Appointment With Death
(1988)
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Based on the novel by Agatha Christie, a posh 1937 tour of the holy land turns murderous when a malicious, wealthy dowager (Piper Laurie) is mysteriously poisoned. Each of her fellow tourists had the means and the motive to kill her and any of them would have enjoyed plunging the lethal hypodermic syringe into Mrs. Boynton's fleshy arm. It's up to nimble-witted Belgian detective Poirot (Peter Ustinov) to discover whodunit. APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH is a fun, suspenseful film. Watching closely, one can easily deduce the murderer. With APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH, Director Michael Winner revisits his roots. His earlier film, MURDER ON CAMPUS, bares a similar story. |
Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot travels to Palestine where a murder awaits a twist of his waxed moustache. The usual assortment of glamorous suspects are on hand, including John Gielgud and Lauren Bacall (who were both aboard the earlier Orient Express mystery), Carrie Fisher, Hayley Mills, Piper Laurie, David Soul and Jenny Seagrove. Michael Winner was the director, so a good time was probably had by the stars, but with Ustinov making his sixth appearance as Poirot, the formula looks stale to say the least, though some mild amusement can be had from the cast and trying to guess whodunnit.