Ten Little Indians (1965) in Color — Starring Hugh O'Brian & Shirley Eaton

Ten Little Indians (1965) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Ten Little Indians, the 1965 British mystery thriller directed by George Pollock and based on Agatha Christie’s 1939 novel “And Then There Were None,” now available as a professionally colorized version. Ten people travel by aerial tramway to a snowbound mansion, invited there by a Mr UN Owen (Unknown) to spend the weekend. They discover that none of them has actually ever met Owen, including his secretary as well as a married housekeeper and cook, all hired through an agency. Framed copies of the children’s nursery rhyme “Ten Little Indians” are hung on the walls of each guest’s bedroom. Dinner is served by the butler Grohmann on a tray adorned with ten little Indian figurines, as well. At exactly 9 p.m., as instructed, Grohmann switches on a hidden tape recording. A man identifying himself as Owen reveals that each of the 10 guests has a scandalous secret, their involvement in various innocent people’s deaths. One by one, the guests begin dying off, following the pattern of the nursery rhyme, as they realize their unseen killer is among them. This psychological mystery thriller combines suspense, paranoia, and classic whodunit elements in a remote alpine setting. Shot on location at Kenure House in Ireland and the Zillertal in Austria, the film features an ensemble cast including Hugh O’Brian, Shirley Eaton, and Christopher Lee. Own this classic mystery thriller in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

Ten people travel by aerial tramway to a snowbound mansion, invited there by a Mr UN Owen (Unknown) to spend the weekend. They discover that none of them has actually ever met Owen, including his secretary as well as a married housekeeper and cook, all hired through an agency. Framed copies of the children’s nursery rhyme “Ten Little Indians” are hung on the walls of each guest’s bedroom. Dinner is served by the butler Grohmann on a tray adorned with ten little Indian figurines, as well. At exactly 9 p.m., as instructed, Grohmann switches on a hidden tape recording. A man identifying himself as Owen reveals that each of the 10 guests has a scandalous secret, their involvement in various innocent people’s deaths.

One by one, the guests begin dying off. Mike Raven chokes after taking a drink and dies, and a small Indian figurine from the centrepiece tray is broken away. In the morning, the tram cable is cut, killing the cook, Mrs. Grohmann, who attempted to escape. General Mandrake conducts a search of the chalet’s catacombs, splitting everyone into pairs, ultimately leading to his demise, stabbed after being led to a planted distraction (a cat). It becomes clear that their unseen killer is following the nursery rhyme. Ann Clyde, the secretary, enters into a romantic relationship with engineer Hugh Lombard as they and the others begin a deadly cat-and-mouse game, ultimately deducing that Owen is not their host but, in reality, one of them.

After falling under suspicion from the others, Grohmann attempts to make his escape down the mountain peak, Devil’s Leap, ending in his death after his lifeline is severed with an axe. Ilona bitterly confesses to having driven her husband to suicide, and is later found dead in her bedroom, killed with a syringe. By now, the five remaining guests fall under distrust of one another, and alliances are formed as the generator shuts down, casting the mansion into total darkness. At dinner, each person reveals the nature of their accusations, but before Ann can attest to her crime, she separates from the group to her room, where she screams upon discovering an Indian decoy hung from the ceiling. In the confusion, Judge Cannon is found with a gunshot wound to his head.

Dr. Armstrong intimates his suspicions of Ann, which Lombard angrily rebuffs. Lombard later comes to Ann’s room and confides that his real name is Charles Morley, and that the real Lombard, a friend of Morley’s, had committed suicide. Sorting out Lombard’s things, Morley found the invitation and decided to accept it, posing as Lombard, to see if he could throw light on why his friend killed himself. Morley gives Ann his revolver for her protection. In the morning, Blore discovers that Armstrong has vanished and the three conduct a search for him. Blore separates and goes outside, where he is crushed by a large statue of a bear. Ann and Morley discover the body of Dr. Armstrong in the snow and conclude that the killer can only be either of them. Ann pulls the revolver on Morley and shoots at him, before returning to the mansion. She goes upstairs and discovers Judge Cannon very much alive, who explains how he persuaded Dr. Armstrong to help him fake his death. He adds that he intends to poison himself, leaving Ann as the last remaining survivor, who must hang herself and fulfil the rhyme, or be punished by the law instead.

As Judge Cannon is explaining his plan, having taken a fatal dose of poison, Morley reappears, alive. As he dies, Judge Cannon realises his plan has failed, and Ann and Morley kiss in relief. They see the cat sitting with the fruit tray, with only two Indians attached.

Cast & Crew

Director: George Pollock

Stars: Hugh O’Brian, Shirley Eaton, Fabian, Leo Genn, Stanley Holloway, Wilfrid Hyde White, Daliah Lavi, Dennis Price, Marianne Hoppe, Mario Adorf, Christopher Lee (voice)

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Ten Little Indians was originally filmed in black and white, with cinematography that captured the stark beauty of the alpine setting and the claustrophobic atmosphere of the snowbound mansion. This professionally colorized restoration enhances every scene with frame-by-frame precision, from the dramatic aerial tramway arrival to the tense interior scenes as paranoia builds among the guests. The colorized version reveals new visual richness in the film’s settings, where the Irish mansion Kenure House and the Austrian Zillertal mountains gain authenticity that transports viewers to this remote and isolated location. The ensemble cast performances gain additional dimension in color, particularly Shirley Eaton’s portrayal of the conflicted secretary Ann Clyde and Hugh O’Brian’s charismatic engineer Hugh Lombard. The film’s suspenseful atmosphere and psychological tension are enhanced by color, highlighting the contrast between the mansion’s elegant interiors and the menacing snowbound exterior. The nursery rhyme motif becomes even more striking in color, the Indian figurines and framed rhymes creating visual patterns that underscore the deadly countdown. Now also available in colour.

Buy Ten Little Indians in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Released in 1965, Ten Little Indians represents the second film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1939 novel “And Then There Were None,” following the acclaimed 1945 version directed by René Clair. While critics noted that this version did not match the quality of the earlier adaptation, it successfully captured the essence of Christie’s strange and creepy tale, making it a gripping entertainment for mystery fans. The film was produced by Harry Alan Towers, who also co-wrote the screenplay under his pen name Peter Welbeck, demonstrating his involvement in multiple aspects of the production.

The film’s shift from the original novel’s island setting to an alpine retreat allowed for spectacular deaths among the crags and mountains, though some critics argued this destroyed the mood of boxed-in menace present in Christie’s original concept. Despite this change, the film works considerable suspense into the restricted action, successfully hiding the identity of the tenth Indian without resorting to too many red herrings. The pacing is brisk and the twists and turns engaging, making it a fair copy of a classic whodunnit according to film critic Leslie Halliwell.

Ten Little Indians was one of the first films Fabian made after his contract with Fox ended, marking his transition from teen idol to serious actor. Shirley Eaton’s performance as Ann Clyde was praised as “splendid, very sexy but also ambiguous,” with reviewers noting that audiences could believe her character could be a killer. Christopher Lee provided the voice of the mysterious “Mr. U.N. Owen,” adding his distinctive voice talents to the ensemble cast.

The film was shot on location at Kenure House in Rush, County Dublin, Ireland, with most outdoor scenes filmed in the Zillertal in Tyrol, Austria. These authentic locations provide the film with its atmospheric setting, the contrast between the elegant Irish mansion and the rugged Austrian mountains creating visual interest that supports the narrative’s themes of isolation and entrapment. Through modern colorization, this mystery thriller reaches new audiences who can appreciate its place in the tradition of Agatha Christie adaptations and 1960s British cinema. Now also available en couleur.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 / MKV digital download
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: English original mono
• Runtime: 91 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Who stars in Ten Little Indians?
A: Hugh O’Brian stars as Hugh Lombard/Charles Morley, with Shirley Eaton as Ann Clyde, Fabian as Mike Raven, Leo Genn as General Mandrake, Stanley Holloway as William Blore, Wilfrid Hyde White as Judge Cannon, and Daliah Lavi as Ilona Bergen.

Q: Is Ten Little Indians based on a book?
A: Yes, Ten Little Indians is based on Agatha Christie’s 1939 novel “And Then There Were None,” her best-selling mystery novel.

Q: What is the plot of Ten Little Indians?
A: Ten strangers invited to a remote mansion discover each has a dark secret involving deaths, then begin dying off one by one following the pattern of the “Ten Little Indians” nursery rhyme, realizing the killer is among them.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as MP4 and MKV files that play on virtually any device.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• And Then There Were None (1945)
• The Red Ball Express (1952)
• Murder Ahoy (1964)
• The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
• Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
• The Lady Vanishes (1938)
• Murder Most Foul (1964)