The Cheap Detective
by Robert Moore
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Actor: Ann-Margret, Eileen Brennan, Peter Falk, Sid Caesar, Stockard ChanningDirector: Robert Moore
Brand: Sony
Cinematographer: John A. Alonzo
Editor: Michael A. Stevenson
Editor: Sidney Levin
Producer: Margaret Booth
Producer: Michael Friedman
Producer: Ray Stark
Writer: Neil Simon
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown); Chinese (Subtitled); English (Subtitled); Korean (Subtitled); Portuguese (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); Chinese (Original Language); English (Original Language); Korean (Original Language); Portuguese (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Closed-captioned, Dubbed, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 92 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-11-13
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Reviews of The Cheap Detective
DVD Review: "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made of" Meets "Here's Looking at You, Kid"
Summary: 4 Stars
Neil Simon's screenplay is, in a word, "unfunny." Most of the gags are so silly that they are downright embarrassing. The only chuckles in the movie are the result of the innate hilarity of some of the performers, particularly Sid Caesar who is an absolute hoot as the doddering Mr. Grayle character from "Murder My Sweet."
So why is this movie a must have for any fan of 40's noir and melodrama?
Because they were actually able to replicate many of vintage 40's characters in 1978, a feat that could not even be attempted today.
Essentially four 40's films are interwoven into this one -"Casablanca," "The Maltese Falcon," "To Have and Have Not," and the aforementioned "Murder My Sweet," the only one which did not star Bogart (Dick Powell played Philip Marlowe), but then who cares?
The genius of this movie was not the director and most certainly was not the writer. The Oscar definitely should have gone to the Casting Director.
Try this on:
(1) Peter Falk doing his usual impeccable Bogart;
(2) John Houseman as a virtual ringer for Sydney Greenstreet in the "Falcon" [here Jasper Blubber instead of Casper Gutman);
(3) Dom de Luise playing the Peter Lorre roles from both "Casabalanca" and the "Falcon" by being unusually greasy and slimy and seeking the prized ornament so that he will have enough money to buy a friend since no one else can stand to be close to him;
(4) Paul Williams in the Elisha Cook Jr. role of Wilmer, the gunsel, from the "Falcon";
(5) Louise Fletcher and Fernando Lamas in the Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid roles of Ilsa and Victor Laszlo from "Casablanca" (Lamas could easily have played Victor Laszlo is a straight "Casablanca" remake);
(6) Nicol Williamson in the Conrad Veidt role as the German envoy to Cincinnati assisted by a couple of Nazi goons, one of whom bears a rather striking resemblance to a certain corrupt LA Police Captain from a fairly recent neo-noir;
(7) Eileen Brennan as a rough hewn version of the Bacall character of "Slim" (here "Slinky") in "To Have and Have Not," who insists on calling the Falk character "Fred" instead of by his "real" name of "Lou" (as Bacall had referred to Bogie as "Steve" instead of his "real" name of "Harry" throughout "To Have and Have Not";
(8) Marsha Mason in the Gladys George role of Iva Archer, the out of control, oversexed widow of Bogart's partner in the "Falcon";
(9) Ann-Margret in the Claire Trevor role of Mrs. Grayle from "Murder My Sweet";
(10) Scatman Crothers in the Dolley Wislon role of "Sam";
(11) James Coco in an apparent amalgam of the Marcel Dalio roles in "Casablanca" and "To Have and Have Not"; and, having saved the very best for last ...
(12) Madeline Kahn in the ever name-changing Mary Astor role of Ms. Wanderly, Brigid O'Shaugnessy, etc. from The "Falcon."
Just imagine if this magnificently talented crew had actually been given a script to work with!
But this movie is nevertheless a rare, precious moment in time because of the ability of its makers to duplicate brilliant performers and performances of the past, not like today's feeble attempts at remakes (Will Smith as Agent Jim West and Steve Martin as "Bilko" are two duds who immediately come to mind.)
The best line in the film comes at the very end when Falk introduces the various femme fatales to each other, but is compelled to pause when he comes to the multi-named Ms. Kahn, who promptly fills the blank with:
"Stanwyck. Barbara Stanwyck."
BTW, make sure not to miss the taxi driver at the end as well.
Description of The Cheap Detective
CHEAP DETECTIVE - DVD MovieBestsellers in DVD
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