Tod auf dem Nil (1978)

Tod auf dem Nil: Directed by John Guillermin. With Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Lois Chiles, Bette Davis. As Hercule Poirot enjoys a luxurious cruise down the Nile, a newlywed heiress is found murdered on board. Can Poirot identify the killer before the ship reaches the end of its journey?

“An heiress is murdered while honeymooning on a Nile cruise. Fortunately, the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is holidaying on the same paddle steamer, and begins an investigation. However, it would seem that all of the other passengers on board have clear motives for committing the murder.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis was the second of Agatha Christieu0026#39;s novels featuring Hercule Poirot to be filmed, after the success of u0026#39;Murder On The Orient Expressu0026#39; a few years earlier. The great Peter Ustinov, who so recently passed away, took on the role this time, and injected it with his own droll humour. Indeed the whole film seems rather tongue in cheek, with the all star cast having fun with their roles. Bette Davis, Maggie Smith and Jack Warden all enjoyably ham it up, but Angela Lansbury manages to outdo them all with a delightfully over the top performance as the perpetually drunk author of erotic novels. David Niven, ever the archetypal British gent, proves a good foil as Poirotu0026#39;s partner in the investigation.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhere the film really scores is in the locations and photography. Egypt proves a stately backdrop to proceedings and veteran Cinematographer Jack Cardiff makes the most of it. The 1930u0026#39;s setting also gives an air of genteel opulence to the surroundings. While the film couldnu0026#39;t claim to be a classic tension filled mystery, it is a pleasant, laid back and enjoyable entertainment, thatu0026#39;s clever enough to keep you guessing until the end.”