Review of Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) by Chris M — 12 Dec 2008
This charmingly ridiculous spoof project exists exclusively for hardcore fans of Golden Age film noir but, thanks largely to Steve Martin's own brand of "anti-comedy," is also just fun enough for others to sit through.
About every film legend you can think of makes a cameo via their own previous work (The footage is very clearly listed in the final credits.) which is intentionally re-edited choppily to tie in with the plot (which doesn't matter) and set up Martin's zany private eye's gags, which include having Lana Turner fall deeply in love with him, becoming a regular Laurel and Hardy team with James Cagney, and transforming the naturally booming presence of Humphrey Bogart into a clumsy tie-forgetting sidekick.
A bulk of the jokes are too subtle or weird, and most of Martin's faux-transactions are weakly done through telephone, but even 26 years later, it's still more of an inspired love-letter than other future rerun-mash-ups (like, say, Kung-Pow! Enter the Fist?).
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid may not be the most classic flick Carl Reiner directed the "wild and crazy guy" in, but it's impossible to hate entirely and was lucky enough to be Oscar-wealthy Edith Head's final screened costume showcase.
This review of Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) was written by Chris M on 12 Dec 2008.
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid has generally received positive reviews.
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