“Ordeal by Innocence” / 「ドーバー海峡殺人事件」, Original Japanese Movie Poster 1984, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) ZA942

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for the Japanese release of Ordeal by Innocence / 「ドーバー海峡殺人事件」, the Agatha Christie mystery-thriller directed by Desmond Davis and starring Donald Sutherland, Faye Dunaway, Christopher Plummer, Sarah Miles, Ian McShane, and Diana Quick.

Based on Christie’s 1958 novel Ordeal by Innocence, the film belongs to the grand ensemble tradition of Agatha Christie screen adaptations, combining murder, buried secrets, family suspicion, and a dramatic coastal setting. This Japanese poster is especially striking for its stormy design, bold red typography, and classic mystery-marketing atmosphere.

Film background
The story follows a scientist who returns from an expedition and discovers that a young man has been executed for the murder of his wealthy adoptive mother. When he realises that his own evidence could have proved the man’s innocence, he begins to investigate the surviving family members—only to find that the true murderer may still be among them.

Directed by Desmond Davis and produced by Golan-Globus / Cannon Films, the film presents Christie’s story as a dark, atmospheric mystery, with a strong international cast and a tone of suspicion, guilt, and delayed justice.

Poster design
The poster is dominated by a dramatic coastal image: storm clouds and lightning hang over the white cliffs of Dover, while two figures sit in a small boat below. A large hangman’s noose descends through the centre of the composition, directly referencing the wrongful execution at the heart of the mystery.

The large yellow vertical copy reads:

「すべての人に殺意があった！今、巨大なミステリーの嵐が動き出した…」
“Everyone had a motive to kill. Now, a vast storm of mystery has begun to move…”

At the centre, the Japanese title 「ドーバー海峡殺人事件」 appears in enormous bright red lettering, giving the design immediate impact. The original English title, Agatha Christie — Ordeal by Innocence, is printed to the left, alongside a small image of the original Christie paperback.

Along the lower section is a row of circular cast portraits, emphasising the film’s all-star ensemble and the classic Christie structure of multiple suspects, hidden motives, and a closed circle of suspicion.

The overall design is dark, theatrical, and highly atmospheric—a superb Japanese interpretation of Agatha Christie suspense.

Release note
This poster was printed for the film’s original Japanese theatrical release campaign.

It is an original period Japanese cinema poster, not a later reproduction or commercial reprint.

Condition
Very Good + / Excellent condition. A very attractive example, with strong colour, bold title graphics, clean imagery, and excellent overall display impact.

There are light fold lines and minor handling signs consistent with an original theatrical poster of this age, but overall it presents extremely well.

Please review the photograph carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.

This is an original Japanese theatrical poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is now over 40 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.