From the greatest mystery writer!

And Then There Were None (1945)

After watching S. Balachander's Nadavu Iravil, the 1965 Tamil movie based on Agatha Christie's story (And Then There Were None, Ten Little Niggers, Ten Little Indians), I decided to go for the Real McCoy.

For a movie made in older times, it was quite well paced. Even though they were many characters, all ten of them, all appeared different - all with different traits and idiosyncrasies. They could hold the suspense despite the dearth of colour, gore and loud, frightening musical score.

The story starts with eight visitors reaching a secluded island bungalow for the weekend in the middle of nowhere at the invitation of a certain Mr and Mrs U N Owen. The peculiar thing is that the hosts do not show up. Two temporary servants serve them. These ten people are left with the company of each other and communication to the mainland was cut off. All ten visitors, at one time of their lives, were privy or responsible for somebody's death. A judge had sentenced an innocent man to death. A doctor had operated a patient under the influence of alcohol to cause his demise. A lady had tormented her sibling to hang herself and so on.

Just like in the lyrics of the satirical poem, Ten Little Indians, the guests die in the same circumstances, one by one. The cat and mouse game of guessing who the murderer goes on. No, the butler is not the killer!

An exciting watch with witty dialogues as well.

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