History Tearjerker / MurderOnTheOrientExpress2017

-->''"I have seen the fracture of the human soul. So many broken lives, so much pain and anger, giving way to the poison of deep grief, until one crime became many. I have always wanted to believe that man is rational and similised. My very existence depends upon this hope, upon order and methods and the little grey cells, but now perhaps I am asked to listen instead to my heart."''

** The cherry on top? The music accompanying this whole [[TheSummation summation]]: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJCVWckKaLc Patrick Doyle's "Justice"]].

Even for a modern adaptation, this turns out to be a pretty emotional movie.

--->'''Hardman:''' Susanne was so kind and full of life. She... fell for me, old and already going grey. I told he she could do better but... There she was, on time for every date.

** Particulrly with Helena pouring out her bottles of barbitol.

* After TheSummation, we have a montage of the passengers as their train ride resumes its course. They seem to be going about their business, but there's a somber atmosphere where you just ''feel'' that after their experience, they may never be the same again. Crosses into CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming if you interpret they are also beginning to heal from their personal ordeals.

* During his interrogation of Masterman, Poirot learns through careful deduction [[spoiler: Masterman's "[[BlatantLies toothache]]" is actually [[SecretlyDying lung cancer]] he's been covering up. When the interrogation is finished, Poirot can do little but sadly tell the old butler [[SincerityMode he's sorry about his]] "[[MeaningfulEcho toothache]]".]]

** Made even more disheartening when you bear in mind [[spoiler: he also lost his sister Susanne in the Armstrong case. When she died, he was left all alone to take care of her. It's bad enough he had to take care of his mother, but he also had to deal with both the loss of his mother ''and'' his sister.]]
* '''The Armstrong Case.''' [[spoiler: One big tragedy of how a family of three died and the lives of so many people connected to them were ruined. A gangster named Cassetti kidnapped Captain Armstrong's little daughter Daisy. The parents paid the ransom, but Cassetti killed the daughter anyway. When Armstrong's wife (who was expecting a child at the time) heard the news, the stress put her into premature labor. Neither she nor the baby survived. Armstrong was so depressed by the loss that he killed himself. The flashback actually shows Sonia Armstrong learning of her daughter's death and falling to the ground, screaming in utter despair. We cut to Captain Armstrong watching a recording of their happy family on a projector and bent, doubled in grief, just before we learn that he shot himself.]]
** [=McQueen=]: [[spoiler: His father was the District Attorney on the Armstrong case and, for being pressured to indict ''someone'' and getting the wrong suspect, his reputation was destroyed. When Poirot brings this up, [=McQueen=] is on the verge of tears recalling the incident.]]
** Princess Dragomiroff: [[spoiler: She grows more sympathetic when you learn she was dear friends with Daisy's grandmother Linda Arden, and was herself Daisy's godmother. After the death of the Armstrong family, Linda became a shut-in recluse who disappeared from public. So not only did Dragomiroff lose her god-child, but a dear friend.]]
** Pilar: [[spoiler: She was the nanny who was watching over Daisy Armstrong the night Cassetti kidnapped the child. She blames herself because she was asleep from drinking wine that night.]]
** Hardman: [[spoiler: He was in love with Susanne, the Armstong's maid, who was wrongly accused of being involved in the kidnapping and committed suicide as a result.]] At one point, he talks of it.
--->'''Hardman:''' [[spoiler:Susanne was so kind and full of life. She... fell for me, old and already going grey. I told he she could do better but... There she was, on time for every date.]]
** Arbuthnot [[spoiler: Armstrong's friend and fellow soldier, who owed Colonel Armstrong everything, and was prepared to take the fall for Cassetti's murder to protect everyone else, particularly Mary.]]
** Pierre [[spoiler: seemingly totally unconnected due to just being the conductor, turns out to have been the maid's brother, heartbroken over the death of his sister.]]
** Caroline Hubbard [[spoiler:(aka Linda Arden) was Daisy's grandmother, who became an isolated recluse after the death of one of her daughters and both her grandchildren. What's sadder is, Poirot describes her as the one who suffered the most from the Armstrong family's death. Also Hubbard's heartwrenching offer to let the other passengers go free, and for Poirot to arrest her only. Creator/MichellePfeiffer does an amazing job conveying guilt and desperation in her pleas]].
--->''"[[spoiler:No one should hang for this but me! It was '''my''' plan! Tell the police that it was me, alone. There's no life left in me anymore. They... have a chance now. Helena, I pray, has a... has a chance. They can... go, live, find some joy somewhere. Let it end with me. They're not killers. They're good people. They can be good again]]."''
** Even Poirot [[spoiler: was hit hard by the Armstrong case. He had agreed to take on the case for Armstrong to find Daisy -- but by the time he arrived Daisy was dead and Armstrong had killed himself. The end of the film has Poirot "writing a letter" to Armstrong, telling him the case was finally over and he could rest now.]]
** It's heartbreaking when Poirot [[spoiler: sadly offers that they shoot him in order to keep the murder conspiracy a secret. For a moment, you actually do believe it's going to be a BittersweetEnding where he'll finally be with [[TheLostLenore Katherine]]. Becomes a bigger TearJerker when, instead of trying to kill Poirot, Linda tries to [[DrivenToSuicide kill herself]] [[DeathEqualsRedemption because she can't live with being a murderer]]. [[ItWorksBetterWithBullets Thankfully, it turns out the gun was empty all along]]. It's still sad when she breaks down, realizing that her real sentence for murder is, not hanging or suicide, but to ''live'' with her crime.]]
--->'''Poirot:''' [[spoiler:There was right. There was wrong. Now there is you. I cannot judge this. You must decide. [[KillMeNowOrForeverStayYourHand You wish to go free without punishment for your crime, then you must commit one more.]] ''[Places gun on the table]'' I will not stop you.]]\\
'''Bouc:''' [[spoiler:You can't let them kill you.]]\\
'''Poirot:''' [[spoiler:You give my body to the lake, and you walk away innocent at the station. You must silence me. Bouc can lie. I cannot.]] ''[Beat]'' '''[[spoiler:DO IT! ONE OF YOU!]]'''\\
''[[[spoiler:Hubbard grabs the gun and aims it at Poirot.]]]''\\
'''Helena:''' [[spoiler:No]]!\\
'''Hubbard:''' [[spoiler:I already died with Daisy]].\\
''[[[spoiler:Hubbard aims the gun to her chin and pulls the trigger while the others shout at her to stop, but only a "click" sound is heard. She then breaks down emotionally.]]]''
** The Flashback of [[spoiler:all 12 would-be murderers, watching a film footage together of the Armstrong family, before the fateful tragedy. There's a poignant connection that they can all relate to how the loss of one family lead to their lives being shattered. And they aren't just watching this to motivate themselves to go through with the murder. This is a ''memorial'']].

* After TheSummation, [[spoiler: we have a montage of the passengers as their train ride resumes its course. They seem to be going about their business, but there's a somber atmosphere where you just ''feel'' that after their experience, they may never be the same again. Crosses into CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming if you interpret they are also beginning to heal from their personal ordeals]].
** Particulrly with [[spoiler: Helena pouring out her bottles of barbitol.]]
* The ending, [[spoiler:where we hear a voice-over of Poirot narrating his long overdue "response" to Captain Armstrong's letter. He tells how this mystery has changed his black-and-white view on right and wrong, and how he's witnessed the fractured human soul at its worst. Just as they will have to live with their murder, he will have to live with lying to the police about Ratchet's killer, making him an accomplice]].
-->''"[[spoiler:I have seen the fracture of the human soul. So many broken lives, so much pain and anger, giving way to the poison of deep grief, until one crime became many. I have always wanted to believe that man is rational and similised. My very existence depends upon this hope, upon order and methods and the little grey cells, but now perhaps I am asked to listen instead to my heart]]."''
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AYDqCsXiV0 final theme, sung by Michelle Pfeiffer.]] Dear ''God!'' And to make it worse, if you listen to the lyrics and have seen the film, you know that it's [[spoiler: an elegy sung by a grieving mother to her late daughter.]]

* The ending, [[spoiler:where we hear a voice-over of Poirot narrating his long overdue "response" to Captain Armstrong's letter. He tells how this mystery has changed his black-and-white view on right and wrong, and how he's witnessed the fractured human soul at its worst. Just as they will have to live with their murder, he will have to live with lying to the police about Ratchet's killer]].

** The Armstrong Case hit Poirot hard, too. He had agreed to take on the case for Armstrong to find Daisy -- but by the time he arrived Daisy was dead and Armstrong had killed himself. The end of the film has Poirot "writing a letter" to Armstrong, telling him the case was finally over and he could rest now.

* During his interrogation of Masterman, Poirot learns through careful deduction [[spoiler: Masterman's "[[BlatantLies toothache]]" is actually [[SecretlyDying lung cancer]] he's been covering up. When the interrogation is finished, Poirot sadly tells the old butler he's sorry about his "toothache".]]

* The Armstrong Case [[spoiler: One big tragedy of how a family of three died and the lives of so many people connected to them were ruined. A gangster named Cassetti kidnapped Captain Armstrong's little daughter Daisy. The parents paid the ransom, but Cassetti killed the daughter anyway. When Armstrong's wife (who was expecting a child at the time) heard the news, the stress put her into premature labor. Neither she nor the baby survived. Armstrong was so depressed by the loss that he killed himself. The flashback actually shows Sonia Armstrong learning of her daughter's death and falling to the ground, screaming in utter despair. We cut to Captain Armstrong watching a recording of their happy family on a projector and bent double in grief, just before we learn that he shot himself.]]

--->'''Hardman:''' [[spoiler: Susanne was so kind and full of life. She... fell for me, old and already going grey. I told he she could do better but... There she was, on time for every date.]]

** Caroline Hubbard [[spoiler: (aka Linda Arden) was Daisy's grandmother, who became an isolated recluse after the death of one of her daughters and both her grandchildren. What's sadder is, Poirot describes her as the one who suffered the most from the Armstrong family's death. Also Hubbard's heartwrenching offer to let the other passengers go free, and for Poirot to arrest her only. Creator/MichellePfeiffer does an amazing job conveying guilt and desperation in her pleas]].
--->''"[[spoiler:No one should hang for this but me! It was my plan! Tell the police that it was me, alone. There's no life left in me anymore. They... have a chance now. Helena, I pray, has a... has a chance. They can... go, live, find some joy somewhere. Let it end with me. They're not killers. They're kind people. They can be good again]]."''

-->''"[[spoiler:I have seen the fracture of the human soul. So many broken lives, so much pain and anger, giving way to the poison of deep grief, until one crime became many. I have always wanted to believe that man is rational and similised. My very existence depends upon this hope, upon order and methods and the little grey cells, but now perhaps I am asked to listen instead to my heart. I have understood in this case that the scales of justice cannot always be evenly weighed and I must learn for once to live with the imbalance]]."''

* During his interrogation of Masterman, Poirot learns through careful deduction [[spoiler: Masterman's "[[BlatantLies toothache]]" is actually lung cancer he's been covering up. When the interrogation is finished, Poirot sadly tells the old butler he's sorry about his "toothache".]]

--->'''Poirot:''' [[spoiler:There was right. There was wrong. Now there is you. I cannot judge this. You must decide. You wish to go free without punishment for your crime, then you must commit one more. ''[Places gun on the table]'' I will not stop you.]]\\

-->'''Hardman:''' [[spoiler: Susanne was so kind and full of life. She... fell for me, old and already going grey. I told he she could do better but... There she was, on time for every date.]]

-->'''Hardman''': [[spoiler: Susanne was so kind and full of life. She... fell for me, old and already going grey. I told he she could do better but... There she was, on time for every date.]]

'''Poirot:''' [[spoiler:[[NeverFoundTheBody You give my body to the lake,]] and you walk away innocent at the station. You must silence me. [[CannotTellALie Bouc can lie. I cannot.]]]] ''[Beat]'' '''[[spoiler:[[SuddenlyShouting DO IT! ONE OF YOU!]]]]'''\\

''[[[spoiler:[[DrivenToSuicide Hubbard aims the gun to her chin and pulls the trigger while the others shout at her to stop,]] [[ItWorksBetterWithBullets but only a "click" sound is heard.]] She then breaks down emotionally.]]]''

** Caroline Hubbard [[spoiler: (aka Linda Arden) was Daisy's grandmother, who became an isolated recluse after the death of one of her daughters and both her grandchildren. What's sadder is, Poirot describes her as the one who suffered the most from the Armstrong family's death.]]
** Don't forget [[spoiler:Hubbard's heartwrenching offer to let the other passengers go free, and for Poirot to arrest her only. Creator/MichellePfeiffer does an amazing job conveying guilt and desperation in her pleas]].
-->''"[[spoiler:No one should hang for this but me! It was my plan! Tell the police that it was me, alone. There's no life left in me anymore. They... have a chance now. Helena, I pray, has a... has a chance. They can... go, live, find some joy somewhere. Let it end with me. They're not killers. They're kind people. They can be good again]]."''

-->'''Poirot:''' [[spoiler:There was right. There was wrong. Now there is you. I cannot judge this. You must decide. You wish to go free without punishment for your crime, then you must commit one more. ''[Places gun on the table]'' I will not stop you.]]\\

'''Poirot:''' [[spoiler:You give my body to the lake, and you walk away innocent at the station. You must silence me. [[CannotTellALie Bouc can lie. I cannot.]]]] ''[Beat]'' '''[[spoiler:[[SuddenlyShouting DO IT! ONE OF YOU!]]]]'''\\

** [=McQueen=]: [[spoiler: His father was a lawyer who took on the Armstrong case and, for getting the wrong suspect, his reputation was tragically torn down. When Poirot brings this up, [=McQueen=] is on the verge of tears recalling the incident.]]

** Hardman: [[spoiler: He was in love with Susanne, the Armstong's maid, who was wrongly accused of being involved in the kidnapping and killed herself.]]
** At one point, he talks of it.
-->'''Hardman''': [[spoiler: Susanne was so...kind and full of life. ''She'' fell for me. Older and already going grey, I told he she could do so much better but...There she was, on time for every date...]]
** Arbuthnot [[spoiler: Armstrong's best friend, who owed Captain Armstrong everything, and was prepared to take the fall for Cassetti's murder to protect everyone else, particularly Mary.]]

* After TheSummation, [[spoiler: we have a montage of the passengers as their train ride resumes its course. They seem to be going about their business, but there's a somber atmosphere where you just ''feel'' that after their experience, they may never be the same again. Crosses into CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming if you interpret they are also healing from their personal ordeals]].

** Arbuthnot [[spoiler: who owed Captain Armstrong everything, and was prepared to take the fall for Cassetti's murder to protect everyone else, particularly Mary.]]

''[[[spoiler:[[DrivenToSuicide Hubbard aims the gun to her chin and pulls the trigger while the others shout at her to stop,] [[ItWorksBetterWithBullets but only a "click" sound is heard.]] She then breaks down emotionally.]]]''

** The Flashback of [[spoiler: all 12 would-be murderers, watching a film footage together of the Armstrong family, before the fateful tragedy. There's a poignant connection that they can all relate to how the loss of one family lead to their lives being shattered. And they aren't just watching this to motivate themselves to go through with the murder. This is a ''memorial'']].

** Don't forget [[spoiler:Hubbard's heartwrenching offer to let the other passengers go free, and for Poirot to arrest her only. Michelle Pfeiffer does an amazing job conveying guilt and desperation in her pleas]].
--->''"No one should hang for this but me!"''

* The Armstrong Case [[spoiler: One big tragedy of how a family of three died and the lives of so many people connected to them were ruined. A gangster named Cassetti kidnapped Captain Armstrong's little daughter Daisy. The parents paid the ransom, but Cassetti killed the daughter anyway. When Armstrong's wife (who was expecting a child at the time) heard the news, the stress put her into premature labor. Neither she nor the baby survived. Armstrong was so depressed by the loss that he killed himself.]]
*** [[spoiler: The flashback actually shows Sonia Armstrong learning of her daughter's death and falling to the ground, screaming in utter despair. We cut to Captain Armstrong watching a recording of their happy family on a projector and bent double in grief, just before we learn that he shot himself.]]

** Don't forget [[spoiler:Hubbard's heartwrenching offer to let the other passengers go free, and for Poirot to arrest her only. Creator/MichellePfeiffer does an amazing job conveying guilt and desperation in her pleas]].
-->''"No one should hang for this but me!"''

** It's heartbreaking when Poirot [[spoiler: sadly offers that they shoot him in order to keep the murder conspiracy a secret. For a moment, you actually do believe it's going to be a BittersweetEnding where he'll finally be with [[TheLostLenore Katherine]]. Becomes a bigger TearJerker when, instead of trying to kill Poirot, Linda tries to [[DeathEqualsRedemption kill herself because she can't live with being a murderer]]. Thankfully, it turns out the gun was empty all along. It's still sad when she breaks down, realizing that her real sentence for murder is, not hanging or suicide, but to ''live'' with her crime.]]
** The Flashback of [[spoiler: all 12 would-be murderers, watching a film footage together of the Armstrong family, before the fateful tragedy. There's a poignant connection that they can all relate to how the loss of one family lead to their lives being shattered. And they aren't just watching this to motivate themselves to go through with the murder. This is a ''memorial''.]]
* After TheSummation, [[spoiler: we have a montage of the passengers as their train ride resumes its course. They seem to be going about their business, but there's a somber atmosphere where you just ''feel'' that after their experience, they may never be the same again. Crosses into CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming if you interpret they are also healing from their personal ordeals.]]
* The ending [[spoiler: where we hear a voice-over of Poirot narrating his long overdue "response" to Captain Armstrong's letter. He tells how this mystery has changed his black-and-white view on right and wrong, and how he's witnessed the fractured human soul at its worst. Just as they will have to live with their murder, he will have to live with lying to the police about Ratchet's killer.]]