Murder in a Small Town

Not being a Gene Wilder fan, the memory of Haunted Honeymoon being too fresh, I almost didn't watch this one. Glad, glad, double glad I did. The whole thing smacked of the 30's with all the hairstyles, props and settings, and all the well preserved cars. An excellent whodunnit that had me guessing all the way. The killer was suspicious, but I never....

It's been a long time since I have seen old Gene on the screen (couldn't resist). Gene Wilder's Murder is a class act all the way. Interesting characters, good mystery, overall very nice. The third act of the movie did feel hurried. I think it was less than 15 minutes (screen time) from second murder to conclusion. I also get the feeling that this was a prep for a series of movies. Some of the characters were given strong introductions only to disappear (like the daughter) and others were a little weak overall (Gene's girlfriend). I hope that they do more movies with these characters. I wouldn't mind revisiting the material.

Set in the mid-1930's, this excellent diversion avoids the pitfalls of many films portrayed in this period by combining excellent atmosphere and impeccable art and set direction! This reminded me of the beloved 'Thin Man' series, in that a character who is NOT a law enforcement professional (indeed, Wilder's character is a stage director) assists the police in a murder investigation. This was consistently surprising, and had a way of making those old cliches work again! I HOPE this is the beginning of a series of films with this character! Gene Wilder has been under-utilized for far too long!! AND, the always excellent Mike Starr even gets a chance to display his operatic chops! Starr, one of the best character actors working today, was said to have designs on a career in opera before making his niche in Hollywood! He gets a surprising chance to demonstrate how talented he is in that area!!

This is a delightful well executed period murder mystery. The suspects are developed in the traditional manner early in the movie. The interaction between the detective and a drama producer is done with understated humor. There is in fact a lot of between-the-lines humor which Gene Wilder plays off in a brilliant manner. It is great to see Wilder in a role such as this, contrasting with his more over-the-top style of comedy acting in his early films. So what is there not to like in a well written story, well acted and with an evocative 1930's setting?

In a mostly straight role, with only occasional moments of humor, Gene Wilder is surprisingly good; his warm and insightful theatrical director/amateur sleuth is like a more humane Hercules Poirot. The film is well-cast right down the line and has a reasonably intricate plot, but it suffers from the usual limitations of most TV productions, including bland cinematography and slow pacing. Enjoyable overall, but mediocre. (**1/2)