Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)

Film noir parody with a detective uncovering a sinister plot. Characters from real noirs appear as scenes from various films are intercut.

Director:

Carl Reiner

Writers:

Carl Reiner, George Gipe

Stars:

Steve Martin, Rachel Ward, Alan Ladd

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Martin	...	Rigby Reardon
Rachel Ward	...	Juliet Forrest
Alan Ladd	...	The Exterminator (archive footage)
Carl Reiner	...	Field Marshall VonKluck
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Leona Hastings-Forrest (archive footage)
Ray Milland	...	Sam Hastings (in 'Lost Weekend') (archive footage)
Ava Gardner	...	Kitty Collins (archive footage)
Burt Lancaster	...	Swede Anderson (archive footage)
Humphrey Bogart	...	Phillip Marlowe (archive footage)
Cary Grant	...	'Handsome' (in 'Suspicion') (archive footage)
Ingrid Bergman	...	F.X. Huberman (archive footage)
Veronica Lake	...	Monica Stillpond (archive footage)
Bette Davis	...	Doris Davermont (archive footage)
Lana Turner	...	Jimmi-Sue Altfeld (archive footage)
Edward Arnold	...	Altfeld (archive footage)

Storyline

Juliet Forrest is convinced that the reported death of her father in a mountain car crash was no accident. Her father was a prominent cheese scientist working on a secret recipe. To prove it was murder, she enlists the services of private eye Rigby Reardon. He finds a slip of paper containing a list of people who are "The Friends and Enemies of Carlotta." Searching for answers, Rigby encounters assorted low-lifes: dangerous men and women who were the hallmarks of the classic detective movies of the 40's and 50's. Filming in black and white allows scenes from old movies to be cut into this film. It is through this process that Rigby's assistant is none other than Philip Marlowe himself.

---

Plot Keywords:

20th century | woman | weapon | revolver | prison | 

---

Taglines:

Laugh... or I'll blow your lips off!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 May 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dead Men Wear No Plaid

Filming Locations:

Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,289,601, 23 May 1982, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$18,197,170

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aspen Film Society, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film cast includes nine Oscar winners: Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, Edmond O'Brien, James Cagney, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Burt Lancaster, Charles Laughton and Ray Milland; and six Oscar nominees: Brian Donlevy, Kirk Douglas, Ava Gardner, Barbara Stanwyck, Lana Turner and Cary Grant.

---

Goofs

The movie is set in 1946 but the small revolver that Rigby grabs out of Vincent Price's waistband in the bed fight scene towards the end of the movie is a nickel plated Smith and Wesson model 36 which did not go into production until 1950.

---

Quotes

[In Rigby's office]
Juliet Forrest: If you need me, just call. You know how to dial, don't you? You just put your finger in the hole and make tiny little circles.

---

Crazy Credits

There is a spelling mistake with the Composer. In the credits at the beginning he is spelled: Miklos Rosza. In the credits after the end he is spelled correct: Miklos Rozsa.

---

Connections

Spoofs Double Indemnity (1944)

---

Soundtracks

Dead Men's Bolero
Music by Miklós Rózsa
Lyrics by Steve Goodman

User Reviews

Quilted Noir Parody

I feel like I'm committing sacrilege to admit I enjoy this film especially since I'm a huge Film Noir aficionado. Purists might be shocked to see classics cannibalized for a comedy of all things but I feel there is also a reverence angle that can be introduced to the argument. It also can intensify exposure to a larger mass audience and thus promoting growth. The issue for me however is that Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid is one very funny film.

With the best faux authenticity (another sterling effort by Michael Chapman) blending of its day Steve Martin in on spot comic dead pan mixes with the greats of American cinema in a cleverly devised parody on film noir . As private eye Rigby Reardon he crosses paths with an hysterical Barbara Stanwyck and a homicidal Alan Ladd among a dozen other stars of bygone era. The plot has a Big Sleep similarity and is just as confusing which allows Martin and director Alan Reiner to create a steady jigsaw puzzle of laughs with a fresh original approach. It slows at times with the present day cast but when the stars are out the film becomes capable of inducing parody and awe at the same time.