A ‘Murder On The Orient Express’ (1974, 2010, 2017) Again: The Existential Dilemma of Hercules Poirot.

“There is much evil in the world.”
― Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express

It was after having seen the latest adaptation of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’(2017) directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh, who also plays Hercules Poirot in the film and having read a review by Paul Fry in The LA Review of Books:

‘‘Mr. Ratchett Is Dead Again’’ https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/mr-ratchett-is-dead-again/

that I felt compelled to put a few words down in response to his article, when I found myself, whilst reading it, asking ‘Had we been watching the same film?’’

Although Paul Fry does mention a previous film version of this story by Sidney Lumet (1974) it is only to provide subject matter for the more positive comparative comments he continually makes on the Branagh version. And nothing is mentioned about the British adaptation for ITV, starring David Suchet as Hercules Poirot in 2010. David Suchet has played Poirot in every single adaptation for ITV. The absence of any reference to a quite brilliant adaptation which has itself involved some changes to the original story, cannot be allowed to go unanswered.