Disappointing third theatrical released adaptation from Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot, featuring Peter Ustinov as the Belgian detective, this time produced by Cannon Group, the well-known second class company headed by the Israelite cousins, Menahen Golan & Yoram Globus, which raised to fame during the 80's producing action B-movies such as the "Death Wish" sequels starring Charles Bronson or the "Missing in Action" franchise starring Chuck Norris.
"Appointment with Death" was one of the several high profiled productions when Cannon was trying to establish itself as a rather serious company to directly compete with Hollywood, but even if more money was invested on it, it still looks cheap, trite and unpolished.
English film director, Michael Winner was one of the "directors-for- hire" that Cannon used a lot during its peak, responsible for the relative successes of "Death Wish II & III", so he was hired to helm this kind of all-star production (succeeding to the likes of Sidney Lumet, John Guillermin & Guy Hamilton, who directed the early Poirot's adaptations to the big screen, before Cannon bought the rights), but unfortunately, this task was way ahead of him. His direction is shapeless and lacklustre, suiting more a "made-for-TV" film than a theatrical released feature, visually it looks bland: the camera-work and the staging of most of its scenes were poorly executed (an awfully out of place opening montage, which suited more the beginning of a comedy flick, such as Chevy Chase's "Vacation" films; pointless close-ups at all the wrong moments; a laughable staged running chase and so on...) and it's a shame because the movie benefited of being filmed on really beautiful and exotic locations.
The editing is atrociously bad, it looks like the movie was in a hurry to tell its story in just a hour and a half, and it's filled of amateurish cuts and quick edits that not only gave it an odd pace, but also some plot resolutions doesn't make sense at all (probably, some key scenes were left in the cutting room floor).
The screenplay, the last one penned by the English playwright & screenwriter, Anthony Shaffer, which came from co-writing the three previous Poirot ventures on-screen: "Murder on the Orient Express" ('74); "Death on the Nile" ('78) & "Evil Under the Sun" ('82), had potential, but needed a better production and director to match the quality of the earlier films.
The cast, even if it wasn't on the same all-star caliber, it's still pretty impressive for a Cannon film: Peter Ustinov, which returned to playing the character for the sixth time (if you count the three TV movies made between "Evil Under the Sun" and this one) looks a bit jaded, but despite that, Sir Peter never delivered a bad performance; Lauren Bacall almost reprises her role in "Murder on the Orient Express" as the loudmouthed & inconvenient, Lady Westholme; Piper Laurie acted here in a 'over-the-top' creepy mode, which looked like she was still acting in "Carrie"; Sir John Gielgud was completely underused in a thankless / boring role; Carrie Fisher looks and acts as if the movie was set in the 80's and David Soul is charming, but sleazy as his character required.
The rest of the cast list is as bland as the overall production, except maybe for Hayley Mills, but her character was as necessary to the plot as an umbrella in a sunny day and that was one of the major flaws, either from the writing or the Winner's decisions when directing it, the characters were seriously underdeveloped and the actors' misdirected.
In short, "Appointment with Death" lacks in so many levels that was an unfortunate finale for Sir Peter Ustinov and Anthony Shaffer's working on this films. Agatha Christie herself would have hated.
The only redeeming factor, if re-watched nowadays, it's in the nostalgic valour of seeing this group of truly great actors, chewing the scenery, when they were alive...
"Appointment with Death" was one of the several high profiled productions when Cannon was trying to establish itself as a rather serious company to directly compete with Hollywood, but even if more money was invested on it, it still looks cheap, trite and unpolished.
English film director, Michael Winner was one of the "directors-for- hire" that Cannon used a lot during its peak, responsible for the relative successes of "Death Wish II & III", so he was hired to helm this kind of all-star production (succeeding to the likes of Sidney Lumet, John Guillermin & Guy Hamilton, who directed the early Poirot's adaptations to the big screen, before Cannon bought the rights), but unfortunately, this task was way ahead of him. His direction is shapeless and lacklustre, suiting more a "made-for-TV" film than a theatrical released feature, visually it looks bland: the camera-work and the staging of most of its scenes were poorly executed (an awfully out of place opening montage, which suited more the beginning of a comedy flick, such as Chevy Chase's "Vacation" films; pointless close-ups at all the wrong moments; a laughable staged running chase and so on...) and it's a shame because the movie benefited of being filmed on really beautiful and exotic locations.
The editing is atrociously bad, it looks like the movie was in a hurry to tell its story in just a hour and a half, and it's filled of amateurish cuts and quick edits that not only gave it an odd pace, but also some plot resolutions doesn't make sense at all (probably, some key scenes were left in the cutting room floor).
The screenplay, the last one penned by the English playwright & screenwriter, Anthony Shaffer, which came from co-writing the three previous Poirot ventures on-screen: "Murder on the Orient Express" ('74); "Death on the Nile" ('78) & "Evil Under the Sun" ('82), had potential, but needed a better production and director to match the quality of the earlier films.
The cast, even if it wasn't on the same all-star caliber, it's still pretty impressive for a Cannon film: Peter Ustinov, which returned to playing the character for the sixth time (if you count the three TV movies made between "Evil Under the Sun" and this one) looks a bit jaded, but despite that, Sir Peter never delivered a bad performance; Lauren Bacall almost reprises her role in "Murder on the Orient Express" as the loudmouthed & inconvenient, Lady Westholme; Piper Laurie acted here in a 'over-the-top' creepy mode, which looked like she was still acting in "Carrie"; Sir John Gielgud was completely underused in a thankless / boring role; Carrie Fisher looks and acts as if the movie was set in the 80's and David Soul is charming, but sleazy as his character required.
The rest of the cast list is as bland as the overall production, except maybe for Hayley Mills, but her character was as necessary to the plot as an umbrella in a sunny day and that was one of the major flaws, either from the writing or the Winner's decisions when directing it, the characters were seriously underdeveloped and the actors' misdirected.
In short, "Appointment with Death" lacks in so many levels that was an unfortunate finale for Sir Peter Ustinov and Anthony Shaffer's working on this films. Agatha Christie herself would have hated.
The only redeeming factor, if re-watched nowadays, it's in the nostalgic valour of seeing this group of truly great actors, chewing the scenery, when they were alive...