EVIL UNDER THE SUN

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This 1982 film is the second outing for Peter Ustinov as Agatha Christie's famous detective, Hercule Poirot, following 'Death On The Nile' in 1978.

Although the original 1941 novel is not one of Christie's most celebrated, Poirot is presented with a satisfyingly perplexing problem in that all the possible murderers seem to have a watertight alibi.  

The choice of this particular story following 'Death On The Nile' is a little surprising in that the solution to the mystery, clever and convoluted though it is, is very similar in that it also features a love triangle.

Anyway screenwriter Anthony Shaffer (who also adapted 'Death On The Nile') has the good sense not to tinker with the mechanics of the puzzle whilst making a lot of changes around the edges in order to both streamline the novel and to enhance its commercial appeal, for example moving the location from a hotel in Devon to a hotel on a small Mediterranean island.

Shaffer also adds a lot of comedy which is definitely not in the original novel.  

Agatha Christie was happy to occasionally insert some dry humour into her writing, often in respect of the British obsession with class distinctions, but I'm not sure she would have approved of the campiness of for example Maggie Smith's comedy turn as the flamboyant owner of the hotel, or Roddy McDowall's effeminate writer.  

We also get some delicious sharp-tongued exchanges between Maggie Smith's character and Diana Rigg's glamorous actress, together with outrageous costumes.

Thankfully Ustinov's droll portrayal of Poirot from the earlier film survives relatively unscathed, and there is an amusing sequence in which he tries some ridiculous swimming exercises in the ocean.  

James Mason is probably the biggest name in the cast so it's a shame that his character doesn't get to do much.  

In fact one of the weaknesses of the film is that all the characters feel rather thin so that anyone looking here for psychological depth is going to be disappointed.  

But to be fair the film is not attempting to be anything more than a tongue-in-cheek comedy mystery with a touch of 1930s glamour.  At this it succeeds despite undistinguished direction from Guy Hamilton and some rather clunky use of Cole Porter's sublime music on the soundtrack. 

RATING: ✓ Cheers

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