Murder by Death

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: A great spoof on the detectives,Charlie Chan played by Peter Sellers,Hercule Poirot played by James Coco,Miss Marple played by Elsa Lanchester,and Humphrey Bogart played by Peter Falk.There is also Eilene Brennan,Nancy Wlaker,David Niven,Maggie Smith,Truman Capote,Alec Guiness,and Estelle Winwood.The Comedy is first rate.An excellent spoof.This will make you laugh.

Rating:
Summary: The funniest movie EVER
Review: This is absolutely the funniest movie ever made. I've seen it more times that I will admit, and every time I watch it I laugh hysterically. This is a manic spoof of the "locked-door" mystery (think "Murder on the Orient Express")featuring spoofs of the most famous detectives of all time, with the notable exception of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Actually, they were originally at the end of the movie, but for some reason that scene is not included in the video. Fortunately, I remember seeing it as a small child. Every cast member is wonderful, upstaging the others during his or her lines, and then passing the torch of insanity on to the next one speaking. Fans of the wonderful "Poirot" series on A&E will particularly enjoy James Coco's conceited ever-hungry, hot chocolate guzzling Perrier. The fact that these detectives are, in their own words, "the five greatest living criminal minds" and they freak out every time they come across a dead body (and there are plenty) is hillarious. This movie is very intelligent, despite the fact that it actually makes no sense whatsoever. Neil Simon's writing is dead-on, literally. I hope this movie comes out on DVD soon. For a really fun evening, watch this movie, and then the similar "Clue" immediately afterwards. Both movies feature Eileen Brennan's character fainting, with the butler failing to catch her! For fans of mysteries, spoofs, and/or great ensemble casts!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent cast, excellent movie!
Review: Just an addendum to loungelizard7's great review... M. Perrier's chauffeur is played by the superb James Cromwell in one of his very first movie roles. Cromwell is best known for LA Confidential, Babe, The Green Mile, RKO 281, and The General's Daughter.

Rating:
Summary: One of Neil Simon's Best!
Review: Hilarious beyond compare. That describes "Murder by Death." Spoofing everyone from Miss Marple to Sam Spade, Charlie Chan to The Thin Man, and everyone in between, Neil Simon's script (outdoing such Simon classics as "The Odd Couple") is so far out there that one can only fall in love with this movie.

Being a big fan of mysteries, parodies, and all-star casts, this was the movie for me. The whole cast has a ball and hams it up to High Heaven. I love David Niven and Maggie Smith as Dick and Dora Charleston. Smith especially soars, giving an offhanded, almost nonchalant performance that leaves you rolling in the aisles. Elsa Lanchester is great as Jessica Marbles, and Estelle Winwood, in a very small role, gets a few good lines as her senile nurse. (Watch for their entrance!) James Coco is a comic riot as the always-hungry Monsieur Perrier. Peter Sellers is classic again as Inspector Wang (with every line funnier than the last). He has more proverbs than all the fortune cookies in Chinatown: "Treacherous road like-a fresh mushroom..." Peter Falk is insane as really-not-quite-there Sam Diamond, and Truman Capote gets in a fun cameo appearance as their puckish host, Lionel Twain. Smith, Coco, Sellers, and Falk shine. But two of the best performances are in rather small roles played by a pre-"Star Wars" Sir Alec Guiness (so don't expect to hear the Force theme on his entrance) showing his comedic talent as the blind butler, Bensonmum, and "Rhoda" alum, the great Nancy Walker, as the deaf-and-dumb cook, Yetta. These two have some of the funniest scenes in film history, each playing marvelously off the other's shortcomings. (Watch for when Bensonmun "fires" her--even holding the door open and pointing out--while she looks on, bewildered!)

The classic lines are everywhere. Falk: "I gotta go to da can. Sometimes I talk so much, I forget ta go." Lanchester: "Pardon my language, but it scared the ca-ca out of me!" Smith: (in response) "You know, Dicky, I like her. I really like her." Capote: (chastising Sellers' broken English) "IT! IT! Use your damn pronouns!" Perrier's driver: (About a chocolate bar with almonds instead of nuts) "The man at the store had no nuts." Coco: (responding) "He was short?" Sellers: "Look! Voice come from cow on wall!" But the best line in the whole movie is when the butler has been gone for quite some time and not returned with their meal, and starving Coco, in detective mode, says, "The most important question is: Where is the butler? And why has he not returned...(Screaming dramatically)...WITH OUR DINNER! "

I was in a murder-mystery play last year in which one character was a sendup of Truman Capote; I loaned this video to the actor who had that part. And this week, I'm playing a role in Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians," in which Estelle Winwood (Ms. Marbles' nurse in this film) originated the stage role of Emily Brent in 1944.

This is a really fun movie to watch on a Friday night with lots of friends--for even more fun, watch it back-to-back with "Clue!"

Rating:
Summary: This Film has aged quite well over the years...
Review: All I can really say is that the powers that be had better release this one on DVD and soon!

Rating:
Summary: Murder By DEATH is Hilarious
Review: This is a clever send up of murder mysteries by playwrite Neil Simon. Everyone should see this. Agatha Christie, Charlie Chan, Columbo, Sam Spade, and The Thin Man movies are all butchered with hilarity in mind. Milo Perrier, Miss Jessica Marbles, Sam Diamond, Inspector Wang, Dick Charleston and Dora Charleston are invited at the mansion of Lionel Twain to solve a murder that ends up being his own. A blind butler, played to hilarious perfection by Alec Guiness, and a deaf mute maid complete the goofy ensemble. The cast includes Maggie Smith, Peter Falk, James Coco, Elsa Lanchester, David Niven, Eileen Brennan, and the remarkable Peter Sellers shine in their roles. Have a good time solving the murder!

Rating:
Summary: FABULOUS!
Review: This movie is one of my all-time favorites. If you haven't seen it, or you are teetering there on the brink of buying it or not buying it, look at it this way...you may not be able to get this video forever, so do it now! I have browsed this video for a while now, but I fear that (like the Sound of Music) it will stop being printed and I will be up the proverbial creek. For some reason, this film is less known that others, even though it is one of the most clever and charming films of all time. I saw this as a kid and have loved it ever since. You won't regret owning this film. It is a wonderful wonderful film.

Rating:
Summary: Again with this guy "Neil Simon"
Review: Must he make us laugh? You can't not laugh at this movie. Starring Maggie Smith (who does a smashing job in her role), Peter Falk, Eileen Brennen, Peter Sellers, James Cromwell, James Coco, David Niven, Truman Capote, Alec Guiness, Elsa Lancaster, Nancy Walker, and Estelle Winwood, this is Neil Simon, Roger Moore (The Cheap Detective) and the entire cast at their best. When you see this, I'm sure you will be able to imagine Agatha Christie roling over in her grave at this debotchery of many of her works. As though that weren't enough, Simon also finds time to rip off Charlie Chan and others. Maggie Smith shines as the wife of detecteve Dick "Dicky" Charleston. At one point, there is a knock at the door from who everyone assumes is the deaf-mute cook (Nancy Walker). Smith says "Come in." Then her husband (David Niven of "The Pink Panther") reminds her that the cook cannot hear. She then screams (in a very believable voice) "Come in! " Also in the film is Peter Sellers who is constantly giving Charlie Chan-like advice that is very funny. Stupidity = hilarity in "Murder By Death."

Rating:
Summary: one of the funniest movies ever made!
Review: the first time i saw this movie, i was nine or ten years old, at a birthday party. i haven't stopped watching it since! not many people have heard of this film, which is really too bad because it's such a classic comedy spoof. it's bizarre, it's witty, and it's absolutely hilarious. every time you watch it, you catch something new that you didn't notice before. it has a fantastic cast - my favorite character is sidney wang, played by peter sellers - the greatest one-liners from the film are all his: "conversation like television set on honeymoon. unnecessary!" and i love that a gong plays every time he speaks. i also love the pure comedic genius of the scenes between the blind butler and the deaf-mute maid. i don't want to give away all the jokes so i'll stop now - i just want to give this movie my highest recommendation, it is definitely worth buying!

Rating:
Summary: Eternally hilarious
Review: I first saw this film when I was about 7 and my sister and I though it was a riot. Twenty years later, and now knowing who the characters being spoofed are, I still think this is one of the funniest, cutest movies in the world. Every single cast member is hilarious. Alec Guiness is at his absolute best, I think.