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IMDbPro

Murder by Death

  • 1976
  • PG
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
40K
YOUR RATING
Murder by Death (1976)
Trailer 1
Play trailer3:14
3 Videos
68 Photos
ComedyCrimeMystery

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.

  • Director
    • Robert Moore
  • Writer
    • Neil Simon
  • Stars
    • Peter Falk
    • Alec Guinness
    • Peter Sellers
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    40K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Robert Moore
    • Writer
      • Neil Simon
    • Stars
      • Peter Falk
      • Alec Guinness
      • Peter Sellers
    • 219User reviews
    • 65Critic reviews
    • 62Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations

    Videos3

    Murder by Death
    Trailer 3:14
    Watch Murder by Death
    Murder by Death
    Trailer 3:08
    Watch Murder by Death
    Murder By Death: Mushroom Story
    Clip 0:46
    Watch Murder By Death: Mushroom Story

    Photos68

    Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, Elsa Lanchester, and James Coco in Murder by Death (1976)
    Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, and Richard Narita in Murder by Death (1976)
    "Murder by Death," Peter Sellers 1976 Columbia
    "Murder by Death," Peter Falk 1976 Columbia
    "Murder by Death," Truman Capote 1976 Columbia
    "Murder by Death," Peter Sellers 1976 Columbia
    "Murder by Death," Maggie Smith 1976 Columbia
    "Murder By Death," Alec Guinness. 1976 /Columbia
    Peter Sellers, Peter Falk,  MURDER BY DEATH, Columbia, 1976, I.V.
    "Murder by Death," Truman Capote 1976 Columbia
    "Murder by Death," Truman Capote 1976 Columbia
    Murder by Death (1976)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Peter Falk
    Peter Falk
    • Sam Diamond
    Alec Guinness
    Alec Guinness
    • Bensonmum
    Peter Sellers
    Peter Sellers
    • Sidney Wang
    Eileen Brennan
    Eileen Brennan
    • Tess Skeffington
    Truman Capote
    Truman Capote
    • Lionel Twain
    James Coco
    James Coco
    • Milo Perrier
    Elsa Lanchester
    Elsa Lanchester
    • Jessica Marbles
    David Niven
    David Niven
    • Dick Charleston
    Maggie Smith
    Maggie Smith
    • Dora Charleston
    Nancy Walker
    Nancy Walker
    • Maid
    Estelle Winwood
    Estelle Winwood
    • Nurse
    James Cromwell
    James Cromwell
    • Marcel
    Richard Narita
    Richard Narita
    • Willie Wang
    Myron
    • Myron the Dog
    • (uncredited)
    Fay Wray
    Fay Wray
    • Screaming Door Bell
    • (archive sound)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Robert Moore
    • Writer
      • Neil Simon
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The 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 credits
      Opening credits: Starring (In Diabolical Order)
    • Alternate versions
      The 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."
    • Connections
      Featured in The 52nd Annual Academy Awards (1980)

    User reviews219

    Review
    Review
    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•56
    15
    • fx_gent
    • Jun 13, 2004

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    FAQ1

    • Whom are the characters based upon?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 23, 1976 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Sony Movie Channel (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Neil Simon's Murder by Death
    • Filming locations
      • Oakley Court, Windsor Road, Oakley Green, Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Rastar Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $38,200
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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