Murder by Death
1976  PG  COMEDY  1h 34min
CAST— Peter Sellers, Peter Falk, David Niven, Maggie Smith, James Coco, Alec Guinness, Elsa Lanchester, Eileen Brennan, Nancy Walker, Estelle Winwood, Truman Capote
MUSIC— Dave Grusin  DIRECTOR— Robert Moore

     A terrific ensemble cast provides the laughs in this mystery comedy. Truman Capote plays a reclusive genius planning a dinner party… and a murder. His guest list is very exclusive; he invites the five foremost detectives in the world (hilarious impressions of some of the greatest detectives of fiction). When this conclave of brilliant minds gather their host lays it all out: before the stroke of midnight someone at their very table will be murdered… and one of them is the killer. After the victim is, well, victimized the detectives go into action, gathering clues and puzzling out the mess before them. This spoof of famous minds hits a bulls eye. The characters themselves are a treat; nods are given to Charlie Chan, Nick and Nora Charles, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and Sam Spade. Instead of merely one dimensional caricatures, the characters are infused with life, wannabes who pay homage to their source material. Who says murder can’t be funny?
OUR RATING— ***