There's not a lot of kind words for this late period Peter Ustinov Poirot... in part because I guess Michael Winner directed it but also because it was Cannon Films and the cast lacks real star power. There's nothing wrong with Carrie Fisher, Laren Bacall, Hayley Mills, Jenny Seagrove, David Soul... but really every part needed to be played by someone at that level, there's too many unknown.
It's got to be said though the acting is pretty good - it's fun to see Ustinov doing his thing, and Gielgud, and Piper Laurie being a bitch, and Bacall being a bitch, skinny Carrie Fisher. I enjoyed the Israeli locations and period touches like the discussion of Palestine and Mrs Simpson. It moves fast and Christie narratives kick in during the second half as they tend to do. Like most Winner movies it's very fast. It does lack star power but this was unfairly picked on.
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