Daily BirthdaysMurder by Death (1976)
Facts
 
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| Directed by | Robert Moore |
| Cast | Eileen Brennan, Truman Capote, James Coco, Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, James Cromwell, Elsa Lanchester, David Niven, Peter Sellers, Maggie Smith, Nancy Walker, Estelle Winwood and Fay Wray |
| Theatrical Release | June 23, 1976 |
| DVD Release | December 18, 2001 |
| Running Time | 94 minutes |
| MPAA Rating | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) |
| UPC Code | 043396079342 |
| Buy this item | $14.99 at Amazon.com As of Jul 21 19:52 EDT (details) 1 DVD, Sony Pictures, Usually ships in 24 hours, Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Languages: Cantonese (Subtitled), Chinese (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Korean (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Spanish (Dubbed) Or 27 new from $13.50, 9 used from $13.49, 1 collectible from $20.02 |
About Murder by Death
Neil Simon wrote this 1976 spoof in which virtually every famous fictional detective of the 1930s and 1940s congregate at the home of a mysterious fellow (Truman Capote) to try and solve the mystery of who's trying to kill them all. Simon's jokes are mostly obvious, and the film's real appeal is the clever concept matched with fine--sometimes legendary--actors. Peter Falk plays a very Bogart-like Sam Spade equivalent, James Coco is a Hercule Poirot wannabe, Peter Sellers does a Charlie Chan bit, David Niven and Maggie Smith are reflections of Nick and Nora.... You get the picture. Lighthearted and silly, this is cotton-candy comedy for the cast as well as viewers. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com
Website Links
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User Reviews
Average user review:
(125 reviews) |  | Old Hollywood hilarity. |  |
It's old folks, it's offensive, it's positively one of the funniest movies out there.
It's creepy, spooky and just plain fun.
The script is twisty and turny.
The acting is top notch.
The pacing is excellent.
Out of all the old Hollywood movies, I recommend this one the most.
A brilliant ending with a great musical score.
This movie is easily in my top twenty any time.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!
June 24, 2008
| | | True Classic! | |
This timeless mystery spoof is comedic genius. True all star cast.
December 21, 2007
| | | A full rounded comedy to watch! | |
This sardonic black comedy begins when the best five detectives of the world are invited apparently for a dinner by an eccentric millionaire Lionel Twain (Truman Capote) with just a purpose: to demonstrate to all of them he is the number one; announcing that exactly at midnight there will be murder.
But the entire script is filled of funny and smart observations. Peter Sellers play the role of Wang - steals the show- (the famous detective) , Alec Guinness is the blind butler, Peter Falk is absorbing as the vulgar Sam Diamond (in a visible parody of Bogart in Casablanca), David Niven (Dick Charleston) and Maggie Smith make a real tour de force with this intelligent satire in which we will watch to Wang, Sherlock Holmes, Columbus, Hercules Poirot, and Mrs. Marble.
A true and brilliant comedy, and one of the three highest peaks of the genre in this decade (The prisoner of the Second avenue and Love and Death would be the other two, to my mind).
December 15, 2007
| | | So good | |
it is aiso so hard to find
it is jest one of the best October 21, 2007
| | | Still a great film | |
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