Murder by Death (1976)

Five famous literary detective characters and their sidekicks are invited to a bizarre mansion to solve an even stranger mystery.

Director:

Robert Moore

Writer:

Neil Simon

Stars:

Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Eileen Brennan	...	Tess Skeffington
Truman Capote	...	Lionel Twain
James Coco	...	Milo Perrier
Peter Falk	...	Sam Diamond
Alec Guinness	...	Bensonmum
Elsa Lanchester	...	Jessica Marbles
David Niven	...	Dick Charleston
Peter Sellers	...	Sidney Wang
Maggie Smith	...	Dora Charleston
Nancy Walker	...	Maid
Estelle Winwood	...	Nurse
James Cromwell	...	Marcel
Richard Narita	...	Willie Wang

Storyline

Despite not knowing him, the world's most famous detectives can't pass up the offer of a "dinner and murder" invitation from wealthy Lionel Twain. Each has no idea until their arrival at Two Two Twain who else will be in attendance. Those detectives are: amateur sleuths and New York socialites Dick and Dora Charleston, accompanied by their pet terrier, Myron; Belgian detective Monsieur Milo Perrier, accompanied by his chauffeur, Marcel; Shanghainese Inspector Sidney Wang, accompanied by his Japanese adopted son, Willie Wang; frumpish Brit Miss Jessica Marbles, accompanied by her invalid nurse, Miss Withers; and San Francisco gumshoe Sam Diamond, accompanied by his femme fatale sidekick, Tess Skeffington. The dinner part of the invitation runs into problems due to the non-communication between Twain's blind butler, Jamesir Bensonmum, and Twain's new deaf-mute and non-Anglophone cook, Yetta. On the murder side, the guests initially believe Twain will try to kill each of them. However, ...

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Plot Keywords:

murder | detective | mansion | dinner party | one night | 

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Taglines:

By the time the world's greatest detectives figure out whodunnit... you could die laughing!

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Genres:

Comedy | Mystery | Thriller | Crime

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 June 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Neil Simon's Murder by Death

Filming Locations:

Oakley Court, Windsor Road, Oakley Green, Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$32,511,047, 31 December 1976

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$33,453,202

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation,Rastar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was one of a number of pictures, mostly comedies, made and released between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s, that revived the old dark house mansion movie. These films include: The Spiral Staircase (1975), Neil Simon's Murder by Death (1976), The Cat and the Canary (1978), The Private Eyes (1980), House of the Long Shadows (1983), Kenny Everett's Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984), Clue (1985), and Haunted Honeymoon (1986).

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Goofs

At one point in the dining room Milo Perrier is referred to as Marcel Perrier. Marcel is Milo Perrier's chauffer.

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Quotes

Sidney Wang: Did you see that?
Willie Wang: No.
Sidney Wang: Neither did I.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits: Starring (In Diabolical Order)

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Connections

Spoofs The Thin Man (1934)

User Reviews

Silly Films

I will make myself out to be a lover of films with absolutely no point, i especially love this film. The cast alone should make this a film on everyones watch list, never before has so much quality been brought together on one screen. Peter Sellars, at the height of his comic brilliance. Sir Alec Guiness, brilliant in any role, a credit to English acting, possibly the greatest ever actor. David Niven is a brilliant actor, then there are the other roles filletted out with the likes of Dame Maggie Smith, James Coco, Peter Falk, i could go on but i am running out of superlatives to describe the talent on view.

The film itself is a pastiche of great detectives brought together to prove, who is the greatest? Added to the good script the talent of the actors, i am surprised the IMDb has rated this film so low, but i must accept that there are people on this earth, though inferior to me who are allowed to vote.

Watch it, it is worth it.