Analysing the Loss of Characters in Movie Adaptations

Dhwani Gupta

Abstract: This paper focuses on studying Kenneth Branagh's 2017 Murder on the Orient Express, a film adaptation of Agatha Christie?s novel of the same name, released in 1934. Film adaptations are dynamic portrayals of words in black and white on a colourful screen. Film adaptations make amends like reduction, addition, and modification to the characters, plot, setting, and even style of the novel they are adapted from to foster a deeper understanding and bring cohesion to the portrayed scenes. A major loss of elements can be observed in film adaptations even when original stories remain intact. This paper deals with the instance of the removal of Dr. Constantine, a coroner, who in the novel declares the victim dead. Even with a small role, Dr. Constantine played a part in Christie?s imagination but seemed redundant in Branagh?s vision. The following study records Dr. Constantine's role in the novel and a comparison with the movie adaptation.

Keywords: Dr. Constantine, Murder on the Orient Express, Movie Adaptation, Agatha Christie, Kenneth Branagh