Five famous literary detective characters and their sidekicks are invited to a bizarre mansion to solve an even stranger mystery.Five famous literary detective characters and their sidekicks are invited to a bizarre mansion to solve an even stranger mystery.Five famous literary detective characters and their sidekicks are invited to a bizarre mansion to solve an even stranger mystery.
- Awards
- 3 nominations
Myron
- Myron the Dog
- (uncredited)
Fay Wray
- Screaming Door Bell
- (archive sound)
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe screaming woman sound used as a doorbell is Fay Wray's screams from King Kong (1933). Her unique scream has made her known as the "Scream Queen" of movies.
- Goofs(at around 1h 14 mins) Milo Perrier tells Sam Diamond, "I'm not a Frenchy... I'm a Belgie", referring to the fact he is from Belgium and not France. However, in discussing Twain's annual poodle hunt in France, he implies that's his home country, and later he says, referring to himself, that you should "never underestimate a Frenchman's nostrils."
- Quotes
Sam Diamond: Locked, from the inside. That can only mean one thing. And I don't know what it is.
- Crazy creditsOpening credits: Starring (In Diabolical Order)
- Alternate versionsThe original ABC Network broadcast of the film contained four additional scenes not found in the theatrical or DVD version. 1. Jessica Marbles' taxi driver (played by Peter Sellers) requests a large fare. 2. Dick and Dora Charleston narrowly avoid running over Tess Skeffington, who is walking back to Sam Diamond's car from a service station because she and Sam ran out of gas. Satisfied that Tess is all right, the Charlestons simply drive off, leaving her there. 3. When Willie Wang covers up the body of Twain, he finds a note in Twain's hand and smugly announces this to the others. 4. As the detectives drive away from Twain's house at the end of the film, Inspector Wang and Willie pass another car carrying Sherlock Holmes (Keith McConnell) and Dr. Watson (Richard Peel) heading towards the Twain home. When Willie asks his father "Why didn't you warn them?" Wang replies "Let idiots find out for themselves."
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 52nd Annual Academy Awards (1980)
Featured review
Great Comic Ensemble Piece
This movie is a wonderful example of what you can achieve when you combine a great script with a fantastic cast. It is one of the great comic ensemble films, ranking up there along with Its a Mad, Mad, Mad World and Clue. I have loved this film since I first saw it back in the 70s and still find it just as funny today. I had hoped for sometime that a special DVD would be released to mark this film and allow us to know more about how it was made and hear comments from the surviving cast. Sadly, the DVD does have a great interview with Neil Simon, but nothing else. I was also disappointed to see absent missing scenes, especially the one showing Sherlock Holmes showing up at the end. Still, it was great to retire my dogeared video tape.
helpful•5615
- fx_gent
- Jun 13, 2004
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Neil Simon's Murder by Death
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $38,200
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