Like Christie's novels, the films were filled with sparkling characters and plenty of red herrings. Audiences greeted each new entry with open arms, eager to play amateur sleuth alongside the film's master sleuths. The list of suspects is long, including Bette Davis, Angela Lansbury, Lois Chiles, Maggie Smith, Jack Warden, Mia Farrow, Jane Birkin, David Niven, and Olivia Hussey. It doesn't take long for a reluctant Poirot to take over the case, chasing the suspects around numerous Egyptian locales, including the pyramids. The usual suspects include Maggie Smith, Roddy McDowall, Diana Rigg, James Mason, Jane Birkin, Colin Blakely, and Sylvia Miles.
Murder can be so ugly, but just look at all of the pretty people.
When murder strikes the movie set, amateur sleuth Marple begins her own investigation, using her crime detecting skills to single out the killer. Her suspects included Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Rock Hudson, and Tony Curtis, who chewed the scenery as fast as they could put it up. The formula, which was copied extensively on television, was no longer fashionable. Audiences wanted more cutting edge fair, and found the ensemble mystery old fashioned. What makes these films so endearing is their ability to still entertain even when we know who did it.