Basically, if you’re looking at the actors in Orient Express, you’re looking at a Hollywood tradition of "stunt casting" that goes back fifty years. It’s wild. Most people think Kenneth Branagh started this trend of stuffing every single train cabin with an Oscar winner, but honestly? He was just following the blueprint.
Agatha Christie's most famous locked-room mystery—well, locked-train mystery—has always been a magnet for massive egos and even bigger talent.
The 1974 Legends: When Star Power Actually Meant Something
In 1974, Sidney Lumet did something kinda crazy. He gathered a cast so stacked that the production insurance alone must have been a nightmare. We’re talking about Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, and Anthony Perkins.
You’ve got to understand the vibe back then. Sean Connery wasn't just "an actor"—he was Bond. And here he was, playing Colonel Arbuthnot. Then you have Ingrid Bergman. She actually wanted a different role, but Lumet pushed her to play the "simple" Swedish missionary, Greta Ohlsson. She ended up winning an Oscar for it. Only five minutes of screen time, and she takes home the gold. That’s efficiency.
Then there’s Albert Finney.
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His Hercule Poirot is... divisive. He was way younger than the character, so they buried him under layers of prosthetics and makeup. He played Poirot as this high-strung, almost shouting eccentric. It’s a performance that feels like it’s vibrating off the screen. Some people love it; some find it totally grating compared to the more subdued versions we saw later.
A Quick Look at the 1974 Suspect List:
- Lauren Bacall as the loud Mrs. Hubbard.
- John Gielgud playing the valet, Mr. Beddoes.
- Vanessa Redgrave as Mary Debenham.
- Anthony Perkins (yes, the Psycho guy) as Hector McQueen.
The 2017 Shift: Branagh’s Mustache and Modern Faces
Fast forward to 2017. Kenneth Branagh decides he doesn't just want to direct; he wants the lead role and the biggest mustache in cinematic history. Seriously, that thing was a structural marvel.
The actors in Orient Express (2017 version) were clearly picked to bridge the gap between "Old Hollywood" and "New Global Box Office." You had Johnny Depp playing the victim, Ratchett. It was actually a smart move—using a massive star for a character everyone wants to see dead within the first twenty minutes.
But the real standout? Michelle Pfeiffer.
She took over the Lauren Bacall role (Mrs. Hubbard) and brought this tragic, desperate energy to it that the original movie sorta lacked. While the 1974 film felt like a grand play, the 2017 version felt more like a character study of Poirot’s own obsession with "balance" and "truth."
Who Did It Better? The Casting Face-Off
Honestly, it’s hard to compare.
In the 1974 film, Anthony Perkins played the secretary Hector McQueen as twitchy and nervous. In 2017, Josh Gad took that same role and made him more of a "bumbling but stressed" accountant type. It’s a totally different energy.
Then you have the Mary Debenham character. Vanessa Redgrave was sophisticated and sharp. Daisy Ridley, fresh off Star Wars, played her with a bit more modern grit.
The biggest change, though, has to be the character of the Doctor. In the book and the '74 film, Colonel Arbuthnot and the Doctor are two separate people (played by Connery and George Coulouris). In 2017, they combined them into one character: Dr. Arbuthnot, played by Leslie Odom Jr. It streamlined the plot, but purists definitely had some thoughts about that.
The Poirot Problem
If we’re being real, every discussion about the actors in Orient Express eventually turns into a fight about who played the best detective.
- Albert Finney (1974): Energetic, loud, and very "theatrical."
- David Suchet (2010 TV Movie): For most fans, he is the definitive Poirot. He’s precise. He’s quiet. He feels real.
- Kenneth Branagh (2017): A more "action-hero" version. He chases people on bridges. He laments over lost loves.
Why the Casting Matters for SEO and Fans Alike
When you search for the cast, you're usually looking for that "Aha!" moment. "Wait, was that Olivia Colman as the maid?" Yes, it was. She played Hildegarde Schmidt in the 2017 version right before she became "The Queen" and an Oscar winner herself.
Seeing Willem Dafoe as a racist Austrian professor or Judi Dench as a grumpy Russian Princess isn't just about good acting. It’s about the spectacle. The Orient Express movies are basically the Avengers for people who like tea, beige linen suits, and murder.
What You Should Do Next
If you actually want to appreciate the acting craft here, don't just watch the trailers. Watch the 1974 version and the 2017 version back-to-back. Specifically, pay attention to the "interrogation" scenes.
In the '74 version, Sidney Lumet keeps the camera steady, letting the legends like Ingrid Bergman just talk. In the Branagh version, the camera is constantly moving, trying to make the train feel claustrophobic and stylish.
Actionable Insights for Movie Buffs:
- Watch for the "One-Take" Intro: In the 2017 version, notice how Branagh introduces the cast in long, sweeping shots to show off the set.
- Compare the "Solution" Speeches: Finney’s Poirot explains the murder like a man giving a manic Shakespearean monologue. Branagh’s Poirot explains it like a man whose heart is breaking.
- Check the 2010 Version: If you want the most "accurate" cast to the book, find the David Suchet version. It features Jessica Chastain before she was a household name.
The real magic of the actors in Orient Express isn't just the names on the poster—it's how each generation reinterprets the same twelve suspects for a new audience. Whether you like the classic glamour of Bacall or the modern intensity of Pfeiffer, the train keeps running because the characters are just that good.
To get the most out of your next viewing, pay close attention to the background actors and the "silent" reactions during the final reveal. The 1974 cast's expressions of collective guilt are often cited by film students as a masterclass in ensemble acting. You can find both versions on most major streaming platforms like Amazon Prime or Apple TV for a side-by-side comparison.