Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

The definitive Agatha Christie classic. Detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) is riding aboard the famous Orient Express. There is an interesting group of characters who are also travelling on the train. Among them is Samuel Ratchett (Richard Widmark) and his assistant (Anthony Perkins). Mr Ratchett is receiving threatening letters and asks Poirot to protect him while they are aboard the train. Poirot politely declines and retires to his bed. He hears a commotion outside his cabin in the middle of the night but it appears to be nothing all to important so he goes back to sleep. The next morning he is awoken rudely when the train has to come to a quick stop because there is a large snow bank blocking the tracks. It is then that Mr Ratchett is found stabbed in his stateroom that is latched from the inside. Poirot's friend who runs the train company wants Poirot to solve the mystery before the police arrive. Poirot then goes about interviewing the interesting passengers to determine who Ratchett really was and why he was murdered.

This movie was a delight to watch. The cast is wonderful and also includes Lauren Bacall, Michael York, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave, Jaqueline Bisset and Sean Connery among others. However, Finney as Poirot steals the movie. If you love mystery and suspense movies you have to see this one.