Horror 2026 Countdown: And Then There Were None (1945)

And Then There Were None (1945) dir. Rene Clair, Rene Clair Productions 

Agatha Christie has been venerated by quite a few people, and I fear this will be a continuation. She knew how to spin a good mystery yarn. So good that people have been dipping from this well for decades and will likely to continue. 

Off the coast of England lays Indian Island. It is a mostly barren stretch of rock jutting out of the ocean, but there is enough space to build a decent sized house on it. That house is the destination for an unusual group, being ferried to the island. Once ashore, they are welcomed by the only servants in the house, the Rogers, Thomas (Richard Hayden) and his wife Ethel (Queenie Leonard). Once inside and general introductions are made, a record is playing. The voice is the host of the event, Mr. U.N. Known, who seems to know everything about the guests. The servants, for example, are murderers. They killed their last employer for his fortune. The rest of the guests are all equally guility. 

General Mandrake (C. Aubry Smith)-had his wife's lover sent on a suicide mission.

Emily Brent (Judith Anderon)-refused to take in her nephew, condemning to live in an orhapange, at least until the youth killed himself.

Dr. Armstrong (Walter Huston)-killed at least one patient while operating drunk.

Prince Starloff (Mischa Auer)-killed a couple while driving drunk. He seems more crushed at the loss of his driver's license. 

Vera Claythrone (June Duprez)-murdered her sister's fiance in a jealous rage.

Judge Quincannon (Barry Fitzgerald)-sending an innocent man to the gallows.

Philip Lombard (Louis Hayward)-soldier of fortune who oversaw the death of 21 men in South Africa

William Blore (Roland Young)-committed perjury, condemning an innocent man to death row

Besides the record, there's also a small display on the dining room table on ten ceramic Indians, based around the nursey rhyme "Ten Little Indians" (also the name of the 1939 Christie story).  After the record is finished, most of the guests panic in some way. The boat isn't coming back until Monday morning, so it looks like they are just going to be stuck with each other. The prince isn't concerned. Is he innocent? Oh no, he's guilty as hell. 

 He's still chuckling as he downs his drink. He then drops dead. This puts a damper on the mood and everyone turns in for the night. The next day, Mrs. Rogers is found dead. Naturally this kills the mood even more. The fact that two of the figurines are found broken, well, how did that rhyme go again?

A search is made of the island, but all that turns up is General Mandrake, a knife in his back. Mr. Roger is blamed and made to sleep in the barn. When he's found dead later, well, guess they were wrong. Who did it and will anyone be left by the end?

A tad bit cynical, even by Christie's standards. Everyone is a suspect but then again that works.