Murder by Death (1976)
Genre: Comedy / Mystery
Duration: 94 minuten
Alternative title: Neil Simon's Murder by Death
Country:
United States
Directed by: Robert Moore
Stars: Peter Falk, David Niven and Peter Sellers
IMDb score:
7,2 (45.301)
Releasedate: 23 June 1976
Murder by Death plot
"By the time the world's greatest detectives figure out whodunnit... you could die laughing!"
Millionaire Lionel Twain invites the world's five best detectives for a weekend at his castle. During this weekend there will be a murder and it is up to the five to solve it. The winner gets a million dollars.
Actors and actresses
Bensonmum
Dick Charleston
Dora Charleston
Sidney Wang
Sam Diamond
Tess Skeffington
Milo Perrier
Maid
Jessica Marbles
Nurse
Reviews & comments
Collins
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- 7346 messages
- 4345 votes
An eccentric millionaire offers a million dollars to the person who solves a murder. A murder that hasn't been committed yet. Five brilliant detectives are invited to his estate to play his game.
The five detectives are based on five well-known literary detectives. Charlie Chan, Nick and Nora Charles, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and Sam Spade. Their names are corrupted in the film, but the resemblance is striking. It may be obvious. Murder by Death is not a serious detective film, but a hilarious parody of the genre.
With fine sharp and fine nonsensical lyrics. Not a scene or dialogue goes by without one of the world famous detectives not covering at least one punch line with an absurd theory. The tenor of the film is wonderfully silly. No serious attempt is made to explain events plausibly. And that's just so funny. Or as Peter Sellers' character puts it: “Answer simple, but question very hard”.
Also a film with bizarre situations and funny stupidity. Take, for example, a hilarious and hopeless discussion between a blind butler and a deaf-mute cook. How delightfully nonsensical.
Responsible for all the fun is primarily playwright Neil Simon. Furthermore, of course, fine acting and brilliant comedy violence from the likes of Peter Sellers, Alec Guinness, David Niven and Peter Falk.
Murder by Death is a very funny parody. Full of sharp lyrics and puns. With remarkable characters. With absurd humour. And with many allusions to the detective genre.
Murder by Death is a lot of fun.
Translated from Dutch · View original
mrklm
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- 11629 messages
- 10041 votes
The eccentric millionaire Lionel Twain [Truman Capote] invites the five 'greatest detectives in the world' for a weekend in his spacious but eccentric cottage. Sidney Wang [Peter Sellers] and his foster son Willie [Richard Narita] arrive first, followed by Belgian Milo Perrier [James Coco with his driver [James Cromwell], smooth Brit Dick Charleston [David Niven] and his wife [Maggie Smith ], the elderly Jessica Marbles [Elsa Lancester] and her 'nurse' [Estelle Winwood] and finally Sam Diamond [Peter Falk] and his girlfriend [Eileen Brennan]. Twain presents his guests with a bizarre mystery challenge in the belief that he can prove that he is smarter than the smartest detectives in the world. Entertaining, but also somewhat chatty parody of detective films with a fascinating cast and beautiful sets. Guinness wins the mutual acting duel as Twain's blind butler Bensonmum. That's Fay Wray as (the sound of) the doorbell.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Filmkriebel
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- 10012 messages
- 4678 votes
genius. Also for me better than Clue (3*). Neil Simon parodies the whodunnit in a funny way. Everything is set up so well that you don't get a minute of rest from the build up to the end. There's a lot going on and the film has a few intriguing moments, but then it turns out that this comedy is in fact a critical swipe at the classic crime authors who cheat readers with increasingly unlikely plot twists... exactly what this film does. Very strong comedy with big names. I especially liked Sellers as the Charlie Chan clone.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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