Death on the Nile

I saw the most recent adaptation of Death on the Nile (2022) and walked away confused. It was very different from the other film versions I have seen. This made me wonder which film version was closest to the book. To find out, I had to actually read Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. I also had to rewatch the David Suchet and Peter Ustinov versions in order to compare everything accurately.

Death on the Nile is one of those titles probably everyone has at least heard of. Whether they have read the novel or watched any of the adaptations is a different story. I myself had never read the book, but I had seen two adaptations before this most recent one. For this experiment, I got the book from the library, eager to read it, not knowing what a chore it would be. Death on the Nile was not an easy read. Although, I will give the book the benefit of the doubt. Had I not known the ending so well, I may have enjoyed the book more.

Death on the Nile
Agatha Christie

Too much money leads to problems for Linnet

Linnet Ridgeway is an incredibly wealthy woman at an incredibly young age. She is not even twenty-one.

With all this privilege, Linnet is used to getting whatever she wants. One of the things she wants, or more I should say people, is her friend’s fiancé.

Jacqueline de Bellefort went to school with Linnet. When her fiancé, Simon Doyle, needs a job, Jacqueline goes to Linnet for help. Jacqueline is madly in love with Simon and wants to see him happily working. She even tells Linnet that Simon can be fired if he does not do a good job, as long as he is given a chance. Linnet agrees to these terms. Not long later, Linnet marries Simon.

The marriage, understandably, does not go over well with Jacqueline. She follows the newly-married Doyles around on their honeymoon trip in Egypt. This drives the couple crazy, especially Linnet. After meeting the detective Hercule Poirot, Linnet asks him to intercede with Jacqueline on their behalf. He refuses. Instead, Poirot brings out the hidden fact Linnet feels guilty about what she has done to her friend.

This revelation infuriates Linnet. Why would she feel guilty? All’s fair in love and war, right? Sometimes things just happen. One simply has to accept it.

Yeah. Okay. Right. Anyway . . .

Poirot agrees to talk to Jacqueline, but not as an agent for Linnet. This constant refusal to do Linnet’s bidding shocks her. It is most definitely something she is not used to.

The reason Poirot agrees to speak with Jacqueline is for Jacqueline’s own sake. He worries about the damage her actions are doing to herself. Poirot is concerned if Jacqueline does not stop, she will ruin her life.

Jacqueline, however, sees no other way. She has chosen this path of following Linnet and Simon, and is going to keep doing so. Her hurt over what they have done is so deep she is even carrying a small pistol with her. A pistol near at hand in case she needs to use it on . . . someone.

Linnet and Simon make their escape, for a time

With Jacqueline refusing to leave them alone, Linnet and Simon make their escape. They pretend to be going one place when in reality they’re going to another. Thinking they have lost Jacqueline for good, the couple board a boat for a trip down the Nile.

Poirot happens to also be on this boat. It seems life is getting back to normal, but Linnet is still worried. She thinks everyone hates her. An attempt on hers and Simon’s lives appears to prove that. To make matters worse, it was an attempt that could not have been done by Jacqueline.

Eventually, Jacqueline does track down Linnet and Simon. She gets her own room on the boat, forcing everyone on the boat into tense close quarters.

One night, after too much to drink, Jacqueline shoots Simon in the leg. She becomes hysterical over what she has done and is taken away.

During the same night, Linnet is killed. Jacqueline is the easy suspect, but she was under guard the entire night after shooting Simon. She could not have killed Linnet. Although, there is a long list of other people who could have wanted to see Linnet harmed. It is up to Poirot to figure out who that person is before they all go their separate ways.

Who has the closest film adaptation?

One thing I noticed in all three film versions is the removal of the arms dealer. In the book there is a storyline about a secret arms dealer being sought, yet in none of the films is it mentioned. Or if it is, the mention is so brief I miss it every time.

Death on the Nile
David Suchet

Other than that, and a few small other things, David Suchet’s Death on the Nile is closest to the book. It’s also the shortest, which is nice. I have found this story puts me to sleep a lot. The book. The films. All I seem to want to do is sleep.

Death on the Nile
Peter Ustinov

Peter Ustinov’s version was also fairly accurate. Although, there were more liberties taken with the script than with Suchet’s.

Death on the Nile
Kenneth Branagh

The Kenneth Branagh adaptation is completely different from all the others. The base story was the same, but a great number of details and storylines were not. Characters were connected in ways they weren’t in any other version. Storylines were created for people that did not exist previously. Even the reasons for everyone being on the boat was different than the book and other films. These changes were what I noticed when I first watched the film. It was why I went on this experiment. To verify what I thought I knew.

One thing to note, though. I did not fall asleep during Branagh’s Death on the Nile. Possibly because I was in the theater. But I did get fidgety. If I were to watch this film again on DVD, I would not be surprised if I fell asleep like I do with all the rest of them.

David Suchet: Forever my Poirot

Death on the Nile
David Suchet

If I were to choose only one version of Death on the Nile to keep with me, it would be the film adaptation with David Suchet. Part of this may be because he is my favorite Poirot. Also, the length of his film is far shorter than the others and the book.

Something to note if you decide to do this challenge yourself: Agatha Christie actually wrote two Death on the Nile stories. One is a short story involving the detective Parker Pyne. It is worth a read; just know it is going to be very different from the films I have just mentioned.