But, of course, there is a lead, and in the hands of a lesser actor, he could have wound up being a feckless straight man to all the great character actors around him. Dame Judith Anderson, perhaps the best supporting actress of all time, dominates every seen she is in as a sinister spinster. Barry Fitzgerald is terrific as the Judge, and Huston perfection itself as the charming, albeit alcoholic, doctor. Roland Young may actually be the most instrumental as Blore in keeping the films wit intact and never allowing it to get too serious. But why quibble? Every cast member is perfect. Aubrey Smith who portrays General Mandrake with a British subtlety that cannot be understood fully by today's American viewers. Every character is perfectly realized by magnificent acting. Rene Clair's masterful direction takes Christie's classic novel up to a new dimension more suitable for cinema.
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