Evil Under the Sun
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Movie Reviews of Evil Under the Sun
Movie Review: Probably the Best
Summary: 5 Stars
Probably the best of all the Hercule Poirot screen adaptations, and that's saying something because Suchet is really, really good.
I don't know what's wrong with the "official" reviewer. There is nothing "lazy" about this screenplay. The electric verbal sparring between Daphne Castle (Maggie Smith) and Arlena Marshall (Diana Rigg) can attest to that, as can the venomous wit of the Gardners towards the outlandish Rex, and the cutting and feisty attitude of Linda Marshal, who manages to be sympathetic despite a semi-serious attempt to get an innocent man hanged. The pace is somewhat slow, but the same could be said about several great movies. The director decided to play up the gorgeous Cole Porter soundtrack and beautiful island setting, and far be it from me to begrudge him this very understandable artistic decision. In retrospect, the viewer will find no dialogue to have been wasted and no scene to have been gratuitously overlong.
The "camp" criticism comes (I guess) from the somewhat over-the-top nature of the characterizations. Diana Rigg is rather ostentatiously prissy throughout her short-lived part--as is Roddy McDowell for that matter. Mr. Redfern is gratuitously "beefy" and Mr. Marshall is almost comically upright; hence we have the classic "camp" archetypes of the flamboyant homosexual, the hulking gigolo, the insufferable diva, and the staunch, unshakable "square" (who, in real camp films, is bound to end up in a thong). The problem with this criticism is, of course, that despite their eccentricities, all of the characters wind up being believable except perhaps Arlena, and she does not get enough lines to become tiresome. Her job is to establish why an entire island would want to kill her and she does so quite effectively. Aside from Ustenov's Poirot, Maggie Smith's Daphne Castle is more genuinely likable and alive than any other character in the book or the various adaptations of all kinds thereof; and all of the other characters are very real and entertaining, while none tires in the least.
As for the plot being contrived and implausible, the entire mystery genre is a contrivance. The common characteristic of all mysteries is that their plots, upon close scrutiny, are ridiculous. The point is to finesse these contrivances so that the audience overlooks them and/or accepts them; and the devices used to justify the obviously incredible situation in which the characters end up are ingenious and effective (and a primary source of the movie's deviations from the book). To complain of contrivance in a mystery is similar to complaining to a fantasy writer that dragons don't really exist. The more relevant demands one must make of a mystery movie are that its solution must stand up to scrutiny (It does so seamlessly), it must be elegant and not forced or obvious (It is a masterful union of artistry and necessity), and the story itself must possess enough literary substance so that it could work even without the added aspect of the logic puzzle (and indeed, it loses nothing even after you know the answer).
In short, this is, IMO far better than the Suchet counterpart (which is closer to the book, except for the forced injections of Japp and Hastings). It is probably better than any Suchet, and even better than the book, from which again, it does deviate considerably.
Movie Review: The Perfect Vacation: Sunshine, Rest, and...Murder!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
+++++
I watched this movie without reading the 1941 Dame Agatha Christie novel that it is based on. I'm glad I did this! Why? Because it forced me to really watch the movie in order to try and deduce who the murderer was.
As a brief synopsis, the movie begins with a death. Then the movie shifts to a group of people arriving at "Daphne's Island" where they all stay at a posh hotel. One of the guests staying at this hotel is none other than the super-sleuth himself, Hercule Poirot (Sir Peter Ustinov). Eventually a hotel guest is murdered. As Poirot investigates it seems that "nobody did it."
Who are the other guests and those associated with the hotel? They are as follows:
1) Sir Horace Blatt, a wealthy industrialist (Colin Blakely)
2) Daphne Castle, owner of the hotel (Dame Maggie Smith)
3) Arlena Stuart Marshall, a famous stage actress (Dame Diana Rigg)
4) Captain Kenneth Marshall, Arlena's husband (Denis Quilley)
5) Linda Marshall, Kenneth's daughter (Emily Hone, her movie debut)
6) Christine Redfern, socialite? (Jane Birkin)
7) Patrick Redfern, Christine's husband (Nick Clay)
8) Rex Brewster, biographer (Roddy McDowall)
9) Odell Gardener, producer (James Mason)
10) Myra Gardener, Odell's wife and a producer (Sylvia Miles)
Near the end of the movie, Poirot lists the clues that were needed to solve the murder: "a bathing cap, a bath, a bottle, a wristwatch, [a] diamond, a noon-day gun [or cannon], The Breath of the Sea, and [the] height of [a] cliff."
Of all the actors above, Ustinov's performance stands out. This was his second time playing Poirot and I feel he does a stellar job depicting the great Belgian. Other performances to look for are Maggie Smith as the hotel owner and Diana Rigg as the famous actress.
The cinematography of this movie is visually stunning. This movie was partly filmed on location in Majorca, Spain. (Christie purists may not like this since in the novel the setting is the English coast.) Some of the costumes are outrageous and over the top. (Ustinov designed the bathing suit he wears in the movie.) All music in the movie is by Cole Porter.
As Poirot is attempting to solve this crime, he looks in the hotel register. Look for a famous name among these signatures.
Finally, the DVD has some extras. Of these, I found the one about the making of this movie interesting. It lasts for about fifteen minutes.
In conclusion, this movie has everything: wit, odd characters, a good mystery, beautiful settings, and an enthralling ending. It is a fun movie even if you have read the novel it's based on!!
(1981; 2 hr; widescreen; color)
+++++
Movie Review: Off to summer camp
Summary: 5 Stars
I am very grateful to my dear, multi-talented friend Sun for introducing me to this delightful, extremely campy film. Based on the Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot whodunit, it makes for an enjoyable 2 hours. "Evil" boasts a terrific cast, a witty script, lovely Majorca locations, a delightful Cole Porter score, and some of the funniest costumes seen on film. The suspense factor is practically nonexistent, but who cares? The story takes place at a resort isle in the Adriatic, run by ex-chorus girl Daphne Castle, played by Maggie Smith. One of the guests is Smith's old rival, Arlena Marshall, a bitchy, Gertrude Lawrenceish musical comedy stage star, played by the gorgeous, fabulous Diana Rigg (that's Dame Diana Rigg to you, nowadays). Arlena has made a lot of enemies, many of whom happen to be staying at the same resort. There's Odell and Myra Gardner, theatrical producers that Arlena left in the lurch when she left a show they had produced, due to "health" problems; Rex Brewster, a flamingly effeminate columnist whose biography of Arlena she will not allow him to publish; her stepdaughter Linda; Sir Horace Blatt, from whom she accepted a fabulous diamond and then jilted him; Daphne, who has carried a torch for Arlena's husband; and Christine Redfern, the plain-Jane wife of studly Patrick Redfern, with whom Arlena is having an affair. Arlena is found strangled to death on the beach, and it is up to Hercule Poirot to find out who the murderer is. The performances, as I said before, are a lot of fun. Roddy McDowell lets it ALL hang out, complete with Tallulah Bankhead voice, James Mason and Sylvia Miles are great as the bickering Gardners, Ms. Miles particularly hilarious as a shrill-voiced harpy (her voice could shatter glass). Maggie Smith, Peter Ustinov as Poirot, and Nicholas Clay and lovely Jane Birkin (so frumped-up in this film, you wouldn't know her), Colin Blakely, Denis Quilley, and Emily Hone as Arlena's stepdaughter round out this wonderful cast. The score, made up of well-known and not-so-well-known Cole Porter tunes, is a delight, and then there are the costumes! Anthony Powell, with a strong sense of camp, designed the outrageous, black, white, red, and navy blue costumes that are a homage to legendary MGM designer Adrian, known for his exaggerated silhouettes, oversized decorations, and stark contrasts. The direction, by Guy Hamilton, who also has the James Bond classic "Goldfinger" to his credit, is capable. The picture and sound quality on the DVD are great, the colors crisp and clean, the sound fine and clear. I highly recommend this film to anyone who has a good sense of "camp"-it's like being at a catty, 2-hour-long cocktail party!Movie Review: Great fun, in every respect
Summary: 5 Stars
Sure Evil Under The Sun strays rather far from the Agatha Christie novel that inspired it and yes there is plenty of catty dialogue and exchanges between some of the characters, but when all is said and done this is one fun and ultimately satisfying movie that manages to entertain from the moment those watercolors paintings of an exotic island pop on the screen accompanied by a lush arrangement of Cole Porter tunes. No doubt a few will object to murder being given so flippant a treatment but if you love your humor a little on the dark side, you'll chuckle along with all the ensuing mayhem as was, no doubt, the intention of both the screenwriter and director. A few folks have used the word campy to describe certain aspects of the film but I disagree. It's just plain fun. Camp is often defined as ludicrously tragic and that's not what we have here. The talent involved makes the viewer fully aware that it's no slip of judgment or taste that has lead to the film perpetually winking and smiling at its audience. The comic vein was obviously deliberate. They seemingly want you to laugh and enjoy yourself as much as they seem to be. Sylvia Miles dialogue is a perfect example of what I mean. The costumes are major players but they're also period appropriate. Roddy MacDowall's flamboyant Rex Brewster is a fantastic bit of nasty played just broadly enough that you almost feel bad for liking him. Maggie Smith as the resort's proprietress is wonderfully delivered; her comic timing spot on and her exchanges with the deliciously wicked Arlene Marshall of Diana Rigg are the epitome of bitchy but always clever. Evil Under The Sun doesn't want to be taken too seriously as a glum and grim murder mystery but rather aspires to be a more sophisticated sort of Noel Cowardesque romp that's inconveniently (and, yes, sadly) punctuated rather prematurely by murder. But that said, the denouement is pretty terrific and equally plausible. Few will see it coming. I love this film and recommend it to those who enjoy a first rate ensemble cast having a jolly good time with a spot of murder.Movie Review: Peter Ustinov returns a second time as "Poirot".
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the second film with Peter Ustinov as Belgian Detective, Hercule Poirot, since his first, Death on the Nile (1978). Once again, an all-star cast and a mystery who-done-it. I won't reveal any of the plot. But the delightful Maggie Smith (Murder by Death [1976], Neil Simon's California Suite [1978], Death on the Nile [1978]) plays a resort hotel owner on an island of Spain where she banters with Diana Rigg with dislike. It makes the film much more enjoyable. The cast also includes: Jane Birkin, Colin Blakely, Nicholas Clay, James Mason, Roddy McDowall, Sylvia Miles, Denis Quilley and Emily Hone. Other films followed with Ustinov as "Poirot", Thirteen At Dinner (1985-tv), Dead Man's Folly (1986-tv), Murder in Three Acts (1986-tv), Appointment With Death (1988). This DVD also includes the Theatrical trailer, a 16-minutes featurette "The Making of...", and Talent Bios.
For a lighter mystery comedy, may I suggest Murder by Death (1976).