Death on the Nile is another fine entertainment that is lovely to look at and easy to enjoy. Peter Ustinov is cast as the great Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot in this Agatha Christie whodonit. Following the format of "Murder on the Orient Express," the film introduces an eccentric group of people all with a reason to murder. The victim this time is Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles), a self-satisfied millionairess. After she is shot, Poirot and his friend Colonel Rice (David Niven) begin checking out a long list of possible suspects.

At the top of the list is Jacqueline DeBellefort (Mia Farrow) whose fiancé (Simon MacCorkindale) was stolen by her so-called friend Linnet Rideway. The others who are also questioned include a trashy novelist (Angela Lansburty) and her daughter (Olivia Hussey), a Marxist (Jon Finch) who hates all capitalists, a lawyer (George Kennedy) who was swindling Ms. Ridgeway, an overbearing socialite (Bette Davis) and her cynical traveling companion (Maggie Smith), and a weird physician (Jack Warden).

Director John Guillermin makes the most of the exotic Egyptian settings and uses a repetitive flashback technique to create possible variation son how the crime took place. The surprise ending is well worth the wait.