Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

A Masterpiece of Murder

  • TV Movie
  • 19861986
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
138
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
A Masterpiece of Murder (1986)
  • Comedy
  • Mystery
An over-the-hill gumshoe reluctantly teams with worldly retired master thief to solve a string of art thefts and murders.An over-the-hill gumshoe reluctantly teams with worldly retired master thief to solve a string of art thefts and murders.An over-the-hill gumshoe reluctantly teams with worldly retired master thief to solve a string of art thefts and murders.
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
138
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Charles S. Dubin
  • Writers
    • Andrew J. Fenady(teleplay by)
    • Terry Nation(teleplay by)
  • Stars
    • Bob Hope
    • Don Ameche
    • Jayne Meadows
Top credits
  • Director
    • Charles S. Dubin
  • Writers
    • Andrew J. Fenady(teleplay by)
    • Terry Nation(teleplay by)
  • Stars
    • Bob Hope
    • Don Ameche
    • Jayne Meadows
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Frank Ferrucci in A Masterpiece of Murder (1986)
    Don Ameche, Bob Hope, Stella Stevens, Anne Francis, Jayne Meadows, and Frank Gorshin in A Masterpiece of Murder (1986)
    A Masterpiece of Murder (1986)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bob Hope
    Bob Hope
    • Dan Dolanas Dan Dolan
    Don Ameche
    Don Ameche
    • Frank Aherneas Frank Aherne
    Jayne Meadows
    Jayne Meadows
    • Matilda Husseyas Matilda Hussey
    Claudia Christian
    Claudia Christian
    • Julia Forsytheas Julia Forsythe
    Yvonne De Carlo
    Yvonne De Carlo
    • Mrs. Murphyas Mrs. Murphy
    Anne Francis
    Anne Francis
    • Ruth Beekmanas Ruth Beekman
    • (as Anne Lloyd Francis)
    Frank Gorshin
    Frank Gorshin
    • Pierre Rudinas Pierre Rudin
    Steven Keats
    Steven Keats
    • Lt. Simon Waxas Lt. Simon Wax
    Kevin McCarthy
    Kevin McCarthy
    • Jonathan Hireas Jonathan Hire
    Anita Morris
    Anita Morris
    • Lola Craneas Lola Crane
    Clive Revill
    Clive Revill
    • Vincent Faunceas Vincent Faunce
    Stella Stevens
    Stella Stevens
    • Della Vanceas Della Vance…
    Jamie Farr
    Jamie Farr
    • Selfas Self
    Penny Baker
    • Christine Manningas Christine Manning
    Peter Palmer
    Peter Palmer
    • Bronsonas Bronson
    Eddie Ryder
    • Jerry Pageas Jerry Page
    Louise Sorel
    Louise Sorel
    • Louiseas Louise
    Joseph Della Sorte
    • Ugarti Van Meeras Ugarti Van Meer
    • Director
      • Charles S. Dubin
    • Writers
      • Andrew J. Fenady(teleplay by) (story by)
      • Terry Nation(teleplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Murder by Natural Causes
    7.6
    Murder by Natural Causes
    Internes Can't Take Money
    6.9
    Internes Can't Take Money
    That Little Monster
    5.6
    That Little Monster
    Cancel My Reservation
    4.9
    Cancel My Reservation
    The Judge and Jake Wyler
    6.8
    The Judge and Jake Wyler
    Along Came a Spider
    6.4
    Along Came a Spider
    I'll Take Sweden
    5.3
    I'll Take Sweden
    Shadow Over Elveron
    6.7
    Shadow Over Elveron
    How to Commit Marriage
    5.3
    How to Commit Marriage
    The Cradle Will Fall
    5.0
    The Cradle Will Fall
    A Man Could Get Killed
    5.9
    A Man Could Get Killed
    Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came
    5.5
    Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came

    Storyline

    Edit
    An over-the-hill gumshoe reluctantly teams with worldly retired master thief to solve a string of art thefts and murders. —Anonymous
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Mystery
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This was the only made-for-TV movie that Bob Hope ever made.
    • Goofs
      In one of the early chases, the Rolls Royce is "damaged". When Hope and Ameche leave a restaurant the damage is still apparent. In the next scene the damage is gone, and yet in subsequent scenes the "damage" is again visible.
    • Quotes

      Jonathan Hire: I'm throwing a big bash for my 65th birthday.

      Dan Dolan: Well happy birthday. Ten more years and you can run for President!

      Jonathan Hire: Stop clowning.

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    4/10
    Hope gets A+ for effort but he's the only one who forgot to act!
    As long as the material is not objectionable, film fans would rather their favorites continue to make a film or 2 no matter how bad they are.When you're used to seeing them for so many years, you miss them if they give up, and that's one thing Bob Hope never did! Unfortunately he had only one major film role in 16 years before Masterpiece of Murder, and that was in 1972. His other work of course was TV in which he was always active. And because of that, this 1986 movie suffered because he was just so used to his rapid fire quips which didn't require any real acting that in the movie he didn't act. The rest of the cast, in particular his co-star Don Ameche(who stayed active in films)came off very well in the acting department. The story is interesting too, it's just Bob that makes the movie poor overall. There are some isolated moments that are OK, but it just remains a curiosity piece. It must have been frustrating for Hope, though, and yet it shows that persistence pays off. After Cancel My Reservation(1972) Bob was going to co-star with Bing Crosby in The Road to the Fountain of Youth. Then it was shelved of course because of Crosby's death. Then there was the cameo only in The Muppet Movie(1979). Next was going to be the film Menage a Trois with David Niven, but that was cancelled. After that, The Walter Winchell Story was announced. Hope said he had to put on some wait for the role. Then that was cancelled as well. Then there was going to be a TV biography feature. Cancelled! Only another cameo was available with Spies Like Us(1985). He probably thought Masterpiece of Murder would never be completed either! This movie(which seems to have gotten only one late night repeat showing)shouldn't be looked on as a failure, but as an accomplishment of Mr. Hope's to star in ONE MORE MOVIE!
    helpful•9
    5
    • Gblakelii
    • Nov 19, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 27, 1986 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • A Nice, Pleasant, Deadly Weekend
    • Filming locations
      • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • 20th Century Fox Television
      • Andrew J. Fenady Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.