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When somebody says the name of Agatha Christie's famous detective Hercule Poirot, a lot of people immediately think about the long-running British series with David Suchet in the leading role. However, those who prefer movie adaptations also have a lot of options to choose from. Agatha Christie's novels, and not just those featuring Hercule Poirot, have been popular source material for filmmakers for decades now.
Most recently, Kenneth Branagh returned to Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot once more in his new movie Death on the Nile. But for viewers who want to watch some best-rated movies based on Agatha Christie's novels, they have to go further back into the past.
6 Evil Under The Sun (1982)
Alongside Peter Ustinov's Poirot movie Death on the Nile, Evil Under the Sun is an excellent movie when an audience needs not only a mystery, but also a touch of summer and the holidays. It takes place in a beautiful island resort. Unfortunately, Poirot doesn't get to enjoy a peaceful stay there. As would be expected in an Agatha Christie story, somebody is murdered, and it's up to Poirot to solve the case.
He hasn't got an easy job, since everybody seems to have an alibi. That keeps the audience hooked, as they want to figure out what's going on. Peter Ustinov gives a solid performance as Poirot, and the rest of the cast (Maggie Smith, James Mason, and Jane Birkin) don't disappoint either.
5 Murder On The Orient Express (1974)
One of Christie's best-known titles, Murder on the Orient Express is one of the most complex cases Hercule Poirot has ever solved — and also one of the most morally ambiguous ones, considering the story's resolution. The 1974 movie adaptation contains just the right amount of mystery as Poirot tries to figure out who of all the passengers on the train is a murderer.
The movie lasts over two hours, which might be too much for some viewers. However, it has a star-studded cast full of the most talented actors of its time, such as Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, and many others.
4 Murder She Said (1961)
Even though the movie adaptations and novels with Hercule Poirot are the most famous ones, it would be a mistake to underestimate Miss Marple. She might not be a professional detective, but she's intelligent, and people tend to underestimate her because of her appearance as a charming old lady. In this story, Miss Marple believes that someone has committed a murder on the train she took, but the body is missing, and the police don't believe her. So it's up to Miss Marple to find the person responsible.
Margaret Rutherford is excellent as Miss Marple, and it's easy to cheer her on to overcome all the obstacles and crack the case. The movie also serves as a good introduction to further Miss Marple stories, as the viewers get a good glimpse into her personality and resilience.
3 Death On The Nile (1978)
As one of the best Agatha Christie Poirot novels and its movie adaptations, Death on the Nile has it all: a strong mystery at its core, excellent cast, the right amount of tension and humor, and also a love story that isn't as common in the novels. In this case, Poirot is trying to figure out who killed a rich, recently married woman. The most obvious answer would be her former best friend, but not everything is as simple as it seems. And then more people start dying.
The movie takes place in beautiful locations, and the actors such as Peter Ustinov in the leading role, Mia Farrow, Bette Davis, David Niven, and Maggie Smith all give memorable performances. Plus, it'll be interesting for the audience to compare Kenneth Branagh's new adaptation of this story with the older one.
2 And Then There Were None (1945)
This novel has more than one adaptation, but if the audience wants to get back to the roots, the 1945 version is a good choice. When a group of people meets in a manor and start getting murdered one by one, it's up to them to figure out what's going on before it's too late.
The audience is left guessing who the murderer is just as the characters are. The stakes are high, and the tension is palpable because anybody can die the next moment. And Then There Were None isn't as well-known as other Agatha Christie adaptations, but that doesn't reflect its high quality, and the movie deserves more attention than it gets today.
1 Witness For The Prosecution (1957)
If mystery fans want to watch an Agatha Christie movie but aren't in the mood for a Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple story, then Witness for the Prosecution is a sure bet. It focuses on an experienced lawyer Wilfrid Roberts, who's defending a man accused of murder. Roberts believes that his client is innocent, but the accused man's wife doesn't seem to share the same opinion.
Unlike with Agatha Christie's most famous novels, the viewers might not know how the story will turn out, and the intelligent movie keeps them guessing. Its plot twists, as well as the strong cast, are the main reasons why this classic movie has stood the test of time and works just as well today.