting. The story remains as faithful to the book as can be (except for a few changes in names of characters and the ending of course). But all these changes shouldn't bother you. The movie remains as gripping and tense as well as subtly humorous as the book itself.

I would suggest reading the book first. However, the movie maintains a stand of its own and deserves all these lovely comments it has garnered.

Acting was brilliant especially by Barry Fitzgerald as the judge, Roland Young as Blore and Judith Anderson as Emily Brent.

Something I noticed in the movie was that in addition to the 10 characters, there was a 11th one. The cat!! I believe it was a very clever move by the director to add a hint of inhumane air to the whole story with the cat hinting at the turn of events.

Overall, it remains to be the best who-dunnit I've ever seen. Watch it with some friends and try to guess who the culprit is for the extra thrill.

My vote- 10/10