Death on the Nile (1978)

Director:

John Guillermin

Writer:

Anthony Shaffer (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

29 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The only thing that could follow "Murder" is "Death"

Plot:

A murder is committed on a Nile steamer, but Hercule Poirot is on board...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Suspect | American | Writer | Blackmail

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Peter Ustinov	...	Hercule Poirot
Jane Birkin	...	Louise Bourget
Lois Chiles	...	Linnet Ridgeway
Bette Davis	...	Mrs. Van Schuyler
Mia Farrow	...	Jacqueline De Bellefort
Jon Finch	...	Mr. Ferguson
Olivia Hussey	...	Rosalie Otterbourne
I.S. Johar	...	Manager Of The Karnak (as I.S.Johar)
George Kennedy	...	Andrew Pennington
Angela Lansbury	...	Mrs. Salome Otterbourne
Simon MacCorkindale	...	Simon Doyle
David Niven	...	Colonel Race
Maggie Smith	...	Miss Bowers
Jack Warden	...	Dr. Bessner
Harry Andrews	...	Barnstaple
Sam Wanamaker	...	Rockford
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
François Guillaume	...	Doublure lumière (uncredited)
Barbara Hicks	...	Schoolteacher (uncredited)
Celia Imrie	...	Maid (uncredited)
Andrew Manson	...	Egyptian (uncredited)

Directed by
John Guillermin

Writing credits
Anthony Shaffer		(screenplay)
Agatha Christie		(novel) uncredited

Produced by
John Brabourne	....	producer
Richard B. Goodwin	....	producer (as Richard Goodwin)
Norton Knatchbull	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Nino Rota

Cinematography by
Jack Cardiff		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Malcolm Cooke

Casting by
Dyson Lovell		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Peter Murton

Art Direction by
Brian Ackland-Snow
Terry Ackland-Snow

Costume Design by
Anthony Powell		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Betty Glasow	....	hair
Ramon Gow	....	hair
Freddie Williamson	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Barrie Melrose	....	production manager
Ron Purdie	....	unit manager: (England )
Ahmed Sami	....	production manager: Egypt (as Achmed Sami)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Carreras	....	assistant director
Steve Lanning	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Ted Sturgis	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Peter Waller	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
John Paterson	....	construction manager

Sound Department
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist (as John Mitchell)
John Richards	....	sound recordist
Bill Rowe	....	sound recordist (as Billy Rowe)
Nicholas Stevenson	....	sound editor (as Nick Stevenson)

Stunts
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Cardiff	....	second unit photography
Frank Elliott	....	focus puller
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	grip (as Chunky Huse)
Alec Mills	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	costume supervisor
Germinal Rangel	....	costume maker
Joanna Johnston	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)
Barbara Matera	....	costume maker (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Chris Kelly	....	assistant editor
Nigel Galt	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Marcus Dods	....	conductor

Other crew
Jim Brennan	....	location manager: (Egypt )
Richard du Vivier	....	production associate (as Richard Du Vivier)
Brian Harris	....	supervising accountant
Wayne Sleep	....	choreographer: tango
Edna Tromans	....	publicist
Constance Willis	....	continuity (as Connie Willis)
Elisabeth Woodthorpe	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• EMI Films
• Mersham Productions Ltd. (made by)

Distributors

• Columbia-EMI-Warner (1978) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Neue Constantin Film (1978) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• EMI Films (1978) (UK) (theatrical) (as EMI Films Ltd.)
• Kinosto (1979) (Finland) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1982) (USA) (TV)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2008) (United Arab Emirates) (DVD) (Middle East)
• Future Film (2002) (Finland) (DVD) (1-disc edition)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Lumiere Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Lumière Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1986) (Finland) (TV) (as MTV1)
• Maple Pictures (2009) (Canada) (DVD)
• Nelonen (1997) (Finland) (TV)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Studiocanal Vidéo (200?) (France) (DVD)
• TV3 (1990) (Finland) (TV)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Thorn EMI Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (6-disc The Agatha Christie's Collection)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2008) (Finland) (DVD) (1-disc edition)
• Video Film Express (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Government of Egypt  the producers wish to thank: for their help during the making of this film (as The Government of Egypt)
• Panavision  filmed with Panavision® equipment

Also Known As:

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French | Arabic | German

Color:

Color (as colour) (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1978) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) (2002) (2006) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Ireland:PG | France:U | Peru:14 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (tv rating)

Filming Locations:

Abu Simbel Temple, Abu Simbel, Egypt

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

First of six appearances playing Detective Hercule Poirot by actor Peter Ustinov. Though Ustinov made the character famous on the big and later small screen, Ustinov was actually the tenth actor to play Poirot in film & TV. This was also Ustinov's only outing as Poirot during the 1970s, all other five appearances were made during the 1980s.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Reflections can be seen in the protective glass screen when the cobra is readying itself to strike Hercule Poirot in his cabin.

Quotes:

Manager Of The Karnak:We have found it! We have found it! Oh goody goody! Oh goody goody gumdrops! This certainly takes the camel's hump, oh yes, and no mistake.

Movie Connections:

Featured in There's Something About Christie... Murder Made Simple (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Love My Baby (My Baby Loves Me)

A good, well-paced classic whodunnit

This movie was the first and best of Peter Ustinov's performances as Hercule Poirot. Though physically not very accurate to Agatha Christie's description of the little Belgian detective, for this one movie everything worked and the discrepancy was not a problem. The film is well-paced, with all the plot turns and clues coming with perfect timing, not too fast to be confusing, but not too slow to strain the rather flimsy fabric of the story. The whole cast is very good, especially Bette Davis as a malevolent old spider of a woman, gleefully tormenting her long-suffering companion, Maggie Smith. The scene where she smiles indulgently at a group of Egyptian children waving at her on the river bank, only to sink into mortified disgust as they turn around and moon her, is a highlight of the movie. The climax of the film is quite surprising, and unlike many mysteries, does not cheat the viewer by withholding vital information until the last moment. We feel the pleasure of being honestly fooled throughout, and the conclusion is thoroughly satisfying.