Ten Little Indians (1965)

I fully agree with Tsjidde. Fabian for the young audience, a few pretty ladies for the gentlemen, a few excellent character actors to ensure quality, and somehow it all works very well. The plot also remains excellent, including the funny "freeze-frame" minute granted to the viewer at the end to give them something to think about. Moreover, I have a soft spot for this director because of his four beautiful Miss Marple films from the first half of the 1960s featuring the unique Margaret Rutherford (Murder at the Gallop, in particular, is a delight).

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I am crazy about Agatha Christie's book myself and was curious about this film adaptation. The story follows the book, but the ending is different. In that respect, it mainly follows the stage version of the book, which was also written by Agatha Christie, by the way. So she made the adaptation herself, although I still prefer the book. Perhaps a bit too dark for the (certainly back then) more tame Hollywood. I say Hollywood now, even though I know just as well that the film comes from England. But you understand what I mean.

The film is strong primarily because of the story. This is presented clearly, and I suspect that as a viewer, you will remain in surprise if you haven't read the book. However, I do miss the deeper depth of the book, insofar as that can be conveyed in an hour and a half of film. And a somewhat more pronounced atmosphere of paranoia. Finally, after a few people drop out, you end up with a situation where everyone suspects everyone else. What remains is still an interesting ensemble of 10 people, where it is inherently difficult to give so many characters equal screen time. But it has been managed quite well nonetheless.

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The film 10 Little Indians manages to captivate sufficiently from beginning to end. The story remains entertaining thanks to the intriguing concept of ten people disappearing one by one under mysterious circumstances. This setup ensures that you, as a viewer, constantly keep thinking along and speculating. The ending is particularly well-executed. On the one hand, there is a striking moment in which the director inserts a brief pause, as it were, giving you a moment to think about the identity of the murderer yourself, while the events are briefly reviewed. On the other hand, the final unmasking still manages to surprise: the perpetrator is not immediately the person you expect. Although the film might feel somewhat old-fashioned and slightly dated today, the whole thing certainly remains worthwhile as a classic thriller. The atmosphere and tension hold up well, and the cast certainly contributes to this. The blonde lady is recognizable as the iconic golden woman from Goldfinger, and the other female role is also absolutely fine. In short: a somewhat dated, but still entertaining and exciting film that will certainly appeal to fans of classic whodunits. 6/10

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