Evil Under the Sun (1982)

Trying to find how a millionaire wound up with a phony diamond brings Hercule Poirot to an exclusive island resort frequented by the rich and famous. When a murder is committed, everyone has an alibi.

Director:

Guy Hamilton

Writer:

Anthony Shaffer (screenplay)

Stars:

Peter Ustinov, James Mason, Maggie Smith

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Ustinov	...	Hercule Poirot
Colin Blakely	...	Sir Horace Blatt
Jane Birkin	...	Christine Redfern
Nicholas Clay	...	Patrick Redfern
Maggie Smith	...	Daphne Castle
Roddy McDowall	...	Rex Brewster
Sylvia Miles	...	Myra Gardener
James Mason	...	Odell Gardener
Denis Quilley	...	Kenneth Marshall
Diana Rigg	...	Arlena Marshall
Emily Hone	...	Linda Marshall
John Alderson	...	Police Sergeant
Paul Antrim	...	Police Inspector
Cyril Conway	...	Police Surgeon
Barbara Hicks	...	Flewitt's Secretary

Storyline

Hercule Poirot is called in to investigate a case for an insurance company regarding firstly a dead woman's body found on a moor and then a important diamond sent to the company to be insured turns out to be a fake. Poirot discovers that the diamond was bought for Arlena Marshall by Sir Horace Platt and Arlena is on her honeymoon with her husband and step-daughter on a tropical island hotel. He joins them on the island and finds that everybody else starts to hate Arlena for different reasons - refusing to do a stage show, stopping a book, and for having an open affair with Patrick Redfern, another guest, in full view of his shy wife. So it's only a matter of time before Arlena turns up dead, strangled and Poirot must find out who it is...

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Plot Keywords:

hercule poirot | based on novel | agatha christie | beach | hercule poirot character | 

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Taglines:

Holidays can be murder.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English German French

Release Date:

5 March 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Böse unter der Sonne

Filming Locations:

Cala Blanca, Camp de Mar, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,690,774, 7 March 1982, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$6,110,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

EMI Films,Titan Productions,Mersham Productions Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film relocates the provincial North Devon, England setting on Smuggler's Island off the Devonshire Coast from the Agatha Christie source 'Evil Under the Sun' novel to an island in the Adriatic Sea "somewhere west of Suez", a setting played by the exotic Spanish island location of Majorca. The film's screenwriter Anthony Shaffer once said of this: "The location is important. The island should be a star. Just as the Nile steamer [in Death on the Nile (1978)] and the Orient Express [in Murder on the Orient Express (1974)] were stars". Majorca also was at the time the home of the film's director Guy Hamilton.

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Goofs

As the Gardeners sit on the terrace watching Arlena's arrival, Odell calls Myra "Myrna."

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Quotes

Arlena Stuart Marshall: What's it called, anyway?
Odell Gardener: It's not right and it's not fair.
Arlena Stuart Marshall: Sounds like a blackman's left leg.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits feature watercolors by British architect and artist, Sir Hugh Casson, who taught Prince Charles to paint. The titles for each actor feature an item of costume, prop or setting relevant to their character and those for the production team are similarly themed.

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Connections

Version of Poirot: Evil Under the Sun (2001)

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Soundtracks

Anything Goes
(uncredited)
Written by Cole Porter
Heard as a theme

User Reviews

Agatha's novel comes to brilliant life.

In a time when people consider the likes of Vin Diesel, Jack Black, and various three name actors as underated actors, people should realize what a brilliant talent Sir Peter Ustinov is. Ustinov, a two-time Academy Award winner, has done it all, whether it would be Kubrick films, children's programs, teleplays, feature films: you name it, he's done it. He also plays the definitive Hercule Poirot, the Agatha Christie creation.

Evil Under The Sun is done almost like a play, but a good play. Poirot is vacationing at a posh resort as the fee for helping a millionaire find out who stole his expensive diamond. Poirot meets up with plenty of the usual types that would be at these places in the mid-30's, including an ex-actress named Arlena Marshall (Diana Rigg) who is pretty much hated by everyone. As in all cases with murder mysteries, Mrs. Marshall is murdered, and Poirot uses his abilities to solve the crime.

This movie was great. It drew me in because Ustinov and the all-star cast work brilliantly together to make the film a joy. The acting and the story are superb. Also, despite the fact that it's an 80's movie, you won't see any of the trappings of that decade. Hey, any film with an English-speaking Jane Birkin is a must watch for me. I don't know if it's available on DVD, but I'm sure A&E or some other similar channel will air it. Recommended.