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Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Lois Chiles, David Niven, Bette Davis ... see more see more... , Mia Farrow , Angela Lansbury , George Kennedy , Jon Finch , Olivia Hussey , Simon MacCorkindale , Maggie Smith , Jack Warden , Harry Andrews , I.S. Johar , Sam Wanamaker

Peter Ustinov began his long association with the Hercule Poirot character of murder mystery novelist Agatha Christie with this lavish but financially disappointing follow-up to the popular Murder on ... read more read more...the Orient Express (1974). During a luxurious pleasure cruise down the Nile aboard a lavish vessel populated with wealthy passengers, widely despised heiress and home wrecker Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) is murdered. Also aboard is famed Belgian detective Poirot (Ustinov) and his taciturn traveling companion, Colonel Race (David Niven). Poirot undertakes an investigation into Ridgeway's killing. Among the colorful suspects are Salome (Angela Lansbury) and Rosalie Otterbourne (Olivia Hussey), Doctor Bessner (Jack Warden), Mrs. Van Schuyler (Bette Davis), Miss Bowers (Maggie Smith), and Jacqueline De Bellefort (Mia Farrow). As more bodies pile up, however, it appears that nearly everyone aboard has a motive. The script for Death on the Nile (1978) was adapted by Anthony Shaffer, the writer of Sleuth (1972) and the identical twin brother of Amadeus (1984) author Peter Shaffer. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Flixster Users

71% liked it

8,091 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

10 critics

PG, 2 hr. 20 min.

Directed by: John Guillermin

Release Date: September 29, 1978

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DVD Release Date: February 27, 2001

Stats: 367 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (367)


  • June 29, 2010
    Not nearly as good as Murder On the Orient Express, even a step down from Evil Under the Sun, but colorful Christie tale with fine production values and a good cast with Angela Lansbury, Bette Davis and Maggie Smith standing out. One of the problems is overlength another is a too... read more deliberate pace but if yo're a mystery fan still a worthwhile watch. Ustinov of course is perfect as Poirot.
  • December 14, 2009
    This is pretty great TV Movie based upon the Novel written by Agath Christie with late Sr.Peter Ustinov and Angela Lansberry as a Alcoholic widow. It was funny to see Lanburry as an Alcoholic.
  • December 6, 2008
    It's an old-fashioned Whodunit which IS a bit dated, but the story is still good
  • August 9, 2007
    Agatha Christie's great whodunit comes again with a pack of legendary actors. Peter Ustinov is the best Poirot ever. sublime and intriguing scheme.
  • August 1, 2007
    I had first watched this many years ago before I knew of big names like Bette Davis and Angela Lansbury and Maggie Smith. I only remembered that I loved the story and I loved Agatha Christie. Now watching it again it only reaffirms that love I felt. It's quite a fabulous and clev... read moreer story, not particularly meaningful but infinitely entertaining, peppered with some fabulous supporting roles by aging Bette Davis and relatively youngish Maggie Smith.
  • July 15, 2007
    A real Agatha Christie Treat - more luxurius than the Orient Express. Lots of nice famous actors as suspects. Peter Ustinov made a great Poirot. I liked the musical score and the exotic locations.
  • July 14, 2007
    One of the best Agatha Christie films there is. An all star cast with a great plot, full of twists make this an excellent Whodunit?
  • May 15, 2007
    A very good film, but delivered in an almost identical manner to Murder on the Orient Express, which I guess goes to show that directing a British murder mystery in the 1970s was a pretty colorless affair. Even in a place as exotic as Egypt, this still feels almost interminably B... read moreritish. Fortunately, though, this movie manages to draw great things from the cast and the source material.

    Death on the Nile is a little overlong, at 2:20, and Ustinov is probably the weakest Poirot I've seen on the screen (the film's losing point to its Orient Express precursor). That aside, though, this is certainly a Christie adaptation worth watching. Both the plot and the characters are some of the most memorable she's ever written, and the performances fit them flawlessly here.
  • May 9, 2009
    A great story from Agatha Christie, coupled with an amazingly talented cast, and couple with a superb soundtrack, can only mean one thing: a great detective thriller!
  • March 4, 2009
    One of the better Poirot movies.

Critic Reviews


Steve Crum
February 21, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Fun, if not cookie-cutter, Agatha Christie-based flick w/Peter Ustinov fine as Det. Hercule Poirot.

Bob Bloom
August 18, 2006
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

A fine Agatha Christie adaptation, made more watchable because of its all-star cast

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
January 24, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Death on the Nile is a fine entertainment that is lovely to look at and easy to enjoy. Full Review

Gerry Shamray
April 13, 2003
Gerry Shamray, Sun Newspapers of Cleveland

Not bad if a bit dry.

Ken Hanke
December 29, 2002
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Okay whodunit suffers by comparison with Murder on the Orient Express.

August 8, 2008
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Daniel M. Kimmel
April 21, 2004
Daniel M. Kimmel, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

No review available.

Carol Cling
April 16, 2004
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

James O'Ehley
April 9, 2003
James O'Ehley, Sci-Fi Movie Page

No review available.

Rob Blackwelder
October 17, 2002
Rob Blackwelder, SPLICEDWire

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Death on the Nile Trivia


  • Who played Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie's "Death on the Nile"?  Answer »
  • What film has this cast : Peter Ustinov, Jane Berkin, Lois Chiles, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Jon Finch, Olivia Hussey, George Kennedy, Angela Langsbury, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Jack Warden?  Answer »
  • Filming for Death On The Nile had to be stopped everyday by 1:00-!:30 pm because the temperatures reached 130 F ?  Answer »
  • What film had the quote:Miss Bowers:"It's more than likely ,it has been my experience that men are least attracked to women who treat them well "?  Answer »

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