And Then There Were None

Plot synopsis:
Ten people are gathered for a long weekend on an island off the coast of Devon, England. They are the guests of the mysterious Mr. and Mrs. U.N. Owen, whom none of the ten has ever actually met. During dinner, they notice the centerpiece of ten china Indian figurines, and they compare it to the nursery rhyme counting down from ten to none. After dinner, a recording suddenly blares through the room, accusing them each of the death of another person or persons. Judge Quincannon is accused of sentencing to death an innocent man named Edward Seton. Dr. Armstrong is accused of operating on a woman while drunk and causing her death. Lombard, an adventurer, is accused of allowing a group of native people to be massacred in Africa. Vera Claythorne is accused of the death of her sister's fiance. Nikki Starloff is accused of running over two people with his car. General Mandrake is accused of sending his wife's lover to be killed in the war. Miss Emily Brent is accused of causing the death of a young man by driving him to suicide. The Rogerses are accused of helping the old lady they took care of to die a little sooner than she should have so that they would inherit her money. The voice promises them justice. After this recording, the startled guests compare notes and discover they've been lured to the island under somewhat false pretenses, and they further discover that they are totally cut off from the mainland until the weekend is over. Prince Nikita Starloff suddenly chokes on his drink and dies. Nobody likes to suggest murder, but he doesn't seem the type to suddenly commit suicide. The hysterical Mrs. Rogers is given a sedative by Dr. Armstrong and her husband and the doctor get her to bed. But in the morning she is found dead. The eight remaining people make the connection from the two deaths to the nursery rhyme: "Ten little Indian boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little Indian boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight." They search the island for "Mr. Owen." They find they are alone, and they figure one of their number is a murderer. They begin to compare stories and admit their levels of guilt. The next to die is the General, who is found dead of a knife wound down by the seashore (Eight little Indian boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there and then there were seven). Each time one of the people is murdered, they find another statue gone from the centerpiece. They think Rogers is the most likely candidate for the murderer, so they make him sleep out in the woodshed. But Rogers is found dead of an ax wound to the head in the morning, and Miss Brent is missing--she is discovered walking alone down on the seashore. They want to accuse her, but while they are running around in some confusion, she is killed with a hypodermic (Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six. Six little Indian boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five). Now the remaining five realize they need to keep together in groups. They tell a little more of the truth of themselves, except Vera won't admit any guilt. While Vera, Lombard, and Blore realize that three is the safest number, the judge and the doctor agree they can form an alliance and find out the truth themselves. When the judge dies from a gunshot wound to the head next, only the doctor examines him and makes that declaration (Five little Indian boys going in for law; One got into Chancery and then there were four). Then with all the electricity gone from the house, in the darkness the remaining four lose the doctor (Four little Indian boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three--he's been drowned down on the seashore), and while Vera, Lombard, and Blore get ready to go look, Blore is killed by someone pushing a piece of chimney down on him (Three little Indian boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two). Lombard and Vera are alone together, and they suspect each other. But they also feel a definite attraction to each other, and they end up agreeing that they don't really think the other is guilty. Vera pretends to shoot Lombard on the beach, and he falls as if dead (Two little Indian boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one). Vera goes back up to the house and discovers there's a hangman's noose waiting for her to use it (One little Indian boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none). The judge is sitting in a chair, alive, and explains his plot to her. He thinks he knows that each person is guilty and that the law cannot touch them, so his plan has been to execute them all and then commit suicide. He tells Vera that if the police arrive and find nine dead bodies, they will hang her for murder, so she may as well hang herself. He drinks a glass of poison, but Vera and Lombard, who is actually not Lombard but an innocent friend of Lombard's, are left alive and in each other's arms.

Tags: entertaining, suspenseful, mystery, murder, flashback

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