Author: Erya
Due to the changes in the schedule in North America caused by the new crown epidemic, a number of new Disney films have announced changes in recent days. Among them, "Massacre on the Nile", which was originally scheduled to be released on October 23, was postponed to December 18. Viewers who are looking forward to "Wonder Woman" Gayle Gadot's version of Lynnet will have to wait a little longer.
In fact, this is not the first time that the novel "Massacre on the Nile" has been adapted to the screen, and it is now best known as the British version in 1978. The film is full of superstars, continuing the novel's attention to detail and multiple suspense styles, and won the 51st Academy Awards for Best Costume Design with its beautiful costume. Subsequently, the film was translated and dubbed by the Shanghai Film Translation Studio and introduced into China, becoming the enlightenment of a generation of detective films.
Poster for the 1978 British film Massacre on the Nile
It has been adapted into a movie many times, which undoubtedly confirms the great charm of the original novel. Indeed, compared to Agatha's other works, "Massacre on the Nile" not only maintains a high standard of suspenseful reasoning settings, but also has many qualities suitable for film and television: beautiful exotic scenery, obsessive young men and women, strange serial murders... Visually alone, it's already a feast.
The young Linette possessed everything that others envied, beauty, wisdom, and a large inheritance. However, she fell in love with her friend Jacqueline's boyfriend Simon and quickly married each other, and the two decided to go to Egypt for their honeymoon. Jacqueline, who had been slashed at by a knife, Andrew, a lawyer who was trying to cover up the property problems, and other tourists who appeared to be outsiders, boarded the Kanak with the newlyweds. On the Nile, a massacre occurred, and the sleeping Linette was shot through the head by a bullet.
This is not the end of murder. Around the same time, there was an accident in the ship's viewing cabin, and Jacqueline angrily fired a shot at Simon in the leg, and was taken to another room by the nurse Miss Bowers, who then arrived to heal Simon. Detective Hercule Poirot, who was on vacation on the boat, was busy again. But whenever a clue emerges, the witnesses involved die mysteriously, and he decides to first remove the impurities from the appearance of the three murders in order to discover the truth of "naked and shiny".
Overall, "Massacre on the Nile" differs significantly from Agatha's previous work. First, murder occurs at one-third of the way through the story, which is very dangerous for detective fiction because it is easy to drain the reader's interest. Second, devote a great deal of space to describing love. In the novel, there are all kinds of love profiles: fanatical, jealous, and greedy love, which hurts all those who are in it; mutual heartfelt love saves the wrongdoer and saves the girl who carries the pressure forward; the arrogant and hypocritical attitude makes the seemingly upright young people miss happiness.
Tragedy begins with love and ends with love. When all the doubts dissipate and Poirot does not end in time, the story continues with a seemingly extra-important final chapter, explaining the fate of the three emotional lines: the end of the same, hand in hand, and the other.
Cover of the novel Massacre on the Nile
Detective novelist Dorothy Sayers believes that "the less love in detective fiction, the better" so that irrational factors do not affect reasoning itself. Agatha, on the other hand, is keen to portray love and hate, and has repeatedly let Poirot play the role of red lady. Of course, willfulness is based on self-confidence, which can convince the reader with amazing modus operandi, and self-confidence can skillfully use this scalpel to dissect human nature.
Tragedies are a chance to be avoided. Poirot reminded more than once, "Don't let evil come into your heart." "But the man who is deeply in love does not understand how much suffering the arrogant plunder adds to others, nor the terrible consequences of forcing a man who is fanatical, intelligent, and decisive. Especially when the accomplice is a naïve, arrogant and greedy fool, the crazy scene will continue to play, and finally play an elegy of love.
Faced with the killer's unexpected ending, Mrs. Allerton and Poirot sighed:
"Love is such a terrible thing."
"So, a lot of great love is a tragedy."
But Mrs. Allerton looked at the lovers standing side by side in the sun and said excitedly, "There is still joy and happiness in the world." ”
This is undoubtedly a trace of kindness that Agatha retains in her recounting the "everyday evil", hoping that people will not be afraid of love. This kindness was not accidental, but continued throughout his writing career, especially in Poirot.
Poirot rarely eschewed moral judgment or easily drew clear boundaries for his duties. Empathy often involves him making seemingly ridiculous choices, such as considering the feelings of a hilarious wife when dealing with a murderer ("Roger's Doubt"), such as remaining silent about an excusable revenge (Murder on the Orient Express), or even secretly helping a person who loves to hate the last madness ("Massacre on the Nile"). This is an important feature that sets Poirot apart from other detective characters, and it is also particularly fascinating. in Erya
Source: Guangming Network - Literary And Art Review Channel