Clue (1985)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Jonathan Lynn

Writers:

John Landis (story) and
Jonathan Lynn (story) ...

Release Date:

13 December 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

It's Not Just A Game Anymore.

Plot:

Six guests are invited to a strange house and must cooperate with the staff to solve a murder mystery.

Plot Keywords:

Guest | Butler | Murder | Clue | Maid

Cast

Eileen Brennan	...	Mrs. Peacock
Tim Curry	...	Wadsworth
Madeline Kahn	...	Mrs. White
Christopher Lloyd	...	Professor Plum
Michael McKean	...	Mr. Green
Martin Mull	...	Colonel Mustard
Lesley Ann Warren	...	Miss Scarlet
Colleen Camp	...	Yvette
Lee Ving	...	Mr. Boddy
Bill Henderson	...	The Cop
Jane Wiedlin	...	The Singing Telegram Girl
Jeffrey Kramer	...	The Motorist
Kellye Nakahara	...	The Cook
Will Nye	...	Cop #1
Rick Goldman	...	Cop #2

Also Known As:

Clue: The Movie (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

94 min | Sweden:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG (NO. 27986) | Iceland:12 | New Zealand:PG | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Canadian Home Video rating) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The parquet floor in the Hall resembles the 'Clue' game board.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the re-enactment, Wadsworth stabs a side of meat at a 90 degree angle. The next shot shows the dagger at a 30 degree angle.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Wadsworth: Is everything ready?
Yvette: Oui, Monsieur.
Wadsworth: You have your, um, instructions.

Movie Connections:

References "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (1969)

Soundtrack:

Sh-Boom

Fun 'Who Done It' Mystery

I used to watch this movie again and again, and it still holds up as a great source of entertainment for me. All the characters are just hilarious, although Tim Curry as Wadsworth went overboard at times, and Michael McKean as Mr. Green is a big whiner. I love all the screams, finger-pointing, reenactments, motives, and their "searches" for the murderer, and I think John Morris' superb music score just enhances the eerie and mysterious feel of a murder mystery movie. The murder scenes are just "classic," a chilling reminder that there is a murderer out there, and there are 6 obvious suspects for you to look at!

I think the humor is just great (i.e. "Get your mitts off me!") and I think the movie is faithful to the Parker Brothers board game. Leslie Ann Warren as Miss Scarlet is funny with her acid wit and Colleen Camp as Yvette is a cute, with her French accent. Almost every time I watch this movie, I find something new to note. But, I think this movie could use some more urgency, action, and more chilling and exciting moments as the characters search the huge, beautiful mansion. Each famous room in the film should be emphasized more, for example, there could be a brief dance sequence in the Ball Room and a pool game in the Billiard Room. Some results on some of the 3 endings create plotholes in the movie, so perhaps, a more carefully though-out ending could be executed. And, the third ending was a real bummer. But overall, a fun movie to watch.

Grade B+