HUMOR??
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TheGuyWithTheFeet — 12 years ago(October 14, 2013 02:17 PM)
but such a sterotypical production with great names as Alec Guiness, MAggie Smith, Sellers etcreduced to a third rate theatricalthat was really unbearable
Yeah, a script by Neil Simon. How could they cast these legends in a movie with a script written by such a hack.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Simon#Awards -
Frumious_Bandersnatch_46 — 13 years ago(December 04, 2012 06:56 PM)
Depending on your age, you may not have realized that most of the characters are spoofs of movie detectives from the 1930s and 40s. If you're not familiar with any of these characters, you'll miss much of the humor.
All of the detectives in the film are parodies of the work of three authors: Dashiell Hammett, whose Nick Charles and Sam Spade were the basis for Dick Charleston and Sam Diamond, respectively; Agatha Christie, whose Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple inspired Milo Perrier and Miss Marbles; Earl Derr Biggers Charlie Chan was the basis for Inspector Sidney Wang and his son.
In Diabolical Order:
Lionel Twain Truman Capote Wealthy, Eccentric, Frustrated authorJamessir Bensonmum Sir Alec Guinness The blind butlerYetta Nancy Walker The deaf-mute maidDick Charleston David Niven Detective la Nick CharlesDora Charleston Dame Maggie Smith His wife la Nora CharlesInspector Sidney Wang Peter Sellers Detective la Charlie ChanWillie Wang Patrick Narita Number Three Son, adopted, JapaneseMilo Perrier James Coco Detective la Hercule PoirotMarcel James Cromwell Perrier's chauffeur and companionSam Diamond Peter Falk Detective la Sam SpadeMiss Tess Skeffington Eileen Brennan Spade's secretary and mistressMiss Jessica Marbles Elsa Lanchester Detective la Miss Jane MarpleMrs. Withers Estelle Winwood Miss Marbles' nurse
Note that, in the tradition of the old "Charlie Chan" films, Sidney Wang is played by a Caucasian actor. -
madkaugh — 18 years ago(July 10, 2007 05:12 PM)
Murder by Death spoofs movies and characters which are no longer common currency in our culture. You pretty much would have had to have grown up with a steady diet of late night movies that were originally done in the 30s and 40s and mystery novels to appreciate the humor, as most of the audience would have when Murder by Death was released.
MadKaugh -
DBloodnok — 18 years ago(August 06, 2007 11:42 AM)
"Sam, why do you keep all those naked musclemen magazines in your office?"
"Suspects, always looking for suspects."
And therein lies the parody - the hardnosed gumshoe being depicted as getting his kicks from Charles Atlas types. I think the movie does appeal to any of us who love that genre of titular detective driven murder mysteries. It does bear a few viewings (many in fact), so to the OP - stick with it, hopefully it'll touch your funny bone soon enough! If not, what the heck - at least you're not one of those posters who attacks movies loved by others.
PS - whenever I watch any of 'The Thin Man' movies now, I can't get Dick and Dora out of my head!
"Someone has been tampering with Hank's memories." -
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d-letta-1 — 16 years ago(September 04, 2009 01:33 PM)
HUMOR?what humor? it's not necessary to refer to 30's and 40's films, or to explain the sub-teenage efforts at witthis film was a bomb! I've never seen a film that purports to be a comedy-spoof that was as un funny as this piece of crap. Every "joke" falls flat, every actor seems to be saying "what am I doing in this dismal mess?"even Peter Sellers, perhaps the one true comedic actor in the lot sold his rights back to Ray Stark because he thought it would die on release. That it didn't says so much about the low expecataions of the American Audience. Give 'em anything, tell 'em it's a comedy, and they'll laugh their heads off. This film is an embarassment to the industry and the people who know comedy when it's there.
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Mandrakegray — 15 years ago(December 13, 2010 12:21 PM)
Wow. Prone to overstatement, aren't we d-letta-1?
"This film is an embarrassment to the industry and the people who know comedy."
Not only that but a lazy, generalization of the "American Audience" thrown in for good measure as well?
Yawn. Go troll elsewhere d-letta, and cling to your contrarian opinion there. -
Blu765 — 13 years ago(December 20, 2012 04:58 PM)
even Peter Sellers, perhaps the one true comedic actor in the lot
Sir Alec Guinness was the master of the Black Comedy (
The Ladykillers, Our Man in Havana, Last Holiday, Kind Hearts and Cornets, The Man in the White Suit,
etc.)
He may have made some serious films in his career, but he is well known for his dark comedies although a few are so dark, some people don't consider them as comedies, but they are. -
sliptdisk — 18 years ago(August 25, 2007 06:35 PM)
Mindy, Mindy, Mindy you are so lost, my poor child. I think the reason you couldn't really get into this movie is, perhaps, because you're not a particularly big fan of the classic murder mystery genre, to begin with. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but, anyone who's ever read an Agatha Christie novel, for example, would laugh their you-know-what off, watching this movie. That would equally apply to fans of Sam Spade movies, Charlie Chan, Sherlock Holmes, and a million others. Hit the "Plot keywords" link, and you could spend days surfing the cross-references.
Of course, you didn't get the joke about the blind butler building the fire on the bed, instead of the fireplace, so it could mean that you have a hard time with the sheer, wall-to-wall silliness of the whole thing. It's not supposed to make sense. It's kinda like Airplane!, but more subtle. It doesn't quite hit you over the head with the silliness in the same way that movie does. -
ltredinnick — 18 years ago(October 07, 2007 10:04 PM)
"I purchased this movie after reading many great reviews on it. I just sat and watched about 30 min. of it and had to turn it off. Its one of those I'll have to get back to. I guess I just don't quite understand the humor in it. I did however enjoy the more modern "clue" which I guess is somethint like it. I suppose the things that were supposed to be funny to the audience I just thought were stupid. An example would be when the one couple is being shown their room and the butler says something about a fire burning in their room and when they open their door there is a fire in the middle of their bed. Thats a little odd to me. Now remember I only watched 30 minuets of it. I will give the rest a try though."
Oh, wow. Really? Why are you even watching this movie if you haven't read a classic murder mystery in your life? The entire plot is hinged on the viewer's knowledge, love and ability to laugh at their favourite characters' quirks. It has nothing to do with 'Clue', and everything to do with the (now quite possibly cult) following of murder mystery novels (and/or films). Sam Spade, Nick & Nora, Charlie Chan (Peter Sellers is beyond genius), Miss Marple and Hercule.only someone who has indulged in a healthy dose of murder could really understand this film. And one of my all-time favorite playwrights penned it - this movie is the best comfort food for me! As soon as this movie starts, I know I'm in for a lovely time.
P.S. Thanks, mom, for letting me into your world. I feel it is my duty to let others know about the Thin Man.
In vino veritas