The film ‘Murder on the Orient Express’, directed by Kenneth Branagh is based on Agatha Criste’s novel ‘Murder on the Orient Express.’ It is an enticing murder mystery story in which the overall theme of justice is tightly intertwined into the solving of one man’s death. The story depicts a detective known as “Hercule Poirot” and his hunger for justice as he solves one of the most unusual cases of murder. Only to discover that sometimes serving justice does not always come in the form of uncovering the truth, rather it is through what is truly fair.
Throughout ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ I believe that the idea of justice is tainted in the eyes of the law. Rather than being something the law wants to serve in order to balance all rights and wrongs, instead, it is a job that has been developed into something to just tick off with the answer seems most likely. The film states, “if we leave this to the police, they will choose a culprit, right or wrong, and they will hang him. Most probably Mr Marquez for no other reason than his name is Marquez. Or Dr Arbuthnot for the colour of his skin. You are the only one who can bring justice.” This quote in itself shows that justice has become morphed by opinion, prejudice and stereotypes which is why justice is rarely served by the law. For especially in the era this film was set there was huge racial discrimination and immediate blame went to anyone of another race. In history, we have seen how people were condemned for things just based on preconceived judgements. Killed because of their religion. Accused because of their colour. Witches burnt at the stake, often just woman who had learnt about natural healing methods.
This is still seen today in society, so from this, I learn that with any opportunity in which I can stop a person being unrightfully accused of something I must not just brush off this chance to make a difference. We must not let the stereotypical ideas determine the conviction, instead, we must focus on facts presented to us and only facts. Hercules focuses on solving a crime based off facts rather than opinion his judgements do not sprout from his prior beliefs in the world and he is set out to solve a crime to prevent injustice for others who could be wrongly convinced. This crime-solving mindset that Hercules presents is inspiring and it teaches me the value of the truth. To not help reveal the truth is to equally commit the crime of wrongly convicting.
The characters in the film who all commit the crime of killing Lenfranco Cassetti, also known as Mr Ratchett in the film, portray a different perspective to the concept of justice and the idea of right and wrong. In a black and white case, we see a murderer as a murderer, they are evil and corrupt, therefore guilty and the bad guy. Yet colour is added to this black and white image as a deeper understanding and knowledge of motive and the past is developed. Justice can not be dictated by the basic act seen, which in this case would be that a man was murdered, it involves an understanding, and truly stepping into the person in question’s shoes. For if we were to accuse anyone who kills another person to be a crazed murderer deserving of punishment, what would happen to all the people classified under manslaughter?
This is again bringing it back to how we look at something, whether we look at it black and white with little knowledge or whether you investigate to why. For example should a pure accident, which could’ve happened to anyone, with no direct intent be labelled off as an inhumane killer? Poirot in the film, for the first time in his career, we learn, must lie about the truth in order to balance the scales of justice as he learns of each person’s individuals grief and damage in which they have all experienced because of one man. This enforces the concept that true justice is in letting a person free to live the shackles of pain and grief unlocked through the death to a soul who did not deserve to live. Poirot describes the motive as “the benefit is, perhaps to the spirit, an ease of suffering.” Through close-ups of the characters faces, for example, Daisy’s aunt, we can see the first-hand emotional torture expressed in her face. This makes me truly feel for her, and their story and it changes my opinion on the victim (the man murdered) to think that even though he was killed is he really the victim. We understand that these people have suffered more than they deserved, they are not killers and the conviction of them as killers would not be universally fair. By understanding their hurt, guilt and torture we see that the person who should be guilty of any crime is the man who was murdered. The death of the bad guy (Cassetti) in itself was an act of justice for it gave balance to the world and to their lives, for now, they have hope of living again without fear. What I like about this film is that it is not just the typical one person murders another person.
I find the fact that the murder was a group revenge murder interesting, as with each persons’ story connected to the death of the little girl Dasiy I can see how one action can have such chain reactions in this world. It is intriguing to see just how easily one thing can tear many peoples lives apart and even more fascinating how revenge and one death can build their lives back up again. I believe that this murder although will give the characters a sense of relief and revenge I do not believe much of the grieving trauma will actually leave and that they murdered Rachett in the hope it would end their grief. Poiret says “ there are no killers here, only people who deserve a chance to heal”
Overall the concept of justice is repeatedly enforced throughout this film to help us see that we must not let the sexist, racist or any form of prejudice dictate what justice is and only the facts of a crime should determine that. Along with the idea that no crime can be solved by staring at it blankly and only going surface deep for true meaning and answers comes from what caused the crime from within which will be the only way to dictate what is just or not.
The story was partly inspired by the real-life case ‘The Lindberg Case”. A young boy was kidnapped and held to ransom. The ransom was paid but the child was never returned and eventually his body was found.
The story also makes people think about their own child’s safety. How they would feel if this were to happen to them. It provokes them to think about how they would like to get revenge. In most cultures, the law prevents them from taking justice into their own hands. Or for most people, they just wouldn’t be able to commit a murder. We are taught two wrongs don’t make a right. I am glad that I don’t live in a society where revenge killings are commonplace or legal. As we can see from this story it would also be very easy to get it wrong and make a mistake.