Death on the Nile (1978)

Director:

John Guillermin

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
Anthony Shaffer (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Hercule Poirot | Murder | Camel | Riverboat | Egypt

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

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

Directed by
John Guillermin

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

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

Film Editing by
Malcolm Cooke

Casting by
Dyson Lovell

Production Design by
Brian Ackland-Snow
Terry Ackland-Snow
Peter Murton

Art Direction by
Brian Ackland-Snow
Terry Ackland-Snow

Costume Design by
Anthony Powell

Makeup Department
Betty Glasow	....	hair stylist
Ramon Gow	....	hair stylist
Freddie Williamson	....	makeup supervisor

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

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Carreras	....	assistant director
Steve Lanning	....	second assistant director
Peter Waller	....	second assistant director
Ted Sturgis	....	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	....	photographer: second unit
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
Joanna Johnston	....	assistant costume designer
Germinal Rangel	....	costume maker
Barbara Matera	....	costume maker (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Nigel Galt	....	assistant editor
Chris Kelly	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Marcus Dods	....	conductor

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

Production Companies

• G.W. Films
• EMI Films
• Mersham Productions Ltd.

Distributors

• Columbia-EMI-Warner (1978) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Neue Constantin Film (1978) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
• Lumiere Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Lumière Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Studiocanal Vidéo (200?) (France) (DVD)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Video Film Express (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile (UK) (complete title)

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:13 | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Ireland:PG | France:U | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1978) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Abu Simbel Temple, Abu Simbel, Egypt

Company:

G.W. Films

Trivia:

David Niven as Colonel Johnny Race boards the Karnak wearing a straw boater hat with a Royal Green Jackets hat band, and later in the film wears a Royal Green Jackets necktie. The Royal Green Jackets (formed in 1966) were, at the time the film was made, the descendant regiment of Niven's wartime regiment the King's Royal Rifle Corps.

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:

Mrs. Van Schuyler: You need a nice cool holiday, I was thinking of a trip along the Gobi Desert!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hot Fuzz Special (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'

Ustinov rules!

I most enjoyed this movie. I viewed it years ago, and found myself enjoying it all over again. I couldn't quite remember who did it, but during the 'gather all the suspects in one room please' scene, I suddenly remembered. Ustinov looks to be having the time of his life here, and being paired with David Niven, who wouldn't? The rest of the cast are mostly hit and miss, the hits are Bette Davis, Olivia Hussey, Simon Mccorkindale and Mia Farrow. The misses are the spectacular "what WERE they thinking?" miscasting of Jack Warden as a Swedish doctor ("Vaht, you accuse me?") Peter Finch as a communist sympathiser, and Angela Lansbury just chewing the scenery up as a booze swigging romance novelist. The who-dunit is actually presented in an entertaining (and surprisingly violent) way, and makes for an entertaining time.