Evil Under the Sun

In Brief: Arguably Agatha Christie’s most well-known character, Hercule Poirot is something of a known quantity in most corners. However, those primarily familiar with David Suchet’s 24-year run playing the Belgian detective, or Albert Finney’s portrayal (possibly the best Poirot ever) in Sidney Lumet’s 1974 Murder on the Orient Express, will find plenty to enjoy in Peter Ustinov’s take on the character. The second of Ustinov’s three features as Poirot (there were also three TV movies), Evil Under the Sun easily owes as much of its appeal to screenwriter Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth, Frenzy, The Wicker Man) and frequent James Bond director Guy Hamilton as it does to Ustinov. Shaffer, who penned all three Ustinov Poirot features, streamlines Christie’s cast of characters and adheres to a very traditional structure, resulting in a film that feels like a typically convoluted Christie story that’s been cut down to a lean fighting weight, even at 117 minutes. Hamilton’s direction is competent if not entirely remarkable, bearing more in common with his Roger Moore Bond work than his efforts with Sean Connery. The real highlight here is an excellent ensemble cast, with Maggie Smith, Diana Rigg and Sylvia Miles all but stealing the show. Although Shaffer’s script has taken a few liberties with the book, all but the most fervent Christie purists will find little to complain about, and anyone with even a passing affinity for the author’s hugely popular (if largely formulaic) oeuvre is likely to enjoy this adaptation. As an added bonus, this screening gives those of us experiencing Game of Thrones withdrawal a post-season opportunity to see a slightly younger Riggs displaying the same expertise in bitchcraft that makes her so much fun on that show. The Hendersonville Film Society will show Evil Under the Sun Sunday, July 10, at 2 p.m. in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.