RIFLE RANGE BOY: Put those grey cells to use!

Death on the Nile (1978, 2022)

Director, Actor: Kenneth Branagh.

Almost 85 years after its publication, readers and moviegoers are still discussing Agatha Christie's novel, 'Death on the Nile'. Her recurring character, the eccentric Belgian detective Hercules Poirot still excites writers and readers alike.

After watching almost the whole season of Poirot's TV series, I thought it would be pertinent to compare David Suchet's role as Poirot to the two other actors who tried to create this character - Peter Ustinov and Kenneth Branagh. In reality, maybe 10 over actors tried their hand at giving life to this moustachioed fictional character.

David Suchet as Poirot

Personally, I vote David Suchet as the best Poirot actor. Maybe I had too much time indulging in the complete Poirot TV series. The TV series, episodes over episodes, builds a more composite image of the detective and exposes more and more of his personality as he delves deep into his cases. Suchet's portrayal shows an obsessive-compulsive man with his quirky habits. He gave an aura of a chirpy middle-aged man with a dark past behind him.

Kenneth Branagh as Poirot

Kenneth Branagh's 2022 Poirot is a bitter man who never got over losing his wife-to-be. He carries the burden of guilt for requesting her to take the train trip that proved fatal. He seems to be holding his sorrow on his sleeves. Poirot's usual comical antics seem missing as the tone of melancholy overhangs any possibility of a fun moment.

The Ustinov version, in my opinion, is the least appealing of the three that I have watched. In the 1978 version, he looks more like a bystander, and other actors seem to overshadow his presence.