Review of Clue (1985) by Matthew D — 31 Oct 2018

The greatest murder mystery spoof!

Clue (1985) is one of my favorite comedies ever as it is a quick 96 minutes of non-stop hilarity. Director Jonathan Lynn makes long sweeping shots of the gorgeous mansion set look as lovely as his quick cuts to each character. His fast paced direction makes Clue a breeze to watch and revisit time and again.

The brilliance of Clue is perhaps in its simple premise turned genius through the clever and complex writing of Jonathan Lynn along with John Landis. The constant jokes and gags keep you laughing at all times with easy to get humor and neat twists and turns.

I love the quirky and fun score from John Morris as it chimes in after each twist and before every running gag. The hilarious musical cues continuously match a funny on screen moment for a delightful soundtrack experience.

Above all, Tim Curry as the butler Wadsworth is unparalleled comedic heights. His ability to create comedy through his delivery of serious dramatic dialogue add a weight to Clue. Curry is so effortless while doing physical comedy to saying a witty bit of sarcasm to even reciting extended monologue of an impressive length. Clue is certainly one of Curry's most memorable roles ever.

Furthermore, the entire cast of Clue is quite funny. Lesley Ann Warren is snappy as the sultry Ms. Scarlet. Martin Mull pulls of the oafish Colonel Mustard with a great gag about him taking everything literally. Madeline Kahn as Mrs. White is so pretty and charming with a dry wit that never fails to make me laugh. Kahn is an absolute joy to watch in Clue.

To continue, Christopher Lloyd as Prof. Plum is so sleazy in a goofy way that it's funny for its extremity. Eileen Brennan is so startled and snobbish as Mrs. Peacock that you keep laughing at her scorn and screaming. Michael McKean is hilarious as the clumsy and fanciful Mr. Green. His sudden indignation is laughable like his objections to the events. Colleen Camp plays the mesmerizing Yvette with her sweet French accent and excessive cleavage leading to numerous laughs. Lee Ving's short but sleazy De Niro impression is kind of funny in an awkward way. Overall, everyone is going to make you laugh at some point in Clue.

I have to recommend Clue for anyone that seriously needs a laugh. It is quickly paced and short with many great nods to the murder mystery genre. This is how you jokingly deconstruct a genre.