Evil Under the Sun

"Evil is everywhere. Even in paradise."

1982 1h 57m EN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 543

ThrillerCrimeMysteryDrama

Synopsis

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An opulent beach resort provides a scenic background to this amusing whodunit as Poirot attempts to uncover the nefarious evildoer behind the strangling of a notorious stage star.

“Evil is everywhere. Even in paradise.”

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Cast

Peter Ustinov
Hercule Poirot
James Mason
Odell Gardener
Sylvia Miles
Myra Gardener
Roddy McDowall
Rex Brewster
Maggie Smith
Daphne Castle
Jane Birkin
Christine Redfern
Nicholas Clay
Patrick Redfern
Diana Rigg
Arlena Stuart Marshall

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Guy Hamilton
Writers: Anthony Shaffer, Barry Sandler
Languages: French, English, German
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 61% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

44 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, English, German.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Guy Hamilton, shot by Christopher Challis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Richard Marden shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Peter Ustinov and James Mason and Sylvia Miles carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Guy Hamilton directs. Christopher Challis behind the camera. Richard Marden cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in French, English, German.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 61% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
244 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, English, German.
4International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
5Part of the "Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
6Directed by Guy Hamilton, shot by Christopher Challis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Editor Richard Marden shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Peter Ustinov and James Mason and Sylvia Miles carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Evil is everywhere. Even in paradise.".
10IMDB entry: tt0083908 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Released under 10 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Christopher Challis
Editing: Richard Marden
Production design: Elliot Scott
Costume design: Anthony Powell
Makeup / hair: Jill Carpenter
Runtime: 117 min · 1h 57m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $10,000,000
Box office: $6,110,804
Return: 61% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: Evil Under the Sun (1982)

Part of

Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) Collection

Hercule Poirot series starring Peter Ustinov.

Also by

Guy Hamilton

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-06-08
★ 7/10
Guy Hamilton does wonders here with this fairly far-fetched Agatha Christie story about the murder of an actress - a rather unlikeable creation of Diana Rigg - on an idyllic if somewhat ramshackle island paradise run by Maggie Smith. Peter Ustinov is on hand, luckily, to exercise his little grey cells and establish who did what to whom, and why! James Mason, Sylvia Miles and Roddy McDowall head the supporting list of suspects as "Monsieur Poirot" tries to suss it all out. It is quite an enjoyable affair with some attractive scenery and a few fun sub-plots to the main theme, but it doesn't really compare so well to "Death on the Nile" or "Murder on the Orient Express".

Production companies