NOTHING wrong with a lavish Agatha Christie whodunit to liven up a generally poor week's viewing. Murder on the Orient Express (World 9.30pm, Original Running Time 127 mins) is an elegant production, set in the 30s and with a big-star cast list that's longer than the train itself.
Albert Finney is virtually unrecognisable, shamelessly hamming it up as Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot. (He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his OTT efforts but lost out to Art Carney for Harry and Tonto ).
The rest of the passengers - and suspects - include Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman (who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role), Sean Connery and John Gielgud. The ''murderee'' is played by Richard Widmark.
Sidney Lumet was the director charged with controlling this formidable team, and while the express moves far too slowly at times (and whodunit is disappointingly clear) it gets there in the end. The action begins when Widmark's corpse is discovered stabbed 12 times. Railway exec Bianchi (Martin Balsam) persuades Poirot to solve the case, which is the supersleuth's cue to stage an elaborate recreation of the crime, et voila, all becomes clear.
The success of Murder on the Orient Express - which picked up six Oscars - launched a series of lavish Christie productions, the next being Death on the Nile.
DESPITE repeated forays into a variety of disparate roles, Christopher Reeve just can't seem to make movie magic without donning Superman's red knickers. He made The Aviator (Pearl 9.30pm, ORT 98 mins) in 1985, between Supermans II and III, and the film barely made it to the cinemas.
Reeve is a pioneer pilot who crash lands in 1928 in the middle of nowhere. His passenger is horribly spoiled little rich girl Rosanna Arquette (New York Stories ) who does nothing but whinge and play the first class pain in the neck.