IMDb > Murder by Death (1976)
Murder by Death
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Murder by Death (1976) More at IMDbPro »

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Murder by Death (1976) -- MyMovieScripts.com - Trailer (Flash) & Movie Script

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   9,605 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Robert Moore
Writer:
Neil Simon (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Murder by Death on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 June 1976 (USA) more
Tagline:
By the time the world's greatest detectives figure out whodunnit... you could die laughing! more
Plot:
Five famous literary detective characters and their sidekicks are invited to a bizarre mansion to solve an even stranger mystery. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination more
User Comments:
Crazy comedy-mystery more (132 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
94 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Myrna Loy was originally offered the part of Dora Charleston (a role that was a spoof of the character that she had played in the Thin Man movies) but she wisely declined, later stating that "it would have been ridiculous to have Myrna Loy doing Myrna Loy". She also stated that she didn't want her "ass pinched by David Niven". more
Goofs:
Continuity: When the Gargoyle falls on Inspector Wang and son, the position of the debris changes between shots. The first time the large "chunk" is on the steps. On the next shot it is down the steps next between Wang and son. more
Quotes:
Dick Charleston: Now see here, Diamond. That's a pretty tacky thing to say, isn't it?
Sam Diamond: Well, it's a pretty tacky world, Mr. Charleston.
more
Movie Connections:
References King Kong (1933) more

FAQ

Who are the characters based on?
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32 out of 34 people found the following comment useful.
Crazy comedy-mystery, 26 February 2001
8/10
Author: jhaggardjr from Chicago, Illinois

"Murder by Death" is a comic murder-mystery done in absolute lunacy. I mean this is one screwball comedy that made me laugh out loud quite often. And yet, there are so many confusing moments that I didn't know what on earth was going on. It seems that writer Neil Simon was trying to complicate moviegoers with his screenplay to this movie which pays homage to detectives of old classic movies such as Charlie Chan, Miss Marple, Sam Spade, and Hercule Poirot. In "Murder by Death", a mysterious man invites the 5 greatest detectives to his home for "dinner and a murder" as he describes it. An all-star cast is featured here and all of them are very funny. The best: Peter Sellers in the Charlie Chan take-off. Sellers is of course best known for playing the inept Inspector Clouseau in the "Pink Panther" movies, but his role here as Chinese detective Sidney Wang is a hoot. He made me laugh the hardest. Just looking at him made me laugh. The way he talked made me laugh. He's naturally funny everytime he's on screen. Also funny: the great Sir Alec Guinness as a blind butler. I thought he was supposed to be a serious actor! I don't think I've ever seen Guinness in a movie comedy, but he makes the most of his character here. He comes second behind Sellers in the laugh department in "Murder by Death". Two other funny performances are turned in by James Coco and James Cromwell ("Babe" and "L.A. Confidential") as the Hercule Poirot sendoff and his chauffeur. It's funny to watch a younger Cromwell here speaking with a bad European accent. David Niven, Maggie Smith, Peter Falk, Eileen Brennan, Elsa Lanchester, and Nancy Walker also register laughs too. But the most downright goofiest character in "Murder by Death" is the host orchestrating this crazy game, played by Truman Capote. He's very funny too. Another major factor in the film are the sets of the old mansion the movie takes place in. They're marvelous. But at times the story gets real complicated and seems to get parts dislocated. It bothered me a little the first time I saw this. Now I just sit back and let the movie play on. Neil Simon intended on this to be a crazy comedy and in that way he succeeded. "Murder by Death" is all-in-all a very enjoyable movie.

*** (out of four)

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Lines you'll never hear in 'Murder By Death' starfleet_99
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HUMOR?? mindybiz
Sellers is the most talented actor I've ever seen piako
Sam Diamond gay? Sten-Menden
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