What is a Whodunnit? It's essentially a puzzle; a puzzle that has murder as its theme. Almost invariably it's a requirement of the genre that the intense human emotions that would in reality accompany such a dramatic subject (murder) are, if present at all, subordinated to the needs of the puzzle, and the protagonists must go through their paces behaving like... well, behaving like the characters in a Whodunnit. However, just as good comedy, even at its most surreal, must hold on to a central truth, a good murder mystery must never entirely forget that its dramatis personae are indeed just that, and that their emotions (whilst molded by the needs of the puzzle) make an essential contribution to turning a curious riddle into a gripping Whodunnit.
Unfortunately, the script in René Clair's adaptation of Ten Little Indians rather neglects dramatic considerations and plays the story more for laughs than tension. It's almost as though, in recognising that Whodunnits stand aside from real-life (and none more so than the rather cold-blooded British affairs of the 'golden age' of crime novels) the studio decided to make a piece of family entertainment where the puzzle is preeminent and the cast are relegated to playing characters who behave more like they have found themselves on a somewhat disappointing mini-break in Devon than as cornered prey of a crazed murderer. As such it's still an enjoyable piece of cinema, but watching it one can't help but be aware of what is missing. Most glaringly, the characters show little sense of horror or fear at their predicament (with one exception no corpse is shown and one murder is even merely reported). The action does become more urgent towards the end but it never rises above a sort of murder-farce. It's a shame considering the acting talent on display, and the few moments of genuine drama that pop up remind us that a murder mystery, whilst frothy, can still have depths. For example, the moment that the character of Miss Emily Brent describes her cruelty to a child in cold, unrepentant tones is briefly gripping, but it is one of the few moments in the film that one becomes interested in any character. The attempt at adding a romantic thread to the story is so unbelievable and at odds with the situation that it is laughable.
Then There Were None does have many fine qualities, not least the sets and the cinematography, and a lot of charm. It's thoroughly enjoyable to watch, but it is a shallow affair. Prepare to be puzzled and charmed but not gripped.
Unfortunately, the script in René Clair's adaptation of Ten Little Indians rather neglects dramatic considerations and plays the story more for laughs than tension. It's almost as though, in recognising that Whodunnits stand aside from real-life (and none more so than the rather cold-blooded British affairs of the 'golden age' of crime novels) the studio decided to make a piece of family entertainment where the puzzle is preeminent and the cast are relegated to playing characters who behave more like they have found themselves on a somewhat disappointing mini-break in Devon than as cornered prey of a crazed murderer. As such it's still an enjoyable piece of cinema, but watching it one can't help but be aware of what is missing. Most glaringly, the characters show little sense of horror or fear at their predicament (with one exception no corpse is shown and one murder is even merely reported). The action does become more urgent towards the end but it never rises above a sort of murder-farce. It's a shame considering the acting talent on display, and the few moments of genuine drama that pop up remind us that a murder mystery, whilst frothy, can still have depths. For example, the moment that the character of Miss Emily Brent describes her cruelty to a child in cold, unrepentant tones is briefly gripping, but it is one of the few moments in the film that one becomes interested in any character. The attempt at adding a romantic thread to the story is so unbelievable and at odds with the situation that it is laughable.
Then There Were None does have many fine qualities, not least the sets and the cinematography, and a lot of charm. It's thoroughly enjoyable to watch, but it is a shallow affair. Prepare to be puzzled and charmed but not gripped.