Appointment with Death (1988)

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

A splendid cast, a brilliant original author and stunning scenery. What could go wrong? Well just about everything. Too many characters - some of them merged into each other for me, as not enough distinction in personality - and too long. Peter Ustinov, a lovely man, seemed to have his accents askew: at times sounding more German than Belgian. The whole thing seemed very amateurish which is astonishing given the credits. It simply didn't work. Perhaps it's a time thing, although I normally enjoy older movies, but having seen the polished and efficient David Suchet as Poirot, Ustinov looks like a cuddly old uncle in comparison, and that was not Poirot. Total waste of John Geilgud, and Hayley Mills just seemed colourless. None of them were realistic. At the end of the day, it was just boring.

Peter Ustinov is the best Poirot since Poirot has been on film. Even though Agatha Christie says she pictured Poirot more like Albert Finney in Murder On The Orient Express, Ustinov is much less annoying and a lot more fun. He's sarcastic and funny and pulls the best Belgian accent i've ever seen. These movies have amazing plots(thanks to Dame Christie :)) and the casts are outstanding. For all you Christie readers, these are the best Poirot movies out there. I suggest you see them in order(even though you don't have too, it makes them even better. Albert Finney did it good, David Suchet did disgustingly and Peter Ustinov did it amazing.

Appointment with Death was the last theatrical release of that series of Hercule Poirot mysteries. I'm sure Peter Ustinov probably could have done others. I wouldn't be surprised if in fact the BBC Poirot series starring David Suchet which we in America saw for many years may have killed the more expensive budgeted big screen Poirot that Ustinov did so well.This particular mystery finds Hercule Poirot on holiday and in the company both on ship and later in British mandated Palestine in the mid Thirties of an American family headed by a tyrannical stepmother played by Piper Laurie. She has one grown daughter and three stepchildren one of whom is married. All live with her and the terms of her late husband's will give her complete control of the family fortune. The power of the purse keeps the whole family under her thumb. Laurie's come a long way since she was a matron in a women's prison.Another woman along on the trip who's come along way is a character based on Lady Nancy Astor, an American born woman who married a title and now has a seat in Parliament played by Lauren Bacall. She's traveling with a companion played by Hailey Mills. Also along on the trip is David Soul, Laurie's family attorney and Jenny Seagrove as a young doctor. On an excursion out in the desert Laurie turns up dead and the mystery is afoot. Of course Poirot through careful questioning and a gathering of the suspects eventually finds out who the real murderer is.The film has of course an impressive cast which also includes John Gielgud as the local police inspector in Jerusalem. A young Arab boy also dies during the film, killed because he witnessed the murder and can identify the culprit. That particular act robs us of any sympathy we might have had for the perpetrator.Appointment with Death also benefits from good photography, shot on location in both Israel and Italy with interiors done in London. All the Peter Ustinov Poirot films are of excellent quality and are a great introduction to the work Agatha Christie.

Peter Ustinov is an absolute joy to behold in the role of Hercule Poirot! He played Poirot in three theatrical films: Death On the Nile, Evil Under the Sun, and Appointment With Death. He also played Poirot in three TV movies: Thirteen At Dinner, Murder in Three Acts, and Dead Man's Folly. It's always a delight to spend time with Ustinov's Poirot. He's so much fun! The three Poirot TV movies starring Ustinov are now available in a three DVD set. I've had a great time watching these with friends and family and all of Ustinov's Poirot movies are worth watching and re-watching. My deep affection for Ustinov's Poirot grows with each viewing. He's brilliant and each of his Poirot movies are fantastic fun!