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:

Agatha Christie tale of 10 people invited to an isolated place only to find that an unseen person is killing them one by one. One of them?

Plot Keywords:

Island | Record | Guest | Agatha Christie | Dinner

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	...	General Sir John Mandrake (as Sir C. Aubrey Smith)
Judith Anderson	...	Emily Brent
Richard Haydn	...	Thomas Rogers
Queenie Leonard	...	Ethel Rogers
Harry Thurston	...	Fred Narracott

Also Known As:

Rene Clair's 'And Then There Were None' (USA) (complete title)
Ten Little Niggers (UK)

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) | USA:Approved | Sweden:15 | UK:U (2002)

Company:

Rene Clair Productions

Trivia:

Emily Brent's line, "Those whom the gods would destroy..." is from the Greek dramatist Euripides. "The wicked flee . . ." is from the Book of Proverbs.

Goofs:

Plot holes: When Vera Claythorne walks along the beach to speak to General Mandrake, Emily Brent can clearly see her through her binoculars. Therefore, she should be able to see the murderer kill the general.

Quotes:

Detective William Henry Blore: I know who took the dining room key!
Philip Lombard: Who?
Detective William Henry Blore: Rogers! He had the key to the dining room, fact. He unlocks the door, takes a little Indian, goes out and chops up some sticks, fact. And then...
Philip Lombard: And then he takes the chopper, and splits his own cranium, fact. I'd like to see you do that to yourself, Blore. It would take practice!
[repeatedly throughout the moment, and right before he dies]
Detective William Henry Blore: I get it!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Remington Steele: The Steele That Wouldn't Die: Part 2 (#5.2)" (1987)

Soundtrack:

Ten Little Indians

Best version of the Christie novel...all of the usual suspects are in fine form...

Why quibble about the ending? I know it's not the same as the book's final scene, but since Agatha Christie herself changed it for the stage version--sensibly (because the book's ending doesn't work dramatically)--there's no reason to feel cheated. It's still one of the cleverest ideas for a mystery--ten people invited to an old house by the sea so that an unknown host can dispose of them one by one. Under Rene Clair's direction, there's a great deal of humor thrown in. Add to that, enjoyable performances from a first-rate cast of character actors--Barry Fitzgerald, Judith Anderson, Walter Huston, Louis Hayward and the always dependable Richard Haydn as Rogers, the butler. June Duprez is the only weakness in the cast members, showing little emotion throughout. The atmosphere is brooding, the chills are delicious, and you can rewind your VHS print to spot Agatha's give-aways. One of the best mysteries of all time, but don't waste your time on the later remakes. This version is the genuine product.