A movie in
color. A beautiful movie in color.
.
This is
Agatha Christie done in High Style.
Peter Ustinov is intoxicating as Hercule Poirot. I know there are more realistic Poirots. More “true to the vision” Poirots. But there will never be a better Poirot for
me. Ustinov doesn’t take this too
seriously, but doesn’t treat it as camp.
.
This
particular movie is fantastic for the pure lovely bitchiness of the cast. Maggie Smith and Diana Rigg spar wonderfully
as old rivals from the stage – now thrown together on an island in the Adriatic
(the nationality changed from Albanian to “Tiranian”).
.
Roddy McDowell and James Mason are excellent in small roles, but Sylvia
Miles is by far my favorite. She is
deadpan defined. Mason and Miles are a
husband and wife theater producing team, whom Diana Rigg has screwed by walking
out of a show earlier. Roddy plays
Diana’s campy pal (paraphrased for brevity).
.
RM: “Oh
that’s right, dears. She left at the
height of the box office? What was it
she had again? Tonsillitis?”
MS: “ More
like a sudden attack of Gold Digging!”
RM: “And you with your biggest hit in years. Must have been hard.”
JM: “You know damn well it was.”
RM: " Ohhh.."
MS:
“Why don’t you go abuse yourself. (beat) Excessively.”
RM: “Is
vulgarness a substitute for wit, I ask you?”
.
But the
payoff really is the way Sylvia draws out “excessively”.
.
The movie
can best be described as theatrical romp.
Lots of over acting, lots of Cole Porter songs, a mystery and amazing
costumes and drinks from the roaring 20s.
And it is great fun. Don't believe me. See for yourself.