Today Entertainment Weekly shared a behind-the-scenes look at Murder on the Orient Express, which will be released November 10. The mystery, an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s classic 1934 book and the beloved 1974 film, stars Kenneth Branagh, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz and Leslie Odom Jr, among others.
But according to EW contributor Rebecca Theodore, there’s one problem with the new film:
https://Twitter.com/FilmFatale_NYC/status/859793161274757120
In an era where diversity in film has become a hot button topic, Theodore’s sentiment rings true. But many people took issue with its lack of historical accuracy: The customers on the Orient Express were largely wealthy and white—there were certainly Asians who worked for British people in the 1930s, but they were mostly bodyguards or servants who wouldn’t have an active role in this movie. And the first Orient Express film didn’t feature any Asian people either.
Most of the comments weren’t concerned with history, however—they were just plain snarky:
https://twitter.com/SoulHonky/status/859813538113536000
Yet there's a black doctor in the cast so historical accuracy and adherence to the novel are already out the window
— Herostratus (@Herostratus356) May 3, 2017
Y'all seen the word orient and automatically assumed asians which says A LOT
— Mesa (@mesa_mese) May 3, 2017
Where were all the ice skaters in "Blade Runner"?
— Rikki Mason (@rikki1952) May 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/EF517_V2/status/859815032846262274
I'm always angry when a "Yellow Cab" shows up and the passengers aren't the Simpsons.
— Rick Golfs (@Top100Rick) May 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/EF517_V2/status/859814287040294912
Gosh. And no black people in "Black Beauty" either!
— Warner Todd Huston (@warnerthuston) May 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/michaelbayer1/status/859815549571825664
https://twitter.com/Timisreallynice/status/859841703435530240
The responses to the tweet also prove yet again the truth of the Twitter “ratio“: If there are more replies on a given tweet than likes and retweets, that means the tweet was truly controversial. Indeed, as of this writing the tweet has 141 retweets, 202 likes and 652 comments.
Too bad Theodore’s point got lost in a sea of Twitter trolls.
