Peter Ustinov's Appointment with Death: How the Actor Brought Agatha Christie's Detective to Screen

Ustinov's casting as Hercule Poirot was unexpected

Peter Ustinov played Hercule Poirot in the 1988 film adaptation of Agatha Christie's Appointment with Death, and he was not the obvious choice. Ustinov was a British-American actor, director, and playwright known for comedy and character work—not for playing Christie's fastidious Belgian detective. Yet he brought a warmth and humour to Poirot that made the character feel less like a caricature and more like a man who genuinely cared about solving the murder at hand.

The film was directed by Michael Winner and shot on location in Jordan, near Petra. It was Ustinov's second time playing Poirot on screen; he had played the character once before in a television adaptation. By 1988, Ustinov was in his late sixties and had the gravitas and comic timing to handle both the detective work and the lighter moments that Christie built into the story.

Key Takeaways

• Peter Ustinov played Hercule Poirot in the 1988 film Appointment with Death, directed by Michael Winner and filmed in Jordan.
• Ustinov's interpretation of Poirot emphasized the detective's humanity and wit rather than his vanity, making him a different kind of Poirot than audiences had seen before.
• The film was based on Agatha Christie's 1938 novel of the same name, which features a murder at an archaeological dig in the Middle East.
• Ustinov brought his experience as a director and playwright to the role, adding layers to a character that could easily have become one-dimensional.

The story: murder at an archaeological site

The plot of Appointment with Death centres on a wealthy American widow, Mrs. Boynton, who is murdered during an archaeological expedition near Petra. Mrs. Boynton is a controlling, cruel woman who has made enemies of nearly everyone around her—her own children, her companion, and the other members of the expedition. When she dies, Poirot must untangle the web of motives and secrets to find the killer.

The setting in Jordan gave the 1988 film a visual richness that earlier Poirot adaptations lacked. The ancient ruins and desert landscape provided a backdrop that felt both exotic and claustrophobic—perfect for a locked-room mystery that is actually locked by geography and circumstance rather than by a door and key.

How Ustinov's Poirot differed from other portrayals

David Suchet, who played Poirot in the long-running ITV series, brought a more austere and precise version of the detective to the screen. Albert Finney, who played Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express, was theatrical and grand. Ustinov's Poirot was different: he was more approachable, more willing to laugh at himself, and more interested in the human drama than in showing off his own intellect.

This made Ustinov's version feel less like a puzzle-solving machine and more like a real person who happened to be very good at solving puzzles. He could deliver a line of deduction with precision, but he could also sit with a suspect and listen to their story with genuine compassion. That balance made the film work as both a mystery and a character study.

The cast and the ensemble mystery

Appointment with Death featured a strong supporting cast that included Carrie Fisher, John Gielgud, and Piper Laurie. Gielgud, in particular, brought a theatrical weight to his role as a retired colonel. The ensemble nature of the mystery meant that Ustinov had to share the screen and work with actors who could hold their own against him.

The chemistry between Ustinov and the rest of the cast was one of the film's strengths. Rather than making Poirot the sole focus, the film allowed the other characters to develop their own arcs and relationships. Ustinov's Poirot was the observer and the solver, but he was not the only interesting person on screen.

Agatha Christie's original novel and how the film adapted it

Christie published Appointment with Death in 1938. The novel was set in the Middle East and featured many of the same plot elements as the film: the tyrannical Mrs. Boynton, the archaeological expedition, the murder, and Poirot's investigation. The 1988 film stayed fairly close to the source material, though it made some changes to pacing and character motivation to fit the demands of cinema.

One of the strengths of Christie's original novel was her ability to create a sense of inevitability around the murder. Mrs. Boynton is so thoroughly disliked that her death feels almost fated. The film captured this atmosphere, and Ustinov's Poirot had to navigate not just the mystery of who killed her, but the moral complexity of a murder that many people had reason to commit.

The film's reception and legacy

The 1988 Appointment with Death was not a major box office success, and it has been somewhat overshadowed by other Poirot adaptations. However, it has found an audience among fans of Ustinov and of Agatha Christie adaptations more broadly. The film is watchable and entertaining, with strong performances and a sense of place that many mystery films lack.

Ustinov's interpretation of Poirot has aged well. His version of the detective feels less dated than some other portrayals, perhaps because he grounded the character in genuine human emotion rather than in the mannerisms and quirks that can feel period-specific. The film remains a solid entry in the long history of Poirot on screen.

Why Ustinov was right for the role

Ustinov's background as a director and playwright gave him insight into how to construct a character and how to work with other actors. He understood that a mystery film works best when the audience cares about the people involved, not just about solving the puzzle. His Poirot was interested in justice, but he was also interested in understanding why people do what they do.

At the time of filming, Ustinov had already had a long and distinguished career. He brought a kind of authority to the role that came from experience and from knowing how to command a scene without dominating it. He could be funny without being silly, and serious without being grim. That balance is harder to achieve than it looks, and Ustinov managed it with ease.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was this Peter Ustinov's only time playing Poirot?

No. Ustinov played Poirot twice on screen. He appeared in a television adaptation before the 1988 film Appointment with Death. His two performances as the detective bookended a period in his career when he was actively taking on character roles that allowed him to showcase his range as an actor.

How does the 1988 film compare to other Agatha Christie adaptations?

The 1988 Appointment with Death is solid but not exceptional. It benefits from strong performances and a beautiful setting, but it lacks the polish and budget of some other major Christie adaptations. It is worth watching for Ustinov's performance and for the ensemble cast, but it is not considered one of the definitive Poirot films.

Was the film shot in the actual location of Petra?

Yes. The film was shot on location in Jordan near Petra, which gave it an authentic sense of place. The ancient ruins and desert landscape are real, not sets, which adds to the visual appeal of the film and makes the isolated setting feel genuinely remote and atmospheric.

What makes Ustinov's Poirot different from other actors who played the role?

Ustinov's Poirot was warmer and more humorous than many other portrayals. He emphasized the detective's humanity and his capacity for compassion, rather than focusing on his vanity or his intellectual superiority. This made his version feel more like a real person and less like a caricature.