The Cheap Detective

This movie by Neil Simon is a parody of the 1940 era Bogart movies. There are so many stars in this movie, well it's just amazing. Peter Faulk plays the detective surrounded by all the fem-fatales such as Marsha Mason, Stockard Channing, Madeline Kahn among others and who wouldn't like an entire movie if it were Ann Margret in her prime as she is here. Wow! Add Sid Caesar, John Huston, Dom Deluise, James Coco and others. Who wouldn't laugh at someone from the French underground who was shot during the war and has been bleeding for 25 years, but it was so long ago he has forgotten where he was shot. There is so much going on in this movie that it's almost impossible to summarize it in a few words. There are plots and sub-plots and more plots, but it all gets tied up/finished by the end of the movie. I have watched this movie many, many times and I never get tired of it. I bought this copy for a special friend who needed to be cheered up. It worked wonders!

For the most part this film did not stand up to the test of time. Still, there are some great moments for the generation that grew up in the 70s and 80s. Old faces that became famous than faded will appear and Delight you. The jokes are still pretty funny and the performances are as hokey as ever. I doubt anyone born after 1990 would get even half the references.

This film has such a wonderful blend of spoof and satire. Peter Falk leads an all-star cast of 70s who's whos, including Dom Deluise, Paul Williams, Madeline Khan, David Ogden-Stiers, and many many more. Fans of "Murder by Death" will love this film. I discovered this film in a free VHS pile, and had to get it on DVD, so it would last longer.This film is difficult to compare to similar genre romps like "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" or others. Later spoof films, like the "Scary Movie" franchise have a lot to owe to this film and its kin, even though I feel they pale in comparison, due to the inclusion of sophomoric humor in spoofs of late. This film is appropriate for the whole family, and a treat for any fan of gumshoe detective stories, film noir, and carry-on movies (i.e. Casablanca).

A stellar cast and exceptional production values makes this film a gem. Peter Falk is flawless and the humor is still as effective today as when the film was made.

I finally bought my own copy of this classic comedy. If you like Mel Brooks movies or Murder By Death, this is the same genre. A laugh a minute, full of great comedy stars (and some not known for comedy) and one liners one after the other. Younger viewers who are not familiar with the classics Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, etc might have a hard time getting the jokes. For those who know them and don't mind them being poked fun at, you will love this movie. Great fun.

This lost little gem is a fun send up of the noir film style. Peter Falk does a pretty good Bogart among a huge cast of many of my favorite character comedians from the '70s era; many of which were also in Neil Simon's Murder By Death.Being a big fan of Madeline Kahn, I had to see it and share it with my friends. Some surprises included Abe Vigoda in a bit part as a cop and Paul Williams.

Laughed so hard nearly fell off the sofa! Lots of one-liners, watch it more than once to catch them all, the movie gets funnier with every watch.

If ever a movie should have been funny, this is it. Neil Simon, Peter Faulk , the entire Simon Acting troop, and but for the delivery, what could have been very funny lines. It should be a laugh riot. Couldda shoudda... ain'tPlot, to the degree we have one is a pastiche of scenes made by mashing up The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca, a scene from China Town and some others I missed. The point being: have fun with great moments from Humphery Bogart and other now standard hard boiled private eye movies. The movie is more like a series of sketch pieces built around the theme of detective movie cliches. This is not a bad premise, in this execution it is not funny.Peter Faulk is one of the great straight men comedians. It was his ability to be dead pan that made his Colombo character so much fun. Unfortunately the director made everybody play their role in deadpan. So a dead pan movie.The homage comedie to China Town seemed out of place in this movie. Except that in it we get to enjoy the Great Cid Ceasar (held to a virtually non speaking role by the writer/director) play it up in collaboration with Ann Margret. This was the most humorous sketch piece in the flick. Alternately the Vie En Rose hum and hum along - painful to watch.Phil Silvers was a great comedian. He has a tiny role in the original Chicago ( Roxie Hart ), and stole nearly his every scene. Yet here his presence is wasted.Comedy relies on timing. When everyone is acting as the straight man; when the direction requires everyone to play it down; there is no snap no crackle, the lines fail to be funny. The Leslie Nielsen, and ensemble cast, Airplane/Naked Gun movies, silly as they are work because the timing is better and the directing is less constricting.There are reasons to have this in your collection. Perhaps tied to your goal of having everything by any one of the may film greats in this movie. But for this kind of movie there are many better choices.

stellar cast,witty script and so many parodies of old classic film noirs you can play along at home and add them up!for me madeline khan and eileen brennan (playing chanteuse betty la boop)are just two of the highlites in this very funny movie.neil simons plays can be a bit hit and miss when put on a screen but this is my favourite.highly recommended

Announced as a sequel to the truly hilarious "Murder by Death", this movie was really quite disappointing: Really not at all entertaining! Buy something else!

quite a comedy with the two famous films mixed togetherlaughs galore with top rate stars and comedic momentswell worth the money spent

Excellent item.

Amateurs of 2nd degree humour, throw yourselves on this classic of classics. I was told to get it after I watched "Murder by Death" (where I almost died laughing), well this is to be classed in the same category.It's always a good laugh when people have a good sense of auto-derision. Well Peter Falk plays the role to perfection! And the rest of the cast is real world-class.