Factual error: In the Bosphorus scenes, as the ferry crosses from the Asian to the European side of Istanbul, in the distance large trucks can be seen speeding along the coastal road opposite. Well before their time.
Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Sean Connery, Vanessa Redgrave, Martin Balsam, Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, John Gielgud
Continuity mistake: When Poirot and Mr. Ratchett first meet in the restaurant car, Poirot has to correct Ratchett's pronunciation of his name. Poirot then points with his right hand toward Ratchett, but when it cuts to a close-up of Poirot, both his hands are on the table. The angle changes back, and Poirot's hand is once again lifted.
Continuity mistake: During the flashback to the murder, watch closely right after Mary Debenham stabs Mr. Ratchett. One moment she is in the room, the next she is back in the doorway.
Trivia: Sidney Lumet's first choice for Hercule Poirot was Alec Guiness, with Paul Scofield as his second choice. Because they both were busy with other projects, Albert Finney was chosen, even though Lumet felt he was too young for the role.
Trivia: Ingrid Bergman won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Greta, even though she's only in the film for 14 minutes.
Mrs. Hubbard: Don't you agree the man must have entered my compartment to gain access to Mr. Ratchett?
Princess Dragomiroff: I can think of no other reason, madame.
Question: Who was the person Poirot saw wearing the white dressing gown? And why did this person place it in his compartment? To plant "red herrings" like these do not draw attention away from the people on the train, but tells Poirot plain and simple that the murderer did NOT leave the train, but it still on board. So why bother doing it at all, as it only goes against their carefully planned cover story?
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Chosen answer: They planted this red herring not to divert Poirot's attention away from them - they were the only passengers on the train - they wanted to divert him from the fact that they were ALL involved in the murder, because they all had a common bond with the child whom the victim murdered. Each one made out like they didn't really know anyone else on the train, but they were all in on it.
Kimberly Klaus