Murder By Death

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Watched it for the first time last night. I really enjoyed it for the most part, but felt it ended abruptly. Like it was missing something. Peter Sellers was fantastic as always and seeing Alec Guinness play the butler was cool. I actually think Clue might be a better overall movie.

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I love that movie. So many great actors in it....Alec Guinness, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Peter Sellers, Elsa Lanchester, etc.

My favorite line was when the Mrs. Marbles said "I smell gas" and the nurse said "I can't help it, I'm old."

I'm in my early 30s and nobody I know has ever even heard of this movie, much less seen it. My parents recroded it off the TV on VHS waaaaay back when I was a kid and I wore that thing out. I didn't even undersatnd the parallels between the characters and the real life detectives of the era they were portraying, I just thought it was a funny movie. Haven't thought about it in years, may need to give it another go. Is it on netflix?

I much prefer Clue

If you like Murder By Death, check out The Cheap Detective.

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If you like Murder By Death, check out The Cheap Detective.

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Thanks. I might check it out.

Update: damn, another impressive cast! I have to find this movie.

Murder By Death and Clue are both fantastic movies.

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I love that movie. So many great actors in it....Alec Guinness, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Peter Sellers, Elsa Lanchester, etc.

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Very underachieving movie for that cast.

"Pop, why do you make me do all the work?"
"Because your mother's not here."

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No.

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The subtle but great thing about Murder By Death is the absolutely brilliant performance by Capote. Not a professional actor and playing, essentially, a version of himself, his comic timing was impeccable. Not sure how many extra takes because of his inexperience, but probably well worth it for the final product.

The legendary Estelle Winwood (the old nurse) was already in her 90s then and lived to be 101. She had an 80-year acting career on stages, screen and television. Capote would actually include Winwood as a character under her actual name in his unfinished novel, Answered Prayers. Even though she would continue to work as an actor (including American television), Murder by Death was her final feature film role.