I find it incredible how a film made 65 years ago can stand up so well, I think with every watch it gets better and better. It was very professionally made, beautifully acted and seems to avoid the brashness and showyness that the later versions were guilty of. I love the fact that every character is so charismatic, perhaps the character of the Russian was dubious casting, but The Judge and Doctor are fabulous in it, Huston and Fitzgerald showing what wonderful actors they both are. June Duprez was very beautiful, quite surprised to read that she retired rather early in her career. I'm unlike most reviewers, I actually love the 70's Oliver Reed/Elke Sommer version. Maybe this is the quintessential version though. Maybe this film is due a proper remake, who knows.

This film had an excellent ensemble cast and lovely direction and cinematography. It stands as an excellent example of the type of film Hollywood could do best during its glory days. It had been so many years since I read the book I couldn't remember who the murderer was and I found myself guessing wrong again and again--and that impresses me. About the only negatives were a couple performances. The old lady just seemed kinda nasty and I was HOPING someone would kill her ASAP. And, despite his having received an Oscar and having been in some terrific movies (such as My Man Godfrey),I've always found Mischa Auer to be annoying as well. The character he ALWAYS plays (the clever and bored party guest) becomes ponder-some when you see it again and again in old films.

I am 17, and a huge fan of Agatha Christie, and I must say, while Marple and Poirot have standout murder mysteries, this dominates all of them as the best version of any book, by the Queen of Crime, though Witness for the prosecution was very good too. The book itself is just magnificent, and I personally think it's Christie's best book, full of well-developed characters, numerous plot twists and a mystery surrounding a song, and that alone made the book so sinister. The deaths described I found quite terrifying, as the images in your head are very vivid. Also, the final solution is ingenious, and you could never imagine it in a million years, in fact, a whole chapter was dedicated to the murderer's confession. I didn't understand it at first, but I read the book three or four more times to ensure my full understanding. About the film. The cinematography is gorgeous, and so is the music score, so haunting and beautiful, especially when you're first introduced to the characters. The scipt is snapy and thoughtful, and the deaths manage to be still be chilling. The acting is superb, especially from Barry Fitzgerald as the judge, the ever reliable Walter Huston as Dr Armstrong and Judith Anderson as Emily Brent, who was made more sinister than she was in the book. I liked June Duprez as Vera Claythorne, though I liked her more in Thief of Baghdad. My acknowledgements to everyone else too, Richard Haydn and Louis Hayward. In fact, the only problem I had with the film, was the ending, because in the book, everyone dies, yet Claythorne and Lombard are seen running away together. Though, the ending in the book, is extremely difficult to pull off, and definitely intended for the stage. In conclusion, a unique and suspenseful adaptation of a brilliantly-constructed book. 9/10 Bethany Cox