The actual Orient Express trains were no longer in existence at the time of shooting. However, the real Orient Express engine was used in the film although it couldn't travel very far. Only portions of the carriages still existed in museums, mostly in Belgium, and sometimes had to be recreated from real portions borrowed.
Ingrid Bergman played Mrs. Frankweiler in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1973). Lauren Bacall played Mrs. Frankweiler in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1995) (TV).
An 84-year-old Agatha Christie attended the movie premiere in November of 1974. It was the only film adaptation in her lifetime that she was completely satisfied with. In particular, she felt that Albert Finney's performance came closest to her idea of Poirot. She died fourteen months later, on January 12, 1976
Wendy Hiller was second choice for Princess Dragonmiroff. Lumet's first choice was vetoed by the producers. The role was also turned down by Ingrid Bergman who chose instead to play Greta Ohlsson, the somewhat crazy Swedish nanny, even if this part had fewer scenes than the part of the Princess.
Albert Finney, who was then 38 years old, was the third choice for the much-older Poirot. The role was offered to Alec Guinness who was unavailable as well as Paul Scofield. Special make-up was created to give Finney the appearance of the 55-60 year old beloved but peculiar Belgian detective.
Ingrid Bergman was originally offered the part of the Princess Dragomiroff but chose instead to play Greta Ohlsson, the somewhat crazy Swedish nanny, even if this part had fewer scenes than the part of the Princess.
The photo gallery on the German DVD by Kinowelt includes one photo hinting at a scene not used in the final film. It shows Bianchi in his bed on the train with Pierre standing beside him.
Virtually all of Ingrid Bergman's Oscar-winning performance is contained in a single scene: her interrogation by Poirot, captured in a single continuous take, nearly five minutes long.
Ingrid Bergman spoke such fluent and accentless English in real life that a dialogue coach had to be employed for this film, to coach her in giving her character a thick Swedish accent.
A set of lyrics was composed for the main-title theme but was never used. The first line went, "Silky, there is murder in your eyes."
The final scene, in which Poirot shares his solution of the case, required more shots and camera angles than could be captured in a single take on the cramped set. The cast had to shoot the scene multiple times, as the required number of cameras didn't fit in such a small space. This was especially hard on Albert Finney, whose monologue was eight pages long.
Sound recordist Peter Handford pioneered the use of radio mikes in a feature film on this production. The microphones were concealed in table fittings.
After several disappointing film adaptations, Agatha Christie initially refused to sell the film rights to any more of her books, but EMI chairman Nat Coleman enlisted the aid of Lord Louis Mountbatten to persuade Christie to allow the filming of her 1934 novel. It turned out to be her favorite film adaptation of any of her books.
In order to attract as many great actors as he could to create this unique all-star cast, Sidney Lumet knew he had to convince a couple of them first to interest the others. Having recently worked with Sean Connery on _Offence, The (1973)_ and The Anderson Tapes (1971), he was easily the first star cast. Richard Widmark agreed to do the movie just to have the chance to meet the other stars.
Richard Widmark agreed to do the movie just to have the chance to meet the other stars.
As shooting went on, five of the actors were involved in West End stage plays at the same time. John Gielgud and Denis Quilley in "The Tempest". Vanessa Redgrave, Albert Finney and Ingrid Bergman were also performing in other productions.
Since Albert Finney's required many hours of make-up procedures before shooting each day and because he was performing in a stage play at the same time, he didn't have much time for his badly-needed sleep. A daily routine was developed where an ambulance arrived to pick-up the sleeping actor at his home, in his pajamas, carefully trying not to wake him up. During the half-hour commute to the studio, the make-up artists would begin the rough work on his face. The rest of the fine detail work was completed at the the studio on a still sleeping Finney.
The luxury food that is inspected and carried aboard the train early in the film had been stolen from the set just before shooting. All the food had to be bought again, in the middle of the night, on location in Paris.
Agatha Christie's story was inspired by the notorious kidnap and subsequent murder of famous aviator Charles A. Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh's baby, Charles Lindbergh Jr. in 1932. Charles A. Lindbergh died three months before the movie was released.
A.D.C.:
Ah, here's your ticket, Monsieur Poirot. I'm afraid you've still got another hour.
Hercule Poirot:
Then, please, do not wait.
A.D.C.:
Not wait? Hah. After all you've done for us, Monsieur Poirot? Ha ha. Oh. Uh, my general's orders were to ensure your safe departure. He also wished to thank you again for saving the honour of the British garrison in Jordan. The Brigadier's, uh, confession was opportune. I say, how did you do it? Was it the old, uh, thumbscrew, you know, the rack, huh?... Oh. Well, uh, you'll be able to rest as soon as you get to Stamboul. The, uh, the Church of Santa Sophia is absolutely magnificent.
Hercule Poirot:
You have seen it?
A.D.C.:
No.
Hercule Poirot:
Mr. Ratchett, I have made enough money to satisfy both my needs and my caprices. I take only such cases now as interest me, and to be frank, my interest in your case is, uh... dwindling.
Hercule Poirot:
Only by interrogating the other passengers could I hope to see the light, but when I began to question them, the light, as Macbeth would have said, thickened.
Beddoes:
Oh, yes, sir, the Italian gentleman.
Hercule Poirot:
Eh, does he speak English?
Beddoes:
A kind of English, sir. I think he learnt it in a place called Chicago.
Bianchi:
You mean you saw the man? You can identify the murderer?
Mrs. Hubbard:
I mean nothing of the kind. I mean there was a man in my compartment last night. It was pitch dark, of course, and my eyes were closed in terror...
Bianchi:
Then how did you know it was a man?
Mrs. Hubbard:
Because I've enjoyed very warm relationships with both my husbands.
Bianchi:
With your eyes closed.
Mrs. Hubbard:
That helped.
Mrs. Hubbard:
Don't you agree the man must have entered my compartment to gain access to Mr. Ratchett?
Princess Dragomiroff:
I can think of no other reason, madame.
Countess Andrenyi:
As is my custom on night trains, I took trional.
[Poirot makes a noise and looks at the doctor]
Dr. Constantine:
Diethylsulphone dimethyl methane. One dilutes the white crystals with water. It is a strong hypnotic.
Countess Andrenyi:
Ha, ha! He makes it sound like a poison!
Dr. Constantine:
As with most sleeping drugs, if taken in sufficient quantities it IS a poison.
Count Andrenyi:
[jumping up] You are not - -!
Hercule Poirot:
Ah, you are not ACcused... you are EXcused! Thank you both for your help and cooperation.
Pierre:
The whistle means that help is near, madame.
Mrs. Hubbard:
And high time, too.
Hercule Poirot:
Time is what counts, Mrs. Hubbard, if we are to complete this inquiry before reaching Brod. I will therefore make my questions as brief as I hope you will make your answers, and the more often you can confine yourself to a simple yes or no, the better.
Mrs. Hubbard:
Well, don't waste time yammering. Begin.
Hercule Poirot:
Your full name is Harriet Belinda Hubbard.
Mrs. Hubbard:
Yes. I was called Harriet after my -...
Colonel Arbuthnott:
He was interested in the future of India. A bit impractical - he thought the British ought to move out!
Colonel Arbuthnott:
Miss Debenham is not a woman!
[long pause]
Colonel Arbuthnott:
She is a lady.
Hercule Poirot:
Cassetti was responsible for her murder. How does that strike you?
Beddoes:
I have often felt, sir, that instead of our employers requiring references from us, we should require references from them.
Hercule Poirot:
Forgive me, Miss Debenham, I must be brief. You met Colonel Arbuthnott and fell in love with each other in Baghdad. Why must the English conceal even their most impeccable emotions?
Mary Debenham:
To answer your observations in order: of course, yes, yes, and I don't know.
Hercule Poirot:
Bianchi, Doctor, has it occurred to youuuu that there are tooooo many cluuu-ues in this roommmm?
Hercule Poirot:
Ah! "Godmother"! Now you have accidentally said something valuable.
Hercule Poirot:
Tout le même, I must thank the pipe-smoking Colonel Arbuthnott for a remark which finally resolved all my confusions about this, uh, this extraordinary case. I prefer to set aside the fact that he denied ever having spoken to Colonel Armstrong in India, and yet he remembered in great detail the decorations which Colonel Armstrong had won years earlier in France. I prefer to remember his views on the British jury system:
Colonel Arbuthnott:
[in a brief flashback] Trial by twelve good men and true... is a sound system.
Foscarelli:
Hey, what are you reading, Mister Beddoes?
Beddoes:
I am reading "Love's Captive," by Mrs. Arabella Richardson.
Foscarelli:
Is it about sex?
Beddoes:
No, it's about 10:30, Mister Foscarelli.
Colonel Arbuthnott:
Can you give me your solemn oath - as a foreigner?
Colonel Arbuthnott:
It's a USED peep cleaner!
Hercule Poirot:
A repulsive murderer has been murdered repulsively, and, perhaps, deservedly.
Hercule Poirot:
You never smile, madame?
Princess Dragomiroff:
My doctor has advised against it.
Mrs. Hubbard:
What's the matter with him? Train-sick or something?
Hercule Poirot:
Some of us, in the words of the divine Greta Garbo, want to be alone.
Anachronisms: During the scene in which Poirot is drinking a green beverage, a car of modern design is barely visible on the road out the window.
Errors in geography: While passengers are boarding the train, you can hear through the speakers in several different languages where the train is going to stop. Sofia, Belgrade, Zagreb, Brod, Trieste. The city of Brod between Zagreb and Trieste is in Slovenia and not on the railway line. The train halt is at Slavonski Brod located between Belgrade and Zagreb.
Continuity: When the conductor's uniform is discovered in a suitcase, the hat changes positions between shots.
Anachronisms: In Istanbul we hear a muezzin giving the standard Muslim azan (call to prayer) in Arabic: "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!" However, the movie is set during the 1930s when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was in power. During this time, the Arabic azan was outlawed, and a Turkish one ("Tanri Uludur!") had to be used instead. After Ataturk's death in 1938 the law was repealed.
Errors in geography: In the train station we see Ataturk's (founder of independent and modern Turkey) poster on the wall. But in the 1930s, Ataturk was alive and had great power. Posters of him were only put on the walls years after his death.
Continuity: When Poirot uses the hat box to decode the burnt paper, in one shot Poirot places his small burning lamp to his right in the next shot the lamp is in the center ready for the hat frames to be placed over it.
Anachronisms: Poirot refers to the classic Greta Garbo line, "I want to be alone.." The film is set in 1930 yet Garbo did not speak the line until "Grand Hotel" which was not released until 1932.
Anachronisms: The hotel orchestra is playing "On the Good Ship Lollipop" which did not become a hit until 1934.
Continuity: When Ratchett's body is discovered, the morning after his murder, his eyes are wide open, yet when he passed out, having drank the drugged sedative, he eventually closes his eyes.
Followed by
Death on the Nile (1978)
Evil Under the Sun (1982)
Thirteen at Dinner (1985) (TV)
Dead Man's Folly (1986) (TV)
Murder in Three Acts (1986) (TV)
Appointment with Death (1988)
Version of
"Get Smart: Aboard the Orient Express (#1.13)" (1965)
Murder on the Orient Express (2001) (TV)
Referenced in
The Big Bus (1976)
Death on the Nile (1978)
Music for the Movies: Bernard Herrmann (1992)
Heinrich der Säger (2001)
Bones (2001)
8 femmes (2002)
Minority Report (2002)
Skenbart - en film om tåg (2003)
- When the train arrives at Berlin
Film Geek (2005)
- on shelf in video store
Featured in
Ingrid (1984)
The 75th Annual Academy Awards (2003) (TV)
Making 'Murder on the Orient Express' (2004) (V)
- scenes shown
The 77th Annual Academy Awards (2005) (TV)
Spoofs
Psycho (1960)
Spoofed in
"The Sonny and Cher Show: (#1.3)" (1976)
- spoofed as a musical
Murder by Death (1976)
"Animaniacs: Distasterpiece Theatre/Hercule Yakko/Home on De-Nile/A Midsummer Night's Dream (#1.25)" (1993)
- The segment "Hercule Yakko" is a parody of this movie starring Hercule Poirot.
Scary Movie (2000)
Chinjeolhan geumjassi (2005)
- group of people take turns stabbing a person's body/after everyone else is finished stabbing him with their big weapons, an old lady kills him with a pair of kid's scissors to the neck