Ten Little Indians (1965 film)
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The 1965 version of Ten Little Indians is the third film version of Agatha Christie's mystery novel. Although its background story is the same as the 1945 version (ten people invited to a stranded area by a mysterious stranger), this one takes place on an isolated snowy mountain. Most of the murder methods were just like the 1945 version, with some minor variations. This version is also the first adaptation of the novel to show the murders on screen.
Alterations
This particular adaptation has been re-tooled to fit the appeal of the "swinging sixties," like changing the character of a sinister spinster into a glamorous movie star, adding a lot more action to complement the mystery, a fight scene and even a (not very graphic) sex scene. The film is 91 minutes long and is in black and white.
The ending was changed in this version to a less pessimistic one, heavily borrowing from an upbeat ending Christie wrote for the stage version of the show. In the end Clyde and Lombard realize they are apparently the only two left. Even though neither could possibly have murdered the Inspector, the suspicion almost drives them to a breaking point. Lombard reaches for his revolver, only to discover that Clyde has pickpocketed it. She shoots, and then returns to the house. When Clyde enters the house, she discovers a noose hanging there, with a chair under it, and Judge Arthur Cannon alive. Cannon immediately drinks a glass of poison he prepared as she walked in, and starts "monologuing" about what he had done and that she will kill herself rather than remain there alone to take the blame when the police arrive. As he is about to succumb to the poison, Lombard walks in to stand with Clyde -- they had faked his death. Seeing that he has failed in causing the deaths of his last two victims, Cannon dies, leaving Clyde and Lombard to await the arrival of the police.
Credits
- George Pollock: Director
- Agatha Christie (novel)
- Enrique Llovet, Dudley Nichols(1945 screenplay)
- Henry Towers, Peter Yedlam: Screenplay
- Malcolm Lockyer: Music/Conductor
- Ernest Steward: Cinematography
- Peter Boita: Editing
- John McCorry: Costume Design
- Michael Browne: Gaffer
Cast
This film version stars:
- Hugh O'Brian .... Hugh Lombard
- Shirley Eaton .... Ann Clyde
- Fabian .... Mike Raven
- Leo Genn .... General Sir John Mandrake B.C.
- Stanley Holloway .... Det. William Henry Blore
- Wilfrid Hyde-White .... Judge Arthur Cannon
- Daliah Lavi .... Ilona Bergen
- Dennis Price .... Dr. Edward Armstrong
- Marianne Hoppe .... Elsa Grohmann
- Mario Adorf .... Joseph Grohmann
- Christopher Lee .... Voice of 'Mr. Owen' (uncredited)
External links
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