Today’s quick review: Murder by Death. Five of the world’s most famous detectives are invited to the mansion of the wealthy Lionel Twain (Truman Capote) for “dinner and a murder”, with the promise that whoever solves the murder first will walk away with a handsome prize. The guests include Dick Charleston (David Niven), Sidney Wang (Peter Sellers), Sam Diamond (Peter Falk), Milo Perrier (James Coco), and Jessica Marbles (Elsa Lanchester), send-ups of Nick Charles, Charlie Chan, Sam Spade, Hercule Poirot, and Miss Marple, respectively. Their evening is complicated by a series of traps, a blind butler (Alec Guinness), and various tests of wits for the able investigators, all leading up to grand reveal of their host, the murder itself, and the subsequent race to find out whodunit.
Murder by Death is an eclectic parody of the mystery genre with a silly sense of humor and a phenomenal cast. Much of the comedy derives from the film’s vibrant characters, skillfully played by a roster of talented comedians and the odd dramatic actor. The parody characters quickly take on a life of their own as they tackle the lethal challenges of Twain’s eerie mansion. These challenges are humorous takes on classic detective tropes, such as eyes staring from a moose head on the wall or Sidney Wang’s improbable deduction of the presence of an odorless, tasteless, transparent poison in his drink. The clues facing the detectives grow more and more bizarre as the evening progresses, as do the detectives’ “logical” explanations of them.
Despite its strong cast and excellent comedy, Murder by Death can be a difficult movie to get into. The comedy borders on the macabre, important plot points are buried in flurries of gags, and the plot is deliberately unpredictable, going out of its way to mock the twist endings that many detective stories are known for. But subsequent viewings bring out the genius in Neil Simon’s writing. The purpose of the plot’s twists begins to make sense, and new jokes come to the fore. How quickly the movie grows on you will depend on how the balance of humor, plot, and tone strikes you.
Fans of classic humor, the detective genre, or the movie Clue will get a lot out of Murder by Death. The cast and writing make this film a rare treat. Those who are looking for a straightforward plot or a true mystery should look elsewhere. Finally, those who have seen the movie once but were turned off by its twists or tone should consider giving it a second try. Taken on its own terms, Murder by Death is a comedy classic.
7.5 out of 10 on IMDB. In my experience, this rating is accurate. Depending on how the humor catches you on a particular viewing, it can be a 6.0 or an 8.5, and a 7.5 is a good balance between its high quality and its hit-or-miss nature.