So it seems that Angelina Jolie is in talks with Fox to star in a new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1934 novel Murder On The Orient Express. If the negotiations are successful than Jolie would most like assume the role of Mrs Harriet Belinda Hubbard, An American socialite who finds herself in the company of travelers who may or may not be responsible for the death of a wealthy businessman en route from Istanbul to Paris. At this stage it is unknown who will play the clever Belgian detective Hercule Poirot who is at the center of the story, however it is known that Kenneth Branagh will be directing from the screenplay by Michael Green (Green Lantern).
Production is scheduled to begin in London this November before relocating to Malta. You will have to be patience though as Fox is currently planning a November 22, 2017 release date for the period thriller. I am definitely intrigued to see who will play Hercule Poirot, it not a part just anyone can play and as for Jolie she definitely would be the best person to play Mrs Hubbard as Jolie already has a 1934 glamour puss look about her, she has an old world Beauty about her and I believe that era will definitely suit her. For those of you not familiar with Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express here is a little background for you.
Murder on the Orient Express is a detective novel by the great Agatha Christie and features a Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the novel was first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 1st January 1934. In 1974 the novel was made into a movie, which was one of the most successful cinematic adaptation of Christie’s work ever and starred; Albert Finney as Poirot, Martin Balsam as M. Bianchi, George Coulouris as Dr. Constantine, Richard Widmark as Cassetti and an all-star cast of suspects including Sean Connery (Arbuthnot), Lauren Bacall (Mrs. Hubbard), Anthony Perkins (McQueen), John Gielgud (Beddoes), Michael York (Count Andrenyi), Jean-Pierre Cassel (Pierre Michel), Jacqueline Bisset (Countess Andrenyi), Wendy Hiller (Princess Dragomiroff), Vanessa Redgrave (Mary Debenham), Rachel Roberts (Hildegard Schmidt), Colin Blakely (Hardman), Denis Quilley (Foscarelli) and Ingrid Bergman who won the 1974 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Greta Ohlsson.
In 2001 a thoroughly modernised and poorly received made-for-TV version starring Alfred Molina as Poirot was presented by CBS. Meredith Baxter co-starred as Mrs. Hubbard and Leslie Caron as Princess Dragomiroff (renamed Señora Alvarado and portrayed as the widow of a South American dictator). Poirot is portrayed as significantly younger and less eccentric than Christie’s detective and in my opinion that’s why it was received so poorly, I love Poirot for how eccentric he is and when you take that away it also takes a certain depth out of the show.
Agatha Christie’s Poirot:
Murder on the Orient Express
In 2010 David Suchet reprises the role of Hercule Poirot in an episode of the television series Agatha Christie’s Poitrot co-produced by ITV Studios and WGBH-TV, adapted for the screen by Stewart Harcourt and was generally faithfully to the original story.
Now this is my opinion and my opinion only, but I think in order for this adaptation to be received and do well, it needs to stay true to its heritage of 1934 and the 1947 adaptation. Poirot needs to remain the eccentric and clever detective because without that its really is just another crime show. I am a huge fan Agatha Christie’s work including Miss Marple and Poirot so I have high expectations if this adaptation goes ahead and i very much look forward to Jolie as Mrs. Hubbard, I think she was born to play that role one day and Im hopping that day comes very soon.
David Suchet as Hercule Poirot (2010)
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