{"id":32887,"date":"2014-02-05T12:32:05","date_gmt":"2014-02-05T19:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=32887"},"modified":"2021-09-04T19:05:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-05T02:05:00","slug":"and-then-there-were-none-1945","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=32887","title":{"rendered":"And Then There Were None (1945)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>\u201dLet&#8217;s face it \u2013 we&#8217;re in a trap.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Poster-196x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"196\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-32888\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Poster-196x300.jpg 196w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Poster-83x128.jpg 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Poster.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA group of strangers invited to an isolated island learn that they all have one thing in common: they caused someone&#8217;s death in the past and were never punished. Soon they&#8217;re being killed off one by one, and must discover the identity of the murderer in their midst before it&#8217;s too late.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Barry Fitzgerald Films<\/li>\n<li>Ensemble Cast<\/li>\n<li>Judith Anderson Films<\/li>\n<li>June Duprez Films<\/li>\n<li>Louis Hayward Films<\/li>\n<li>Murder Mystery<\/li>\n<li>Old Dark House<\/li>\n<li>Rene Clair Films<\/li>\n<li>Richard Haydn Films<\/li>\n<li>Walter Huston Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary notes, this &#8220;highly entertaining adaptation of Agatha Christie&#8217;s <em>Ten Little Indians<\/em> (called <em>Ten Little Niggers<\/em> in England, as was the film)&#8221; features &#8220;an unbeatable cast&#8221; (most notably Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston, Judith Anderson, and Louis Hayward), and benefits from both a &#8220;witty script by Dudley Nichols and light-touch direction by Rene Clair, who effectively keeps the multi-murder story from becoming bleak&#8221; (in part by making &#8220;good use of lively music&#8221;). He points out that while &#8220;it&#8217;s fun trying (and most likely failing) to figure out the murderer&#8217;s identity&#8230; this mystery is just as interesting the second time around when you can watch the killer closely and see how cleverly we are being manipulated by Christie and the filmmakers&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m in complete agreement with Peary&#8217;s assessment of this enjoyable, surprisingly light-hearted &#8220;Old Dark House&#8221; mystery &#8212; based on the <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/And_Then_There_Were_None\">best-selling mystery novel of all time<\/a> (though its ending was changed to  that of <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/And_Then_There_Were_None_(1943_play)\">Christie&#8217;s stage play of the same name<\/a>). The characters are all smartly cast and play nicely against one another; this is truly a seamless ensemble piece, with no one performance standing out above the other (though the interactions between Walter Huston as Dr. Armstrong and Barry Fitzgerald as Judge Quinncannon are especially fun). Clair&#8217;s creative direction &#8212; beginning with the cleverly shot silent opening sequence on the boat, and extending through the exposure of each murder &#8212; is seamlessly fluid, keeping us consistently visually engaged, and on the edge of our seats in nervous anticipation. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Film fanatics will likely recognize that this movie serves as a forerunner &#8212; both thematically and tonally &#8212; for the cult satire <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=9541\"><em>Murder By Death<\/em> (1976)<\/a>; they would make a fun double-bill. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Effective direction by Clair<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction2-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-32891\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction2-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction2-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction2-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction2.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction31.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction31-1024x614.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-32899\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction31-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction31-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction31-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Direction31.png 1452w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine ensemble performances<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Ensemble1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Ensemble1-1024x588.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"368\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-32898\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Ensemble1-1024x588.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Ensemble1-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Ensemble1-300x172.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Ensemble1.png 1497w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Atmospheric cinematography by Lucien Andriot<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Cinematography-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-32890\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Cinematography-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Cinematography-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Cinematography-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ATTWN-Cinematography.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco&#8217;s levity-inspiring score<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as an enjoyable example of the \u201cOld Dark House\u201d genre. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Genuine Classic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0037515\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.combustiblecelluloid.com\/classic\/andthennone.shtml\">Combustible Celluloid Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fantasticmoviemusings.com\/2014\/12\/28\/and-then-there-were-none-1945\/\">SciFilm Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1945\/11\/01\/archives\/she-screen-in-review-and-then-there-were-none-with-barry-fitzgerald.html\">NY Times Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=1458&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.allmovie.com\/movie\/and-then-there-were-none-v2212\/review\">All Movie Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/lonon\/film\/and-then-there-were-none-1945\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201dLet&#8217;s face it \u2013 we&#8217;re in a trap.\u201d Synopsis: A group of strangers invited to an isolated island learn that they all have one thing in common: they caused someone&#8217;s death in the past and were never punished. Soon they&#8217;re being killed off one by one, and must discover the identity of the murderer in their midst before it&#8217;s too late. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Barry Fitzgerald Films Ensemble Cast Judith Anderson Films June Duprez Films Louis Hayward Films&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=32887\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32887","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32887"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32887\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75769,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32887\/revisions\/75769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32887"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32887"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32887"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}