Film Review - And Then There Were None (1945)

What I’m Watching: WARNING! SPOILERS IN REVIEW!

And Then There Were None (1945. Directed by Rene Clair)

Based on the widely popular murder mystery “Ten Little Indians” by the great Agatha Christie, this film brings to life this chilling tale of 10 seemingly random people all brought to a mysterious island under false pretenses. There, they begin to be killed off one by one in accordance to a morbid nursery rhyme, for crimes which they have committed in the past. Although the script is taken widely verbatim from the novel itself, the film made some changes to the details, as well as a major plot change at the end of the film. Before adapted into a film, Christie’s book was made into a stage play. Like most theatrical performances, there is a call for some “happy” resolution and some romance. Unlike the morose yet justifiable ending to the novel where all of the characters die in accordance to the nursery rhyme, the play adaptation and later the film adaptation has our last two characters slated for death (Phillip Lombard and Vera Claythorne) not only escape their fate, but leave the island with a very Hollywood-like romance in the air. Other minor changes are to a few of the character names, a few crimes and a few different instruments of death. Minor tweaks to the plot such as skipping over long explanations of evidence and different suspicions and so forth were done very well to keep the plot moving. The movie itself is all in black and white (obviously, it was 1945)! The scenery of the island as well as the interior of the large manor are very fitting with the story, and definitely keeps the tension of the plot high. The acting, to me, was either a hit or miss for each character. The first victim, in the book as Anthony Marston, a rich and apathetic playboy of sorts, is here changed to a Prince Starloff, who is a foreigner and boozehound. While the obvious apathy for anyone but himself is apparent still, the distinct change in character was a bit awkward to get accustomed to. The housemaid Ethel Rogers was plainly a terrible actress altogether, but she’s second to die so she does not affect the film very much. The rest of the cast played their parts exceedingly well and quite in sync with the novel. I will point out the distinct difference from novel to film though from the manservant Thomas Rogers. In the novel Rogers is a very quiet and timid fellow with no real impact. In the film, Richard Haydn turns Rogers into a hysterical and antsy man who ultimately decides the best thing to do is getting wasted. While this was a complete 180 from his written character, I enjoyed this performance immensely and it left Rogers easily as my favourite character. Other noteworthy performances are Barry Fitzgerald as the level-headed turned madman Judge Quinncannon, Louis Hayward as the strong-willed and ruggedly handsome Phillip Lombard, and June Duprez as the beautiful, timid, yet suspicious Vera Claythorne. The film kept the tension high throughout the film, and very wonderfully incorporated many slapstick jokes and backhanded quips to turn an extremely violent and frightening story into a lighthearted Who-Dunnit! They did not show the gruesome murders which are quite unnerving in the book, which I thought was smart. Implied gore that isn’t fully shown is always more powerful, as it leave the audience reeling with possibilities. My biggest issue with the film was the change of ending. I can understand why a theatrical performance would change the ending, but I feel that a film should hold true to the nature of the story. I’m a lover of Agatha Christie novels, and this is undoubtedly my favourite. I am perhaps unfairly biased in this sense, that I would have preferred the real ending where everyone dies and the shocking truth revealed in the epilogue. All in all though, it is a wonderful film and is certainly at the forefront of the early “slasher genre” that has become so popular. I recommend this film to any light horror/ thriller fans. If you’ve read the novel, I recommend it with caution. It’s a good and enjoyable film, but it might leave you itchy if you read and love the novel.