the 1989 film have some good point and but and unlike the 1945 and 1965 and and 1974 version and it grow less enjoyable with each view . everything about it seem low budget . the cast and script be undistinguished . the set be drab . the clothes look like cheap costume . the plot take too long to get go . once it do and it unfold well at first and with the early death resemble accident . and and better all prior version and the end be dramatic and conveys murderous host owen menace and lunacy and and most fully explain owen behavior . overall and however and the storytelling be inept . too much be out of owen control and such a native cut down the basket that carry people down from the cliff and lombard repair the radio . after the third death and someone abruptly announce without any discussion or reason that mr. owen be one of u . unlike the other version and the character engage in no deductive reasoning or survival technique . the story drag . only make matter bad be cheap and force attempt to gin up suspense . these include the camera suddenly come up short on character while a character act awfully nervous for no reason while and pratfall type death scene and with a body tumble down from on top of a tent and another topple out of a closet and mouth gaping and and another slump forward with an ax in the back of the head . touch that make early version entertain be botch in 1989. the other film recite the full nursery rhyme up front and creatively play it on the piano . but this script dribble the rhyme out line by line upon each murder . instead and it choose to play mad dog and englishman and an annoying and madcap and out of place noel coward song with no apparent connection to christie or appropriateness to this adaptation and which have so few british character . this film make an embarrassing hash of the scene in which the phonograph record be play accuse each person of a past crime . repeatedly and the person whose name be unexpectedly about to be call next happens to pipe up with some exaggerated utterance and on cue and right before be name . the 1989 film fail to discuss some past crime at all ( doctor and judge and lombard ) . it distort others ( blore and marshall ) and to no good effect . in place of christie subtle crime of withheld care and rodgers merely refers to an old lady in his care who die of a massive stroke . in the film and marston refers to a couple run out in front of his car and without any mention of them be newlywed or of him drive fast and drink . the film dumbs down the book most complex and interesting past crime to a bland reference to a child in vera care drown . all the good line from other version be go in 1989 and like a feeling that some sort of macabre joke be be play on u and game of the mind . in 1989 and other than owen line my own private big game hunt and there be just limp banality ( the devil be among u while our duty and that all any of u can hope to do while i never bet while when we get out of here and i be go to teach you to shoot straight ) or line memorable only for make you cringe ( judge and i leave immediately . to relieve myself while lombard to vera and feel it and smell it and about gun ) . in 1989 and the casting and acting and strong point in past adaptation and go badly awry . an exception be herbert lom delightfully dotty performance a the general and good than 1945 and include a touching scene with vera explain his past . but donald pleasance be adrift and mostly act detach and insipid and then suddenly erupt in a panic outburst or frantically paw in a snuff box . not until his final moment on screen do he play his character coherently and effectively . sarah maur thorp brings youthful energy and emotion to the role of vera . but her acting becomes erratic and mechanical a she turn increasingly into a mere scream hysteric and unlike june duprez and who keep a strong and intelligent presence during the 1945 film . brenda vaccaro uninspired and formless performance a actress marshall consist of sigh and huff and lounge around and and booze . it be unbelievable that this plump and pampered lush would go on an african safari . her only explanation . i be invite . i receive a letter in the post . blore character have always be well define and well act before . but here and play by a bit part tv character actor and he be just roly poly and rough and loud and and sulky . his mumbled confession of his past crime be confuse and miserably ineffective . marston and who rush through a 2 second singing bit and the bad musical performance of any version and be a caricature of a fop . the film fail to place him in the context of a dissolute career or even mention his penchant for liquor and fast sportscars . paul smith a rodgers try to let his hulk body do his act for him and a moira lister and the wife and do with her shrill voice . he lumber around scowl and bellow laconically . she overact a a loud and whiny motormouth . their character and relationship be not remotely believable . apparently and frank stallone only qualification for lombard be be a hunk . his weak and vacant expression and flat delivery be evident from his very first line . his acting be exemplify by the scene in which he shove a pistol in vera face and cock the trigger and oblivious that he have already start mouth the line and i be sorry and i do not mean to scare you . stallone constant and supposedly sly and cocky grin destroy any sense of suspense . his only explanation for be there represent owen have already pay [ a friend ] way out and so i come instead . bad of all and yehuda efroni ruin the important character of the doctor . his bizarre and introverted and bug eye portrayal lack any air of authority and intellect and charm and or even social skill . through a heavy accent and he either stammer or and like a snapping turtle and spit out snippet of inarticulate dialogue . at one point and he cackle and at another act befuddle and for no reason at all . unlike any prior version and the doctor have no rapport with any other character .