The Spoils Before Dying

I'm not sure how this film can be considered without referencing the 1959 John Cassavetes television vehicle Johnny Staccato. It was 30 minute episodes featuring Cassavetes as, yes, a jazz pianist who also did private detective work. Both Johnny Staccato and The Spoils Before Dying draw from a long history of writing from Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett among others as well as the film adaptations that became the hardboiled detective branch of film noir. Humor was always present in these books and films. Behavior and phrases were over-the-top even at the time. This added levity to balance the violence. This film continues in this tradition.