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 | falling chandelier | 

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Taglines:

The movie that makes a scene of the crime.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

When he was originally contacted by the crew for a part in this movie, Martin Mull thought he would be up for the role of Mr. Green. He would end up playing Colonel Mustard.

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Goofs

The film-makers used the same clip of Miss Scarlet's scream in the kitchen twice. The second time is during Wadsworth's explanation. Both times, when Miss Scarlet is screaming, she is holding a lighted cigarette in her hand. The first time, Miss Scarlet had been smoking. During Wadsworth's explanation, she wasn't.

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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

Three different endings exist for this movie, each with a different person being the killer. In theaters, only one of the endings was shown. Television and rental versions include all of the endings.

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Connections

References The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

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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

Fantastic performances salvage a standard whodunnit

I've been annoyed at most of the bad reviews I read of this movie, because none of them understand what it's all about. It's true; the script is not actually that great. What makes it great is how everything is delivered. The cast is fantastic in playing each part as a cliché, even when the lines are far from it. Curry plays the role with so much ham that it's understood why the script is like this. This is a play, not a movie. I can understand not being in the mood for this film. But I can't understand not appreciating these fantastic performances. Another person pointed out that this film needs to be seen in widescreen. This is correct-the movie reaches another level of greatness by seeing it in proper aspect-ratio. And I've never seen Colleen Camp looking this fantastic.

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