25 Best Agatha Christie Movie Adaptations Ranked

Agatha Christie Movies have been in demand since the advent of Hollywood cinema. She has published over 125 written works, including 74 novels, selling more than two billion copies, making her the second best-selling fiction author of all time. The first Agatha Christie movie came in 1928 with the first non-English language adaptation coming a year later. Foreign filmmakers were very fond of Christie’s work. Of more than 30 film adaptations, 14 are non-English adaptations.

Even today, Christie’s mystery novels remain popular with readers worldwide. They are still adapted into television series and movies, whether they are standalone stories or part of the mysteries solved by Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. While miniseries and special presentations on television tend to be more common than movies, New Agatha Christie movies also continue to be released. However, the best Agatha Christie movies appeal to fans of the novels as much as those who have never read her work.

25

Alibi (1931).

The Lost Agatha Christie movie from the earliest decades of cinema

Alibi is one of the first Agatha Christie movies by Twickenham Studios. Alibi It stars Austin Trevor as Hercule Poirot and is considered a lost film. Even if it is a lost film, it is still notable for being the first Christie adaptation with Hercule Poirot. It is based on the 1928 play of the same name, which itself was based on Christie’s 1926 novel. The murder of Roger Ackroyd.

Alibi Featuring a character named Caryll Sheppard (played by Mercia Swinburne), who became the inspiration for Miss Marple, Christy’s other great detective character. Director Leslie S. Hiscott was a professional, directing around 60 movies between 1925 and 1956. This was also the first of two Agatha Christie movies that Hiscott directed. He followed it up with Black coffeeWith Austin Trevor returning once more as Hercule Poirot. He also made movies about Sherlock Holmes in his career.

24

Black Coffee (1931)

A long-lost adaptation of Christie’s stage play Movie Answer

Black coffee It stars Austin Trevor as Hercule Poirot and is based on the 1929 stage play of the same name. Christie wrote the play in response to the film adaptations up to that point. In the story, Poirot and a friend, Arthur Hastings, visit a physicist only to discover his dead body. The plot revolves around a secret formula the physicist is working on and the motives of each previous guest for killing him.

No known copies exist of any of Leslie S. Hiscot’s Agatha Christie movies, but both earned strong enough reviews that Black coffee is still known about and discussed today. Although the film was not an adaptation of one of the author’s novels, in 1998 (22 years after her death), Australian-born writer and classical music critic Charles Osborne turned the play into a novel (with Christie’s blessing estate).

23

Ten Little Indians (1989)

A group of former suspects must solve a murder

In 1989, Harry Alan Towers released his third version of The Agatha Christie Story, And then there are nonewhich he took a name Ten little Jews. The film sees ten strangers, all accused of murders in the past, Summoned to an African safari by a mysterious boss. As they begin to die one by one, the survivors have to figure out which one of them is the killer before they all die.

This was not a Christie story with her two main detectives (Hercule Poirot and Marla Maples). Instead, it featured Ten regular people forced to sleuth their way through this intriguing whodunit. The cast included Donald Pliance (Dr. Loomis of Halloween) and Frank Stallone (Sylvester Stallone’s brother). Producer Harry Alan Towers previously adapted the book into a movie in 1965 and 1974, and this was the lower quality of the three movie versions.

22

Ordeal by Innocence (1984)

Donald Sutherland strives to clear a dead man’s name

Ordeal through innocence is a 1984 movie based on the book of the same name by Agatha Christie. The book follows Dr. Arthur Calgary, a witness to a murder, but he doesn’t realize the full extent of what he saw until two years later when Jack Argyle, an innocent man, is found guilty of the crime and dies. in prison. Dr. Calgary then reveals that Argyle is not guilty And that Calgary has an alibi for him, which proves it, meaning the killer is still out there.

Donald Sutherland plays Dr. Calgary, And the supporting cast includes notable names like Christopher Plummer, Faye Dunaway and Ian McShane. There are some complaints about the music score, which is jazz and does not fit the format of a mystery movie. However, the story itself is well told, and it’s a great look at social conformity and the idea of ​​killing just to keep someone’s respectability. It plays like a throwback mystery movie with a great cast involved.

21

Ten Little Indians (1965)

An early adaptation that inspired many horror movies

The 1965 version of Ten little Jews is set in a mansion in the snowy Alps as a mysterious host invites ten people to a remote location. The host does not appear and instead leaves a message that each person is responsible for the death of another and will be killed during their stay in the mansion. The message comes to fruition when guests stop dead in the mansion, and the remaining survivors have to figure out who the mysterious killer is before they meet the same fate.

This story is one of the most frequently adapted Christie novels. It has even provided the inspiration for a number of horror movies that center on isolation when victims are picked off. Harry Allen Towers co-wrote the script for the movie, one of three times he worked to adapt the Agatha Christie novel into a movie. Most critics praised the cast and the mystery, although many said it was not as good as other adaptations of this specific story that had been adapted in the past.

20

Seven Dials Mystery (1981)

Conspiracy and murder among the London aristocracy

The seven dials mystery is based on the Christie novel of the same name, although the novel was written in a different style than most of her previous murder mystery works. The novel brought back characters from The secret of chimneys But not so much attention given to the detective work and instead focused on conspiracies and international spies. The 1981 film follows Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent, who investigates the murder of Gary WadeWith the mystery continuing to escalate after his death.

Bundle discovers a larger conspiracy when another man is killed, and she learns of the existence of a secret society involved in both murders. One of several adaptations of Agatha Christie for London Weekend TV, this TV movie worked so well for longtime fans because it rarely deviated from the source material. Cheryl Campbell (Chariot of fire) starred as Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent in the film.

19

Why didn’t they ask Evans? (1980)

The adaptation that brought Agatha Christie stories to the small screen

Why didn’t they ask Evans? is a detective novel by Agatha Christie and the 1980 TV movie is based on the book of the same name. The movie follows Bobby Jones as he investigates the murder of a man he comes across while golfing, whose last words are, “Why didn’t they ask Evans?” Jones starts to do a deep dive into the man’s life and tries to uncover the mystery of his fatal wounds on the golf course that day.

This is actually the first major Christie adaptation for television because, during her lifetime, the author disliked television. After her death in 1976, her estate (and specifically her daughter Rosalind Hicks) allowed the broadcast rights to sell her stories. Why didn’t they ask Evans? became very popular, and is the reason there are so many television adaptations today.

18

Death on the Nile (2022)

Kenneth Branagh’s second outing as Poirot

Kenneth Branagh returns as Poirot in this sequel to Murder on the Orient Express. in death on the nile Agatha Christie’s most famous detective is just trying to take a vacation, but of course, his time of relaxation is interrupted by murder. Unfortunately for his plans of relaxation, he is swept up in the murder mystery and has to find out who the killer is before they strike again. Like its predecessor, Game Death on the Nile is full of twists, turns and dramatic accusations.

It also has a more lush backdrop and a bigger budget for costumes to reflect the opulence of the trip.. Visually, the movie is stunning, and a cast with Gal Gadot, Letitia Wright, Russell Brand, Armie Hammer, Annette Bening and Rose Leslie certainly makes it as star-studded as the previous one. The movie earned a Saturn Award nomination for Best Action/Adventure Film and a Visual Effects Society nomination for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature.

17

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

The first movie in Branagh’s blockbuster Poyot trilogy

Murder on the Orient Express is one of the most frequently adapted (or alluded to) of Christie’s novels. Agatha Christie’s story has been adapted into radio shows, television specials, movies, and even video games. Despite those familiar with Christie’s work, knowing the ending since it first appeared in 1934, many are still captivated by all the twists and turns, as literally everyone Poirot comes into contact with is a suspect.

Kenneth Branagh as Poirot in this version of the story is incredibly captivating to watchAnd the huge cast of stars (Penelope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Leslie Odom Jr., among others) lend gravitas to their roles. The movie sees a murder on the train known as the Orient Express, and everyone on board is a suspect. The movie earned a Saturn Awards nomination for Best Thriller Film and a Costume Designers Guild nomination for Excellence in a Period Film.

16

Gumnam (1965)

Bollywood’s take on a classic Christy tale

Indian adaptations of the works of Agatha Christie are incredibly popular. Goomnam is only the second Indian adaptation and the first in Hindi. The story adapts Christie’s And then there are none. In this version, eight characters win a trip, but the prize actually sets them all up to be stalked and systematically murdered one by one. The surviving characters try to hunt down the killer, just like in Christie’s original novel.

Eventually, they discover their connections to one another, but only after most of them have already been killed. Although the movie may not have as many characters as the original novel, the themes and tension remain the same. The movie is more of a thriller than a mystery movie, which helps differentiate it from other Agatha Christie movies. It ended up winning the Best Art Direction (Color) Award at the 13th Filmfare Awards, with two other nominations for the actors.

15

Endless Night (1972)

An incredibly faithful Christie adaptation

Endless night Adapts one of the last novels Agatha Christie wrote before she died in 1976. It follows the story of a young man who meets a rich heir, and the two fall for one another quickly, making their dream of a small-town estate come true. However, when they achieve their dream, a murder in the small town occurs. In true Christie fashion, there’s a big twist for the viewer.

Upon its release, it was not considered one of the best Agatha Christie movies, and the movie divided critics. however, It is very true to the source material. It features Hayley Mills (Pollyanna) as the heir, Ali. The movie tried to do something different, which probably drove away some critics. The production team wanted minimal dialogue and ambiguity for the movie, which plays against the idea of ​​the mystery stories that Agatha Christie tells in her books.

14

Crooked House (2017)

A mystery with more drama than the usual Christy part

Christie is known for the twists and turns in her novels, and Crooked house is the epitome of that. It was adapted several times, however The 2017 adaptation features a star-studded cast including Glen Close, Gillian Anderson, Christina Hendricks and Max Irons. Irons plays detective Charles Hayward, a former diplomat who returns to England when an old flame uses him to investigate a murder in her family.

Of course, Hayward’s former lover, Sophia Leonides, hires someone with whom she has a history because she wants to make sure that Scotland Yard is not able to expose her family’s secrets to the public. The story is as much a family drama as a mystery, which makes it so appealing even among Christie’s other works. It was a made-for-television movie in the UK, and the movie received mixed to positive reviews for the great performances of the cast.

13

Murder Most Foul (1964)

Miss Marple joins a theater group to find a killer

Margaret Rutherford stars as Miss Marple in this black-and-white murder mystery based on the Christie novel of the same name. Miss Marple believes that a man about to be convicted of murder is actually innocent, so she looks into the case to prove his innocence and find the real killer. Miss Marple’s investigation leads her to join a theater group where yet another actor is found dead after she starts her investigation.

The closer Miss Marple gets to the killer, the more danger she finds herself in as she uncovers the secrets of the character’s past. It’s a pretty standard Christie adaptation, though Rutherford truly embodied Miss MarpleAnd for years, her performance would be synonymous with the Agatha Christie detective. While the story is based on Christie’s novel, significant changes were made to the action and characters. This is a Hercule Poirot mystery in this book, not a Miss Marple one.

12

Murder at the Gallop (1963)

Poirot is swapped for Miss Marple in this lighter take on Agatha Christie

Murder at the Gallop Adapted from Christie’s 1952 novel After the funeral. Funeral is a suspense novel featuring Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, however Murder at the Gallop is a light comedy that replaces him with Dame Margaret Rutherford’s amateur detective Miss Marple. Gallop is also a sequel to Murder, she saidRutherford’s first outing as Marple. The story begins with the death of a rich recluse.

Marple investigates while at a boarding school operated by the surviving heirs. The motive of the murderer is revealed to be something that could not have required the death of the recluses. Rutherford’s Marple would appear in five different Christie adaptations, and her portrayal of the character informed the performances of many actors who took on the role after her.

11

Evil Under the Sun (1982)

Dame Maggie Smith stars in this classic Poirot tale

Evil under the sun is a Hercule Poirot story based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name. This Agatha Christie movie has a notably strong castincluding Peter Ustinov as Poirot and the legendary lady Maggie Smith as Mrs. Castle, the hotel owner. The story follows Poirot as he tries to solve the case of the mysterious death of an unpopular actor.

Evil under the sun Takes place in a resort hotel, where Poirot does his detective work by interviewing various patrons and guests in order to find out who committed a murder on vacation. This was the follow-up movie to Murder on the Orient Express (1974), using the same production team. It continued to be a success, as the team made five of six planned Agatha Christie movies (the only one they didn’t make was Evil under the sun). The movie received an Edgar Award nomination for Best Motion Picture.

10

Murder, She Said (1961)

The debut of Margaret Rutherford’s iconic Miss Marple

Murder, she said is Dame Margaret Rutherford’s first appearance as Miss Marple. Marple sees a woman strangled on a train. She begins her investigation after the police stopped her due to a lack of evidence. Her investigation involves getting a job at the estate where she believes the woman’s body is and interviewing the various suspects in the house. The police come around to investigate her when she finds the woman’s body in a horse stable.

Fans clearly loved Rutherford in the role, and it’s easy to see why. However, the movies with Rutherford played things differently from Agatha Christie’s novels, as they switched out the dark mysteries for a more lighthearted and whimsical comedy of manners. Also, Miss Marples is more handy in the movies, as she goes undercover, whereas, in the novel, she sends someone else to pose as a housekeeper for her. The movie has an 83% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

9

And Then There Were None (1945)

The first adaptation of the infamous Agatha Christie bestseller

The 1945 film is the first of several adaptations of Christie’s best-selling novel. The story focuses on ten people who travel to a hotel in the Iranian desert and are accused of murder. However, none of their actions can be legally defined as such, and thus they cannot be held responsible for the deaths by the courts. The ten also find a framed copy of “Ten Little Indians” in each of their bedrooms and a sculpture of 10 people in a circle in the dining room.

Things escalate when one of them dies, and a figure disappears. This classic Agatha Christie tale has been adapted many times, however The 1945 version remains one of the best retellings. The whole story is one where people who have done bad things finally have to face the consequences of it, and it is best described as SawBut without all the blood and gore, but instead holding a strong level of mystery. It won the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival.

8

The Cracked Mirror (1980)

A murder mystery in Miss Marple’s hometown

One of Christie’s Miss Marple secrets, The mirror cracked is stacked with an incredibly talented cast. Murder, she wrote Angela Lansbury stars as Miss Marple, while Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Liz Taylor and Kim Novak make up the rest of the main cast. The story follows a production crew that comes to Miss Marple’s small hometown to shoot a movie, and a fan ends up being poisoned.

Taylor and Novak play the rival actresses at the center of the mystery, and their antagonistic relationship adds some levity to the mystery. As a bonus, fans of Pierce Brosnan will see that this is actually his screen debut, as he plays an actor in a small role. The movie took place four years before Lansbury took on her role as Jessica Fletcher, an Agatha Christie-styled mystery novelist who also helps solve mysteries happening in her small town.

7

Shubho Mahurat (2003)

The Bengali reimagining of a classic Christy tale

Return to Mahurat is a English-language adaptation of Christie’s 1962 novel The mirror cracked from side to side. in MahuratThe main character, Padmini (Sharmila Tagore), is a film producer who recently arrived in India. When an actress she is waiting for dies, suspicion first falls on the actress’s husband, who is accused of A match with another woman. Ranga Pishima (Raakhee).

The movie version of Miss Marple (Raakhee as Ranga Pishima, who is not the main character) is the aunt of a journalist who becomes heavily involved in the production of the film. It’s very different from the 1980 adaptation, but both movies offer some of the best drama in the Agatha Christie adaptations. The movie won several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for Rakhee and the National Film Award for Best Film in Bengali.

6

Grandmaster (2012)

An Indian Malayalam retelling of the ABC murder

Released in 2012, the Indian Malayalam-language movie Grandmaster is based on the book by Agatha Christie The ABC murders. The book was a novel by Hercule Poirot in which a serial killer (known as ABC) chooses victims whose first and last names begin with the same letter. Other than that, there didn’t seem to be any motive. In the film, a senior IPS officer begins investigating a series of murders after receiving an anonymous note from the killer himself.

There are some key differences between the stories, including the fact that there is no Hercule Poirot in the movie, and it is all about the IPS officer, IG Chandrasekhar, to solve the mystery of the serial killer. Grandmaster Received mostly positive reviews and was the first Malayalam film released on Netflix. It also received honors from the Kerala State Film Awards, Asianet Film Awards, Asiavision Awards and South Indian International Movie Awards.