Written by Neil Simon and directed by first time filmmaker Robert Moore, 'Murder by Death' is a comic mystery that gathers thinly veiled versions of famous literary detectives (Sam Spade, Nick & Nora Charles, Miss Marpel, Poirot, Charlie Chan & son) in a creepy old mansion to solve a mystery presided over they Truman Capote. Excellent cast includes Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, Elsa Lanchester, David Niven, Peter Sellers and Maggie Smith. Nancy Walker who had played the housekeeper on the series 'McMillian and Wife', which was modeled after Nick and Nora Charles here plays a maid in some amusing casting. Also present is a then 91 year old Estelle Winwood and a 36 year old James Cromwell.
I was inspired to seeing this film in part from my recent viewing of the later film 'Clue', which it's pretty much impossible not to compare this to. 'Murder by Death' is wittier and better acted, though I didn't like the ending, 'Clue' is funnier and has the greater energy, if the weaker cast. In the end I'd have to give 'Clue' a slight edge, though it quite likely gets that chiefly because I saw it first. I still give both movies the same rating. ***
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment