Clue (1985)

Six guests are anonymously invited to a strange mansion for dinner, but after their host is killed, they must cooperate with the staff to identify the murderer as the bodies pile up.

Director:

Jonathan Lynn

Writers:

John Landis (story), Jonathan Lynn (story)

Stars:

Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eileen Brennan	...	Mrs. Peacock
Tim Curry	...	Wadsworth
Madeline Kahn	...	Mrs. White
Christopher Lloyd	...	Professor Plum
Michael McKean	...	Mr. Green
Martin Mull	...	Colonel Mustard
Lesley Ann Warren	...	Miss Scarlet
Colleen Camp	...	Yvette
Lee Ving	...	Mr. Boddy
Bill Henderson	...	The Cop
Jane Wiedlin	...	The Singing Telegram Girl
Jeffrey Kramer	...	The Motorist
Kellye Nakahara	...	The Cook
Will Nye	...	Cop #1
Rick Goldman	...	Cop #2

Storyline

This is a movie about seven guests, a butler, and a maid, who are all involved in a series of murders. The guests all meet at Hill House, where you learn that Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd) works in Washington, D.C., where everyone else lives. Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull) is a client of Miss Scarlet (Lesley Anne Warren), who is the ex-employer of Yvette (Colleen Camp), the maid, who had an affair with the husband of Mrs. White (Madeline Khan), et cetera. Blackmailer Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving) gives each guest a weapon and tells him or her to kill butler Wadsworth (Tim Curry) to avoid being exposed. Add in Mrs. Peacock's (Eileen Brennan's) craziness and Mr. Green's (Michael McKean's) clumsiness, and meet a whole group tangled in a web of murder, lies, and hilarity.

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Plot Keywords:

whodunit | based on board game | mystery killer | multiple endings | dog | 

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Taglines:

Seven Suspects, Six Weapons, Five Bodies and Three Endings.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an example of attention to detail, the secret passages in this movie lead to the same rooms they do in the board game: the kitchen leads to the study and the conservatory leads to the lounge.

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Goofs

When Professor Plum checks Mr. Boddy's body in the study, the lead pipe alternates from being in Mr. Green's right hand, to not being there.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Wadsworth: Is everything ready?
Yvette: Oui, Monsieur.
Wadsworth: You have your, um, instructions.

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Crazy Credits

The end credits begin with "Clue" game cards that are flipped over to reveal pictures of the main characters and the names of the actors that played them.

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Alternate Versions

There is a very large cut in the film when aired on Comedy Central and the Fox Family Network. When Green and Yvette stand at the bottom of the stairs and decide who is to go first, there are a number of scenes showing the other guests looking throughout the house before going back to Yvette and Green, where she says "Go on! I'll be right behind you!" This is how it is found in the theatrical version. On the television version, the scene of the two deciding who is to go first and the the "Go on!" scene are joined together, making one scene. All of the scenes in between are edited out. Also edited out is a scene of Scarlet and Mustard in the Billiard room, and a shot where Mrs White is in a darkened room saying "Are you in here? I'm coming"

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Connections

Referenced in The Calling (2014)

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Soundtracks

Shake, Rattle and Roll
By Charles F. Calhoun (as C. Calhoun)
Performed by Bill Haley and the Comets (uncredited)

User Reviews

The popular board game comes alive in this hilarious comedy!

Clue" (the movie), features just about every great comedy actor of the day. From Leslie Ann Warren to Michael McKean to Eileen Brennan to Howard Hessman to the priceless Tim Curry, they're all here! -- If you are familiar with the board game, just picture a film version of the search for "whodunit". This laugh-a-minute fun fest is loaded with outrageous, silly slapstick, superbly acted out by the great cast.

You'll be amazed at how many of the lines and gags get stuck in your head. I'll never be able to forget the flustered looks of Mrs. Peacock, the wit and charm of Wadsworth or the subtle facial expressions of Mrs. White. The picture in this WIDE SCREEN VERSION is the best yet of this film since it's initial release.

The soundtrack is kept in it's original mono, still I'd greatly enjoy hearing a stero or, even better, a surround sound version in the future. Now you have the option of really not knowing who did it until the final scenes play bringing surprise into the untold repeat viewings that are sure to occur.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

13 December 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Clue: The Movie

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,014,166, 15 December 1985

Gross USA:

$14,643,997

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,643,997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, The Guber-Peters Company, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1