Ten people, including a husband and wife, a retired General, a Judge, a Doctor and an adventurer are invited for a weekend on an isolated island by the mysterious Mr U. N. Owen. At exactly 8 o'clock on the first night a record is played accusing each of them of having been responsible for someones death. Most deny their part, some become angry but one, a crazy prince and professional party-goer, admits drunkenly hitting a couple in his car. As he does so he takes a drink and immediately drops down dead. This is the first of a series of deaths that seem to play along the same lines as the nursery rhyme Ten Little Indians. Mr. Owen is bumping them off one by one but who is he and who, if anyone, will survive?
French writer/director René Clair chose a wonderfully varied and international group of character actors to front this classic murder mystery. C. Aubrey Smith, the ex test cricketer, plays the General, Irish actor and Oscar winner Barry Fitzgerald plays the judge and Walter Huston, who also won an Oscar for his role in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, is the doctor. It very much feels like a play on film, which is exactly what it is.
Perfect after lunch family fare.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037515/?ref_=nm_knf_t4
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