Evil Under the Sun (1982)

"You know how funny people can be about a spot of murder.", 28 August 2006

I've lost count of the number of times I've seen Evil Under the Sun. The natural question may be "Why watch a mystery more than once when you already know whodunit?" The simple answer – entertainment. Evil Under the Sun never fails to provide me with almost two hours of entertainment. The movie is so much more than the mystery. Truth be known, Evil Under the Sun is one of the weakest of Agatha Christie's novels relying far too heavily on some absurd coincidences. So beyond the mystery, it's the location, the acting, and the character interactions that bring me back time and time again.

- Location: The island scenery is simply breathtaking. The rocky cliffs set against the blue Mediterranean are beautiful. It's hard to believe that such places actually exist. The palace/hotel in which much of the film takes place is filmed in grand style. In short, Christopher Challis' cinematography is stunning.

- Acting: Evil Under the Sun features some wonderful actors having what appears to be a grand old time with their characters. Peter Unsitnov, James Mason, Diana Rigg, Roddy McDowell, and Jane Birkin are all truly wonderful in their performances. But for me, Maggie Smith makes Evil Under the Sun something special. Her catty Daphne Castle is a remarkably enjoyable character.

- Character Interactions: Watching any of these fine actors working together is a real treat. But the best example of what makes Evil Under the Sun so much fun is watching Maggie Smith and Diana Rigg go at each other. One of my favorite moments has to be when Smith characters describes why Rigg's character went further as an actress than she did. She explains that not only could Rigg's character kick her legs higher, but also farther apart. It's a wonderfully funny moment.

8/10