Review of Murder by Death (1976) by Giorgos K — 07 Feb 2008

The genre spoof is the sort of film which has of late become one to avoid. Whilst the Wayans Brothers were able to illicit many cheap laughs during the late 1990s with their first two instalments of the Scary Movie franchise, but since then every comedy club reject who thinks he can mark up a script believes that they can direct an effective and meaningful parody.

It is in dark times such as these which we, the film going public, must turn to true satirical masterpieces like Robert Moore's Murder by Death which sits right up there with Blazing Saddles as the quintessential exploration into the flaws of the detective fiction genre.

The premise is a simple one; arrange for six guests, all of whom are parodies of renowned fictional detectives, to come to an Agatha Christie-esque country home and challenge them to a contest to discover who among them is the world's greatest detective.

This idea is not as clever as it at first seems, especially considering that Universal would adapt the premise nine years later with the screen adaptation of the popular board game Clue, but in the hands of Moore it becomes a truly classical piece of cynical post-modern art.

The first stroke of genius was to cast obsessive real-life true crime novelist/new-age journalist Truman Copote as the man masterminding the whole sauded affair. As author of the critically acclaimed In Cold Blood, Capote's presence adds an extra dimension to the film.

A sense of sadistic irony in the sense that there is truth when he yells "I'm number one!" because he is the only one of them who was ever truly alive. That is not to say that the rest of the cast aren't all top notch either.

Each of the cast play up to their stereotypes with undeniable glee, comfortable in the knowledge that many of them are simply overplaying roles to which they are best associated. The fact that this motley assortment happens to be such comic titans as Peter "Inspector Cleusau" Sellers, dotty Maggie Smith and David Niven is purely coincidental.

Of all the actors, however, the stand out role of the film goes to Columbo star Peter Falk. As Sam Diamond; a vitriolic, hypermasculine send up of the alienated film noir hero, Falk really steals the show.

Armed with a tiny gun and an arsenal of puns, Falk makes a definate lasting impression as he lumbers around uttering blatant racial slurs and constantly dodging evidence of his own possible homosexuality.

With phrases like "It's your funeral butterballs!" its impossible not to like him. I'm certain that those who have seen Murder by Death, will definately have their own opinions as to who they think is the best, since each actor has their moments, but in my opinion it is the collaboration of Guiness, Falk and Smith which offer the most laughs and, although now more than 30 years old, Murder by Death never fails to impress.

Also look out for an early role for James Cromwell as a lanky French Chauffer. A perfect rainy-day treat when coupled with Clue.