Fri 4 Aug 2017
Mystery Movie Review: DEAD MEN DON’T WEAR PLAID (1982).
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews[8] Comments
DEAD MEN DON’T WEAR PLAID. Universal Pictures, 1982. Steve Martin, Rachel Ward, Carl Reiner, Reni Santoni. In archival footage: Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Brian Donlevy, Kirk Douglas, Ava Gardner, Cary Grant, Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, Burt Lancaster, Charles Laughton, Fred MacMurray, Ray Milland, Edmond O’Brien, Vincent Price, Barbara Stanwyck, Lana Turner and more. Screenplay: Carl Reiner, George Gipe & Steve Martin. Director: Carl Reiner.
Laughter is contagious. Watching a comedy film in a theater with a few hundred other people is one thing. Even if the comedy is not so hot, if one person starts laughing at a scene, no matter how lame it is, you may find yourself laughing too. You can’t help yourself.
It’s why the TV networks came up with the idea of laugh tracks, and that was a long time ago.
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid is another kettle of fish altogether. I watched this one on DVD with only one other person watching with me, and I found myself laughing out loud any number of times. I couldn’t help myself. This does not happen often.
I can’t say that this would happen to everyone. Some people can’t watch black and white movies. I can understand that. It’s difficult for me to watch silent movies. Some people don’t care for noir movies from the 40s. That I don’t understand, but there’s no accounting for tastes.
Steve Martin plays a 1940s Sam Spade kind of private eye in this one, a guy named Rigby Reardon, and he’s hired by a beautiful dame (Ranchel Ward) who hires him to investigate the reported death of her father in a car accident along a deserted mountain highway. From that point on, there’s no real need to explain what happens (because I can’t), but surprisingly enough, I’m willing to wager that it actually makes sense.
For what is interspersed with the case that Rigby Reardon is working on are archival clips from maybe a dozen film noir movies from the 40s, sliced in perfectly to not only move the story along but to also fit in as smooth as silk with whatever comic antics Steve Martin is doing on screen, including voice-over narration.
I’m sure all of you know this already, and each of you has your own personal favorite scenes. But speaking personally, if I may, I think this film is a work of genius, and if by chance you have never seen it but you have read this far into the review, you absolutely should. See it, that is. Don’t deprive yourself any longer.
August 4th, 2017 at 12:58 am
Problem seemed to be the movie was perceived by the general public to be the real thing – a serious PI film. And the title’s not that much more risible than those of many straight flicks.I was working a theatre at the time and have anecdotal evidence. We played it mainly to a small audience of film buffs. Of all the star clips, Laughton’s got the biggest response….
Miklos Rosza’s last score, and I think Edith Head’s last designs.
August 4th, 2017 at 2:26 am
You can add parody as something else that does not play well for general audiences. Laughton’s bit came from the same film as Ava Gardner’s, THE BRIBE. If I’m not mistaken, Vincent Price’s stint also came from this film. You can read David Vineyard’s review of it here:
https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=2007
Must viewing for any fan of film noir.
A film not to
August 4th, 2017 at 4:03 am
I didn’t laugh much but enjoyed it for the loving look at old movies. As far as laughter being contagious, I always break up at DUCK SOUP, alone or in company.
August 4th, 2017 at 4:13 am
Parody can play exceedingly well – look at Mel Brooks’films. But the audience first has to be in on the joke. The pre-Naked Gun tv series, Police Squad, was an immediate flop, partly cuz it was such a dead-pan mimic of its target that potential viewers weren’t clued in as to its intent.
And Martin’s previous film, Pennies From Heaven, was a serious period piece.
August 4th, 2017 at 12:21 pm
Humor is a funny thing. Mel Brooks’ films have been very successful, and I can enjoy them, but only in small doses, and I don’t laugh out loud at them. I do not know why not.
August 4th, 2017 at 8:02 pm
Blazing Saddles makes me laugh out loud, even after all this time
August 5th, 2017 at 12:53 am
I smiled a lot, which a good sign. My problem was a few times I found myself wishing they were playing it straight, or at least in the vein of MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE.
I suspect audiences weren’t expecting a YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS movie parody that ran this long.
August 5th, 2017 at 1:18 am
That’s the only downside I can see to this movie. It’s around 90 minutes long with no commercial breaks, and if a general audience didn’t know what to expect, it probably felt a whole lot longer.