[i]Murder by Death[/i] - Don't quite know what to make of it

Cafe Society
1

Recently, I watched Murder by Death on TV, starring such illustrous names as David Niven, Peter Sellers and Alec Guinness, with the screenplay written by Neil Simmons. Frankly, I don’t really know what to make of it. The plot seems to guarantee a lot of suspense in the beginning (when Twain, played by Truman Capote, explains the rules of the game to his guests and then is killed), but the end seems to be cheating me of a fine solution.

Now I understand the picture is meant as a parody on the mystery genre, so it’s perfectly intended that there is no logically waterproof plot in it. Yet I think in this case it’s a bit overdone - it becomes completely absurd and bizarre, and despite the excellent actors and a fine humor throughout the film, I felt afterwards, hey, I’ve been watching this thing for an hour and a half and now THAT’s it?
What do other dopers who have seen it think?

2

We were just talking about that a few weeks ago, but I can’t find the thread. It might well have been lost in the board transition.

Anyway, I loved Murder by Death, but then again I’m not particularly attached to linear plot structures, especially in comedies. If we start demanding comedies to have sensible endings, we can throw out Monty Python and the Holy grail, Blazing Saddles, and every movie the Marx Brothers ever made.

Don’t go there. That world is dull, and its people dress in tweed.

3

I love this movie - because it’s just off the wall.

Muuurrrddder poo??

I admit, I may like it because I saw it when I was a kid and it sort of fascinated me - it does sort of remind me of the movie Clue - or rather Clue reminds me of it.

And hell, Truman Capote is in it - how much more weird can it get??

Tibs.

4

To tell the truth, although I like a lot of the bits in it, I was very disappointed when I first saw the film. I was a bif Neil Simon fan. I not only saw his plays and movies, I went out and bought the scripts and read and re-read them. Murder by Death was totally unlike anything of his other plays or movies. It’s like he went back to his old days of TV writing to make an extended skit for “Your Show of Shows”. He returned to the same thing with The Cheap Detective a year or so later.

From what I’ve heard, it was while he was over here filming MbD that Alec Guinness was snagged by George Lucas for the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star wars, so we have MbD to thank (or blame) for that.

5

To tell the truth, although I like a lot of the bits in it, I was very disappointed when I first saw the film. I was a bif Neil Simon fan. I not only saw his plays and movies, I went out and bought the scripts and read and re-read them. Murder by Death was totally unlike anything of his other plays or movies. It’s like he went back to his old days of TV writing to make an extended skit for “Your Show of Shows”. He returned to the same thing with The Cheap Detective a year or so later.

From what I’ve heard, it was while he was over here filming MbD that Alec Guinness was snagged by George Lucas for the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star wars, so we have MbD to thank (or blame) for that.

6

I’m a big fan of most of the players in it, and of some of the books/movies they’re spoofing . . . But I just never took to this movie as a whole. Too self-consciously “aren’t we clever and ADORABLE?” for my taste.

7

I have to agree - when I first saw it, I was disappointed that there was little plot, and no clear ending.

Later, when I saw a rerun, I caught a lot of the references that I had missed the first time, and decided that it was really funny, but more in the way of watching SNL - a long series of skits making fun of popular mystery works. (Which fall mostly flat if you aren’t familiar with the originals.)

Later still, I decided there was (or perhaps, could be) a trick ending involved. Posit that Lionel Twain’s goal was to bring the detectives together, fake a murder in front of them they couldn’t solve, make fun of them, admit there was no murder, and release them. Instead, while it still looks that way to the guests, the “maid” comes in and actually kills Twain, but then finishes the game out, and so won’t be caught.

There is insufficient evidence in the movie to really prove this, of course, but it doesn’t contradict anything in the movie, and I think it’s a more interesting idea than the “no ending” ending. (Question: Who is the woman pretending to be the maid, then, out of all the possibilities given in the movie?)

8

I have to agree with the (mostly) general consensus. Murder by Death is a great idea executed only fair-to-middlin’. Worth seeing at least once, but probably not more than that. Peter Falk’s Sam Diamond character grates on me after a while (and I love PF). I think my favorite bit is when Twain ridicules “Sidney Wong” (Peter Sellers) about his speech patterns: “‘Look at the moose!’ Pronounce your damn articles!”

That said, I would love read a Making-Of book about this movie. With this many big-time actors in it (Sellers, Falk, Niven, James Coco, Alec G.) there has to be some dirt.

I’ve always preferred Clue myself. It actually does have a plot, using 50’s-era paranoia to good use, and is probably Tim Curry’s best role:

"But one of us wasn’t here! **Nnaaooo![/b}

“‘Nooo?’”

“Nnaaooo.”

Only Tim Curry could pronounce ‘no’ like that. Makes me laugh everytime I hear it.

9

Alec Guinnes as the blind man, pasting stamps on his desk, wasn’t half bad either.

10

As in Benson, Mum? Was that Sir Alec??? Or was that another flick? I remember there were two with the same satirical angle and both had Mr. Falk in them…

Damn those Fleet’s Enemas! Sucked out whatever brain I had left! :smiley:

Your Cinematic retard,

Quasi:p

11

… right after that flick came out, I was still a DJ in my little hometown and used to introduce the great jazz guitarist George Benson as …George Benson-mum.

IIRC, I was the only one who thought that was funny…

Q

12

How about “The last time that I trusted a dame was in Paris in 1940. She said she was going out to get a bottle of wine. Two hours later, the Germans marched into France.”

I also like the way Dick explains to Dora in an inaudible whisper why exactly someone would want a dead body and she responds with a smirk… “Oh… that’s taaaacky”

Still, Clue is a much better movie, pound-for-pound. I know, because I was there.

13

How can we discuss Bensonmum without mentioning his first name? Jamesir. Jamesir Bensonmum - what a great name for a butler!

I loved the flick, not for the ultimate plot resolution, of which there really wasn’t supposed to be anythign solid, but for the brilliant spoofs of the various detective genres. Anyone who’s read enough Hercule Poirot will know that he can’t stand being mistaken for a Frenchman; when James Coco does his outraged, “I’m not a Frenchie! I’m a Belgie!” I nearly died laughing.

And that movie also gave my group of friends one of our classicly repeated lines. The final part of Sidney Wang’s analysis of Charleston’s proposal:

“Very interesting theory, Mr. Charleston. But - one problem.”

“Oh, really, Wang? What’s that?”

“Is stupid. Is most stupid theory I ever hear.”

I can’t tell you how many times we’d be discussing a case and propose a reason to uphold a particular decision, only to hear, “Is most stupid theory I ever hear!”

Those were the days.

Like many movies I fall for, I think the main charm of Murder By Death is that it rewards the careful viewer.

  • Rick
14

Tim Curry’s best role would be standing in for Kevin Costner when they remake The Big Chill. His least obnoxious role to date reuired high-heels, black stockings, and a millieu in which his over-the-top campiness was actually in tune. A pity he never learned that not every film is aimed at the midnight Friday crowd.

In fairness, Donald Sutherland made the noise first. It comes at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

15

I love this film! Maybe it was the funny little parodies, perhaps the great ensemble cast, most likely the brainwashing of my father watching it every weekend…or at least it seemed that way.

I was eight when I first saw it, and it confused the heck out of me. I was too young to appreciate that Truman Capote was who he was, or that the characters were parodies of the great sleuths. I did however relish the thought that Bensonmum was Obi-Wan! Sad, really.

Although the movie lacked a really linear plot line, I enjoyed it immensely. Clue just didn’t match-up for me; even with Tim Curry and Jane Wiedlin in the cast. I think that it was the casting of Howard Hessman that might have sunk the film for me.:smiley: