Line #1 Trivia/MurderOnTheOrientExpress1974


1	* AllStarCast: The film stars Creator/AlbertFinney, Creator/LaurenBacall, Creator/SeanConnery, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/MichaelYork, Creator/VanessaRedgrave, Creator/JacquelineBisset, Creator/AnthonyPerkins, Creator/MartinBalsam, Creator/RichardWidmark, Creator/JeanPierreCassel, Sir Creator/JohnGielgud, and Dame Creator/WendyHiller, among others. Bonus points since they are not only international stars, but also all famous in their respective countries.
2	* AwesomeDearBoy: Deliberately invoked. Creator/SidneyLumet thought the best way to assemble an AllStarCast was to hire the biggest star first; at the time, that was Creator/SeanConnery. It worked; Creator/RichardWidmark signed on to play [[spoiler:the victim]] for no other reason than to meet the other stars. Lauren Bacall noted in her memoirs that many of the cast were eager to work with Albert Finney once he was signed on.
3	* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/IngridBergman was originally offered the role of Princess Dragomiroff, though Creator/SidneyLumet told her she could play any role of her choosing. After reading the script, Bergman bypassed Dragomiroff in favor of Greta Ohlsson, the Swedish nurse. Lumet advised against it, reminding her that the nurse had fewer scenes than the Princess. But Bergman felt an affinity for the role, and her instincts paid off when she won an Oscar for it.
4	* CreatorPreferredAdaptation: 84-year-old Creator/AgathaChristie attended the film's London premiere in November 1974. It was the only screen adaptation of one of her works made in her lifetime that she was completely satisfied with. In particular, she felt that Creator/AlbertFinney's performance came closest to her idea of Poirot (though she was reportedly unimpressed with Finney's version of her sleuth's moustache). The premiere would be her final public appearance; she died fourteen months later, on January 12, 1976.
5	* DeletedScene: The photo gallery on the German DVD by Kinowelt includes one photo hinting at a scene not used in the final cut. It shows Bianchi in his bed on the train with Pierre standing beside him.
6	* FakeNationality:
7	** The Belgian Poirot, the [[FakeRussian Russian Princess Dragomiroff]], the Hungarian Count and Countess Andrenyi, the German Hildegarde Schmidt, the Greek Dr. Constantine, and the [[FakeAmerican Italian-American Foscarelli]] are all portrayed by British actors, while the Italian Bianchi is played by an American.
8	** On the other hand, the Swedish Greta Ohlsson and French Pierre-Paul Michel are actually played by a Swede and a Frenchman respectively (the former being a rare instance of Creator/IngridBergman playing a character of her own nationality), and most of the American and British characters are played by American and British actors.
9	* PlayingAgainstType: Or rather Directing Against Type. Creator/SidneyLumet was best known for directing serious, gritty crime dramas set in New York. This isn't one of those.
10	* ProductionPosse: Lumet had previously directed Creator/SeanConnery in ''The Hill'', ''Film/TheAndersonTapes'', and ''The Offence''; and they'd work together again in ''Film/FamilyBusiness''.
11	* UnderageCasting: The 37-year old Creator/AlbertFinney as the 55-60 year old Hercule Poirot.
12	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
13	** Creator/AlecGuinness was originally offered the role of Hercule Poirot, but was unavailable. Creator/PaulScofield was also considered.
14	** Lumet wanted Creator/MarleneDietrich for Princess Dragomiroff, but she refused to come out of retirement.
15	** Creator/KatharineHepburn was considered for Mrs. Hubbard.

Context Trivia / MurderOnTheOrientExpress1974