EVIL UNDER THE SUN marks the second of Peter Ustinov's appearances as the famous Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot and it's very similar to look and feel as his first, DEATH ON THE NILE. Once again a bunch of glamorous but ageing Hollywood stars are stranded in a remote exotic setting, where one of their number (an incredibly bitchy Diana Rigg) is murdered and Poirot has to work out who did it. I enjoyed this film slightly more than the two previous Poirot movies of the 1970s, because it has a lighter touch and more comedy, that makes it very amusing at times. The cast is very strong and has nice roles for Roddy McDowall, James Mason, and an on-form Maggie Smith, and I did get a hoot out of Colin Blakely's Yorkshireman. As ever, the only thing that took the edge of this - and it was the same with the other Poirot movies - is that it feels very drawn out, particularly in the first half. The murder takes forever to happen and too much time is spent merely wallowing in the star power instead of getting on with the plot. Still, it's a fun watch.
Review of Evil Under the Sun
