'Evil Under The Sun (1982)' is a bit 'made-for-TV', slightly too basic in its play-like presentation and also presents pretty much each movement of its plot as a series of explanations by the portly protagonist, and yet it has a certain charm to it, a sense that the source story, however streamlined and changed it is here, is supposed to be told in a way similar to this, as opposed to the recent forced 'filmic' adaptation that was much more 'Sherlock Holmes' than 'Poirot'. Ustinov is good as the beguiling Belgian, though his somewhat dodgy accent takes a little getting used to, and the kind of stuck-up, no-good-in-a-fight feel he has is perfect for this quick-talking character, as is the rest of the eclectic cast who turn in grandiose and stage-suited performances of the innuendo-laden adaptation of Agatha Christie's source novel. It's entertaining after its slow start, even being fairly enjoyable during most of the equally slow build-up to the inevitable murder, and is at its best when the audience is trying to figure out exactly who is going to bite the dust and how they're going to do it. 6/10

It's one of those films I'd almost forgotten about after David Suchet's outing, but Ustinov's has a huge charm which can be overlooked no further.The plot for some part is a little far fetched, but such is the quality of the writing and the mystery itself it doesn't matter in the slightest, for it to have worked the timings would have had to have been literally to the minute.The characterisations are the strong point of the film. Ustinov made a brilliant debut in Death on the Nile, and he shows once again just how good he was in the role. Diana Rigg and Maggie Smith are wonderful in their respective roles in particular, both actually make their characters more interesting then they appear in the book, the interplay between the two is wonderful, so much fun. Nicholas Clay and Jane Birkin are fantastic also, her transformation is sensational, what a beauty!It is a lavish looking film, the locations are sensational, and the costumes are superb, they really add a glamorous note to it, Rigg looks sensational in many scenes.Overall 9/10 Great story, brilliantly acted, but the characters are just magical, entertaining!

The fourth in the series of Brabourne/ Goodwin produced adaptations of Christie that began with MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974). This one, set on an island in the Mediterranean (actually filmed in Majorca) has Peter Ustinov in his second outing as Poirot investigating the murder of a self-interested actor (Diana Rigg), with a gang of suspects including hotel-keeper Maggie Smith, cuckolded husband Denis Quilley, camp journalist Roddy McDowall, theatrical producer James Mason and his domineering wife Sylvia Miles, and would-be gigolo Nicholas Clay and his mousy spouse Jane Birkin. Anthony Shaffer's script gives plenty of opportunity for humorous sequences, especially the cat-fights between Smith and Rigg, and the scene where Poirot, clad in a bathing-dress, attempts to have a morning swim. Whereas David Suchet in the television version tended to be low-key in his characterization, referring to his "little gray cells" and how they solved cases on more than one occasion, Ustinov turns in a flamboyant performance, full of little details: the sequence where he overhears Clay and Birkin arguing in their hotel room ends with a shot of Poirot twitching his mustache, as if he doesn't quite believe what they are saying (he is eventually proved right). The score has rightly been praised: John Lanchbery's arrangements of Cole Porter standards are both florid yet particularly appropriate for the film's bourgeois ambiance: the characters' entire lives are dedicated to pleasure rather than work. As Poirot observes, somewhat cynically, they resemble slabs of meat laid out in the sun to brown. Guy Hamilton's direction is both slick and very clear: unusually for most Christie adaptations, EVIL UNDER THE SUN ties up every single strand of its complicated plot, leaving viewers without too many questions to ask as to whodunit and why. Definitely one of the better versions of the great detective novelist's work, even if it departs quite significantly from the source-text.

A most glorious murder mystery set on a beautiful island paradise, this is pretty, witty, and certainly even gay as it surrounds the world of musical comedy and the temperamental star (Diana Rigg at her most gloriously bitchy) who becomes the victim of "evil under the sun". Of course, she's not exactly a saint, making enemies of many old acquaintances and rivals which includes her own husband, a queeny costume designer, a husband and wife producing team, a former sparring partner of her chorus girl days, and her younger lover and his troubled wife. Toss in a Cole Porter background score, and along with the gorgeous sets and breathtaking period details, you have a fun-filled romp that is made even more delightful and de-lovely by its all-star cast.Peter Ustinov is downright hysterical here as he adds more comedy after taking on "Death on the Nile", and he is supported by a most glorious cast of talented actors. Outstanding among these is Maggie Smith as Daphne, the owner of the hotel who tosses in a few barbs at Rigg's way when she checks into her resort then interrupts her song. Others along the way include Roddy McDowall as the flamboyant costume designer, Sylvia Miles as a trashy producer, and that's just a few of the delights this keep em' guessing mystery tosses in. So raise a glass of Dom Perignon to this eccentric bunch of droll social climbers and society wanna-bee's for the most light-hearted and fun of all the Christie all-star films of the late 70's and early 80's.