Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR
PLAIDÂ (PG)
D: Carl Reiner
Universal (David V. Picker & William E.
McEuen)
USA 🇺🇸 1982
89 mins
Comedy/Crime
W: George Gipe, Steve Martin & Carl
Reiner        Â
DP:Â Michael Chapman
Ed: Bud Golin
Mus: Miklos Rozsa
PD: John de Cuir
Cos: Edith Head
Steve Martin (Rigby Reardon), Rachel Ward
(Juliet Forrest), Carl Reiner (Field Marshal Von Gluck), George Gaynes (Dr. Forrest)
Both a spoof and homage to film noir of the
1940's and 50's, with Steve Martin playing a private eye who, through marvellous editing, acts alongside Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Barbara Stanwyck, Ingrid Bergman and many
others, intercut into the comedy using footage from screen classics such as Double Indemnity, Suspicion, The Killers, etc.
The story and script, following Steve Martin's
investigator on a missing persons case, isn't quite good enough on its own two feet, but the selection of lines from the golden oldies borders on genius.
Steve Martin fans should enjoy it and most
certainly would fans of the original movies which are being sent up.
6/10
