Customer Reviews

And Then There Were None

5 star:		(62)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The new Image DVD version of AND THEN THERE WERE NONE is a vast improvement in video/audio quality over previous DVD releases by VCI in 1999 and Madacy in 2001. All three versions are currently available at Amazon, so be sure to check the technical info page for each disc to see which company makes it.

The video transfer on the Image DVD, said to be made from "original elements", is much, much sharper and more detailed than that on the VCI and Madacy versions. It also shows a little more picture on all four sides of the screen. The picture looks somewhat battered during the opening credits, but it looks great the rest of the way. There is a slight amount of graininess and other blemishes throughout, but it is not detrimental. I'm especially impressed with the scenes that take place in the dark, in which some of the background details, such as engravings on the wall, the subtle lights and shadows, etc., can be seen with much greater clarity. The VCI disc, conversely, looks much less sharp, and the Madacy disc even less so.

The monophonic audio tracks on the VCI and Madacy discs are louder but have more noise compared to that on the Image disc. The problem of the dialogs not being synchronized properly on the VCI and Madacy discs has also been fixed on the Image disc.

The Image disc has one extra: the film's British opening credit sequence, which uses the deplorably offensive title "Ten Little N******" (which is also Agatha Christie's original title for her whodunnit). The sequence is preceded with an explanation of its use so the viewer has the historical context in mind. The VCI disc has a biography section on the filmmakers and the 1946 comedy short TWIN HUSBANDS, starring Leon Errol. The Madacy disc has a 9-minute newsreel footage from 1945, a 12-minute blooper footage (of OTHER films), 3 screenshots of lobby cards, and a trivia quiz section. All three discs are region-free and without subtitles or closed captioning.

Agatha Christie's 1930s novel AND THEN THERE WERE NONE told the story of ten unrelated people who are lured under various pretexts to an island resort; once assembled, they discover they have been brought to the island by a mysterious homocidal maniac who accuses each of them of having escaped punishment for a past murder--and who then proceeds to pick them off one by one as the ever dwindling party rushes to unmask the hidden killer in their midst. Nothing like the novel had been seen before, and it was a popular sensation. So much so that Christie herself adapted the novel to the stage. In creating the script, Christie discovered that the novel's uncompromising tone and shocking conclusion did not translate well to the stage, and the final script was considerably lighter and had a considerably softer conclusion. When performed, the script was played as much for comedy as for suspense--and proved as popular as the novel. A film version became inevitable.

Countless novels, plays, and movies have borrowed the premise Christie presents in AND THEN THERE NONE, and there have been at least four film versions (most often known as TEN LITTLE INDIANS) of the original work. All of these versions rely more upon the play script than the novel, offering a mix of comedy and suspense, and by far and away the best of them is famed French director Rene Clair's 1940s version. Brilliantly played by an ensemble cast of famed character actors including Judith Anderson, Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston, C. Aubrey Smith, and Roland Young, Clair creates a stylish, somewhat surrealistic romp that satirizes British "stiff upper lip" sensibilities with florishes of black comedy while quietly building a sense of increasing unease. From a modern standpoint, the Clair version seems more comic than suspensful; few will find it in the least unnerving. This does not, however, change the fact that it is a tremendous amount of fun to watch. The film creates an air of old-fashioned mischief that is compulsively enjoyable, and even if a contemporary director decided to have another go at the material it seems unlikely that any cast to equal this could be assembled. If you're prepared for a witty amusement, AND THEN THERE WERE NONE is recommended.

I don't usually comment on the quality of DVDs unless there is a glaring issue--but since there are several DVD versions of this film, and some have been poorly reviewed, I will specify that I purchased the VCI edition. (The cover of this particular edition is yellow with the faces of the characters appearing in a V-shaped "wedge.") When the DVD began to play, the VCI logo was very distorted; when the DVD changed over to the menu, however, the picture became stable. When I ran the movie, I found the titles had a bit of a flicker, but this quickly vanished; as for overall quality, the picture and sound quality are rather poor as the movie begins but quickly corrects to an acceptable--although not excellent--level.

THE MOVIE: I had forgotten how deliciously amusing this film was, not having seen it since the early 1980s. But the comedy doesn't overwhelm the tone, the blend has a perfectly natural feel and the eerie atmosphere is maintained even among the laughs. The cast of generally lesser-known performers is good. Mischa Auer is memorable (as usual) even though the script doesn't allow him much to do; Walter Huston is as engaging as ever. The movie is appropriate for most ages, the murders are usually off-camera and are never gruesome. It holds the viewer's interest very well but the pace seems a bit uneven - it seems to slow down toward the end.

TECHNICAL: The DVD presentation is average. The image is not stable; it wobbles quite a bit around the frame which is especially noticeable during the opening titles. The black and white picture has good contrast but is a bit on the soft side. The bios are brief but nicely done screens. There is also a comedy short on the disc which I haven't yet watched. Sound is good, dialogue is usually clear throughout.

SUM: I'm ignoring comparisons to the Agatha Christie novel on which the film is based... with that in mind, the movie is fun, interesting and worth a viewing. I'm not entirely sure how well the narrative would hold up on repeat viewings, but the performances are entertaining enough to warrant them.

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Terrible, scrappy transfer to DVD format of a good film! I got the first warnings of things to come in the opening credits.. a scatchy & dusty picture...but that was nothing to the intermittent lip-synch problems! There is little more distracting than having the characters' voices reach your ears either before or after their lips move... And this DVD version is VERY distracting in that respect, with whole chunks of the movie being affected. Such a pity - and such a waste of money!

+++++

I watched this black and white 1945 movie (whose New York premiere was on Halloween day) of almost 100 minutes without first reading the novel that it is based on. I'm glad I did this! Why? Because I was forced to really watch the movie in order to deduce who the murderer was.

According to the opening credits, this movie is "based on the [1939] novel [of the same name] by [Dame] Agatha Christie" (1890 to 1976). However, this is not quite accurate. This movie is really based on the play version of this book that has a slightly different ending than the book. (Note: In America, this novel is known as "Ten Little Indians.")

As a synopsis, ten strangers are invited as weekend guests to the only mansion located on an isolated island. When the host, with the unusual name of "U.N. Owen" and his wife don't show up, the guests start dying, one by one, according to the lines in the children's poem entitled "Ten Little Indians." These guests and the viewer are constantly reminded of the body count as each of the ten figures on a ceramic display are secretly broken, one by one, directly after a murder is committed.

What I did was obtain a copy of this poem. (You can easily get a copy from the internet.) I found that doing so added to my enjoyment of the movie.

Who exactly are these ten strangers? They are as follows (in the order in which they are killed):

1. Russian Prince Starloff (Mischa Auer)
2. Maid Rogers (Queenie Leonard)
3. Retired General Mandrake (Sir C. Aubrey Smith)
4. Butler Rogers (Richard Haydn)
5. Spinster (?) Brent (Dame Judith Anderson)
6. Judge Quinncannon (Barry Fitzgerald)
7. Dr. Armstrong (Walter Huston)
8. Detective Bloor (Roland Young)
9. Explorer Lombard (Louis Hayward)
10. Secretary Claythorne (June Duprez)

The above cast does a stellar job in their roles. They make the movie come across not only as a mystery but also as a black comedy (thanks to a well-crafted script). Personally, I think the actor who portrayed the butler did the best job.

As the murders begin to occur, the guests realize that there is a person acting as "judge, jury, and executioner." And that person, they surmise, is Mr. Owen. Suspense is created when these guests (and the viewer) start asking themselves questions:

(1) Is Owen hiding in the mansion killing them one by one?
(2) Is Owen one of them? That is, is the "loose cannon" one of them?
(3) (Is Owen the boatman that drove them from the mainland to the island?)

The black and white gives the movie a claustrophobic feeling (adding another dimension to this movie). The cinematography is breathtaking. The main background music for this movie is unique, something I did not expect.

I thought this movie was a little rushed at the beginning. However, it slowed down as it progressed.

Finally, the DVD (the one distributed by the studio Image Entertainment) has just one extra. Even though it lasts less than two minutes, it is VERY interesting.

In conclusion, this is a fun movie, even if you have read the book it's based on!!

+++++

Ten people - who are strangers to each other - are invited to Indian Island by an unseen host. The guests strangely "die off" one by one, and their deaths seem to follow suit & are vaguely similar to an old children's nursery rhyme.........This movie is a great adaptation of Agatha Christie's TEN LITTLE INDIANS, which is generally considered to be her finest novel. The actors fit their character roles brilliantly, with Dame Judith Anderson standing out as Emily Brent who wonders whether the "eggs are fresh". June Duprez is surprisingly modern in her playing, rather like a forties version of Diana Rigg (a'la THE AVENGERS). Walter Huston and Barry Fitzgerald are a most fascinating duo who SEEM to be "in cahoots" with each other. Richard Hadyn possessed one of the most comically unique voices of any actor in films; he and Mischa Auer give the film its best comical moments. The film is unfortunately a bit house-bound but it's VERY atmospheric due to Rene Claire's special touch.

By far the best screen adaptation of Agatha Christie, (not to be mentioned in the same breath with the tepid "Death on the Nile," and "Murder on the Orient Express") you have tantalizing mystery, thrilling suspense, black humor, splendid acting, perfect production, and almost geometrically brilliant direction all in one highly enjoyable package. Internationally famous director Rene Clair here presents the classic mystery with such style and skill, that you truly have no idea what's going to happen next. His craftsmanlike care and attention to detail make all ten characters at once capable and incapable of the murders. The careful casting is also inspired, a troupe containing no types to suggest assured innocence or guilt; yet hardly a collection of no-name fresh off his Oscar-winning performance; Louis Hayward, a now forgotten, but hugely appealing playboy sort; Roland Young, delightfully bumbling; and the adenoidal Richard Haydn, in his most winning performance. These are particular standouts in a sterling cast which also includes Judith Anderson, C. Aubrey Smith, and Mischa Auer. The great mansion is also a triumph of art direction, handsomely photographed in moody black-and-white by Lucien Androit; and music likewise assists to create tempo and atmosphere. Humor is also in generous doses, provided by scriptwriter Dudley Nichols, ("Bringing Up Baby,""Stagecoach," etc.) a master at pointing up the action with the humor, rather than interrupting it. Finally, like all great movies, this one gets better and better as it goes along, culminating in a classic denouement with a neat sting in its tail. Even after the culprit is revealed, you'll want to go back and study the skill at which the mystery was sustained! A true classic totally undeserved of its indifference from the Academy and today's top-ten lists. It will challenge any armchair sleuth out there!

I recently purchased "And Then There Were None" issued by Image Entertainment. There are several other companies that have issued this movie. Which one to buy?
Give thanks to the review written by keveny01. I did. I won't repeat what was said other than that the conclusion was that the Image Entertainment version is of much better quality than the others. I have not seen the others, but I must say that the Image Entertainment version is of excellent quality other than the shaking of the beginning titles. If you like a classic whodunit, this is the movie, and this is the version. One does not beat Agatha Christie at her best.

For those who can play code-2-DVDs, there is a fourth version on the market. The French Canal+ (see Am.fr) has edited in 2007 a restored version that is the best so far (I already own the "best" code-1-version by Image disc). The language is English, of course - just ignore the French subtitles, they do not hurt. There are no blemishes as flickers, specks and faded pictures, the b/w-contrast is very good, the sound of course very mono, the background music rather too loud, and the wide-angle takes could be sharper. Well, the movie was produced in 1945 - maybe Criterion or mk2 (its French equivalent) could do better? I doubt it. As for commenting on the transfer: that is the most essential information for me. Whoever goes for such a classic does usually know what he wants: a good transfer. So please stop enthusing and go on informing. Thanks!

Pretty well acted version of an Agatha Christie classic. Everyone remembers this standard movie version "And Then There Were None" (1945) with Barry Fitzgerald. Several other attempts were made such as "And Then There Were None" (1974) with Elke Sommer and even one movie with the original book title "Ten Little Niggers" (1949) with John Bentley. A fun adaptation using a remote mountain dwelling is "Ten Little Indians" (1965) with Hugh O'Brian plays Hugh Lombard.

In this screen play version by Dudley Nichols, Philip Lombard (Louis Hayward) even keeps much of the dialog of the novel and is worth adding to your Agatha Christy collection. Many of the actors are popular of the time such as Walter Huston who plays Dr. Edward G. Armstrong. He is popular for the Walter Huston dance in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1948) and as Mr. Scratch in "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1941).

Ten Little Indians