The first adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic whodunnit novel came out in 1974 followed by a remake in 2017. I watched both films on back-to-back nights with the intention of comparing and contrasting the two. I want to look at the characters, story-telling, and some technical aspects. Let's take a look and see!
Spoilers ahead.
The Opening - Edge goes to Original
The pictures have different approaches. The original starts with newspaper clippings and the backstory of a crucial plot point. The remake chooses to do this later, but I preferred to have the knowledge earlier. Our 2017 one starts with the detective solving a case. It is not a bad opening either, but I prefer the first.
Hercule Poirot - Edge goes to... Original... but barely
Albert Finney and Kenneth Branaugh both give great performances and the same performance. While I have not read the book, it seems that Hercule Poirot is smart, respected, and a little awkward.
The edge goes to Finney because his performance has stood the test of time. His academy award nominated performance is still celebrated today. For that, he takes the win.
Hercule Poirot's Mustache - Edge goes to Remake
I have the utmost respect for both mustaches. I also understand that Albert Finney's stache from the original is book accurate, but you got to love the sophisticated wackiness of Kenneth Branaugh's lip jacket.
Supporting Cast - Edge goes to Remake
There are two characters I like more from the original. These include McQueen the accountant and Pierre the train conductor.
Some of the portrayals are just as good, but many from the remake are noticeably better. An example is Daisy Ridley was much better as Mary Debenham. It's partly the writing, but she also puts more into the performance. Another big upgrade is Willem Dafoe as Gerhard Hardman. The Pinkerton agent in disguise has more screentime in this movie and is not one-dimensional like the original movies take.
Another upgrade is Johnny Depp as Ratchet the crook. The original performance isn't bad, but Depp is on another level.
It does pain me not to take the side of Sean Connery as Col. Arbuthnot. Leslie Odom Jr.'s version is more entertaining with more layers. Connery is still the man though.
Production Design (The Train) - Edge goes to Both
I really can't tell you which I like more. Both production designs take slightly different routes, yet both are excellent. This set represents a luxury train fit for princesses and the richest of the rich. It has to be something grand but in a small setting. The finest dining and silk sheets are available. Both movies provide this, and I am no interior designer, so I stand by choosing both.
The Ending - Edge goes to Remake
For purely cinematic reasons, the remake takes the edge. Poirot drags all of the accused out into the snow to give the answer and what an answer he gives. He gives an impassioned speech sympathizing with the killers (that's right, it's almost everybody) who have been emotionally damaged by the brutal slaying of an innocent child.
Never has Poirot encountered such an investigation that made him challenge what he believes. Is it just right versus wrong, or is there more to consider? Can the killing of a killer, bypassing the justice system, be justified? It is a centuries-old question. Poirot makes a hard choice.
Conclusion
I really enjoy this story. While I have never read Agatha Christie's novels before, I am going to start now. This is easily one of the better mystery stories I have seen. These are better to me than recent successes like Knives Out.
Both adaptations receive high marks. If you force me to choose one, I actually choose the remake by the slimmest of margins. I know this is the minority opinion, but I will stick with it to the grave! Because the two movies are so similar, I believe critics had a case of "already seen that." Maybe if I would have watched the original first, my opinion would be different. However, I watched the remake first and was able to make my unbiased opinion.
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