Evil Under the Sun (1982)

Evil Under the Sun was directed by Guy Hamilton, who also directed multiple James Bond films including Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever. Peter Ustinov stars as Hercule Poirot, reprising the role after his earlier performance in Death on the Nile (1978).

Yes, Peter Ustinov portrayed Poirot in six productions total, including Death on the Nile (1978), Appointment with Death (1988), and three television movies. His screen portrayal made him one of the most recognized film Poirots, alongside Albert Finney in Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and David Suchet in the long-running ITV series.

The film adapts Christie's 1941 novel of the same name, maintaining the island resort setting and the central murder of an glamorous guest, but several characters were condensed or modified for the screenplay. The production also incorporated Cole Porter songs into the soundtrack, substituting for the opera references that appeared in the original book.

The film was shot on location around the Mediterranean, with production designed to evoke the glamorous Adriatic island resort setting of Christie's novel. The sun-drenched coastal scenery was captured by cinematographer Christopher Challis, who had previously worked on other prestige British films.