Dead Man's Folly (1986)

At an English country fete, a young girl (Pippa Hinchley) is found murdered. Fortunately, the renowned Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) is attending the function and along with his companion Hastings (Jonathan Cecil) immediately plunges into solving the crime. There's no shortage of suspects: an American mystery writer (Jean Stapleton), the manor's former owner (Constance Cummings), the Lord of the manor (Tim Piggott Smith) and his flighty wife (Nicollette Sheridan), the Lord's secretary (Susan Woolridge), a visiting American (Jeff Yagher), an architect (Ralph Arliss) and a married couple (Caroline Langrishe, Christopher Guard). Based on the 1956 Agatha Christie novel and directed by Clive Donner (WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?). There have been some minor changes to the Christie novel, mainly some updating to the 1980s, but it's essentially faithful to the source material. It could have been better but honestly, it's not one of Christie's best books and this is reflected in this production. The lackluster cast (though I did like Woolridge's uptight secretary) can't quite seem to bring the characters to life. Ustinov helps but he can do only so much. For Christie fans only. With Kenneth Cranham and Sandra Dickinson.