O Detetive Desastrado

Taking off on classics like CASABLANCA and THE MALTESE FALCON, this is a clever and fast-paced satire that prefigures the kind of take-offs that would soon follow with films such as AIRPLANE.

You can enjoy the sheer silliness of the film even if you don't know the films it is imitating, but if you are familiar with the originals, this comedy will be even more delicious.

The Cheap Detective is a 1978 American satirical comedy film written by Neil Simon and directed by Robert Moore as a follow-up to their successful Murder by Death (Columbia, 1976).

It stars Peter Falk as Lou Peckinpaugh, a detective in the Humphrey Bogart mold. The film is an affectionate parody of Bogart movies such as Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon.

The ensemble cast includes Madeline Kahn, Louise Fletcher, Ann- Margret, Eileen Brennan, Stockard Channing, Marsha Mason, Sid Caesar, John Houseman, Dom DeLuise, Abe Vigoda, James Coco, Phil Silvers, Fernando Lamas, Nicol Williamson, Scatman Crothers, Vic Tayback and Paul Williams.

Lou Peckinpaugh (Peter Falk), a bumbling San Francisco private detective, tries to prove himself innocent of his partner's murder while helping a bizarre array of characters recover a lost treasure. The film spoofs Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, Chinatown, and To Have and Have Not. The scene in the restaurant with Peckinpaugh and Pepe Damascus mocks the opening scene of The Big Sleep

The all star cast delivers and milks the screenplay for every laugh it has. There is no bad cast member in this film. If you love old Warner Brothers films of the 1949's then you will love this film.

If you do not know old movies then this film is not for you.

Neil Simon's movies always shine with his marvelous talent. The spoofs of Humphrey Bogart, his movies and other famous people/characters are priceless. My favorite scene in The Cheap Detective is where Eileen Brennen is singing in a cabaret, holding a cigarette out to the detective with her line "Well aren't you going to light my fire?" And he says (paraphrased)"well I was just checking out your kindling". Wonderful script and sharp and funny dialogue. Eileen is beautiful here. Peter Falk is very sexy in the title role. And could anyone ever compare with Madeline Kahn - they threw away the pattern on her. I think Humphrey Bogart would not only laugh at the spoofs of him but also be flattered that his persona has become so classic and so well-known and easily identifiable. There was a wonderful actor in "Dark Shadows" who early in his career did imitations of Bogie and looked a lot like him. He also played Bogie in a movie I believe. I wish there were more movies as good as Neil Simon's.

Legendary writer Neil Simons' delightful parody of hard boiled detective fiction (by the likes of Hammett and Chandler) is often quite funny. It does a good job of combining Simons' genuinely funny and witty dialogue with some occasional good visual gags. The movie is packed with big guest stars, some of whom have very little time to create a characterization, but everybody does a very amusing job of poking fun at - and paying tribute to - iconic actors of the genre.

Peter Falk does a priceless Bogart impression as private eye Lou Peckinpaugh. Lous' partner has been found murdered, and this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his latest complex case. (Lou even comments on its convoluted nature.) It involves a French resistance fighter (Fernando Lamas), a Nazi official (Nicol Williamson), the theft of some supposedly invaluable "eggs", the Golden Gate Bridge, and the partners' oversexed wife (Marsha Mason).

Sort of combining the plots of "Casablanca" and "The Maltese Falcon" and referencing other classics as well, "The Cheap Detective" does lose some momentum along the way, but there is always good Simon dialogue to look forward to, and the picture is nicely shot in widescreen by John A. Alonzo. The picture takes place in WWII era San Francisco, and has a great look going for it. What's especially funny is the way that Peckinpaugh must juggle the various lovely ladies who take an interest in him.

The various guest stars are all tremendous fun, but this viewer was particularly entertained by Dom DeLuises' riotous Peter Lorre parody. In supporting roles and bits, you can see the likes of Carmine Caridi, James Cromwell, Scatman Crothers (sending up Dooley Wilson in "Casablanca"), David Ogden Stiers, Vic Tayback, and Jonathan Banks.

This begins nicely, with some atmospheric opening credits, and has a bright and funny wrap up involving Lou and his ladies.

Seven out of 10.

Looking for (but not quite finding) the footsteps of "Murder by Death."

While I love this movie and watch it quite often, it is a rather cheesy knock-off of "Murder by Death." This time spoofing "The Maltese Falcon" and "Casablanca," Neil Simon's hit or miss style misses this time, but only by a small margin.

This movie is not hilarious, nor exceptionally intelligent comedy, but it is still very entertaining. I honestly found "Murder by Death" to be a much more enjoyable experience.

That having been said, this star-studded cast puts forth at least a valid attempt to pull off this sometimes haphazardly written screen play, and hits at least 2 out of 5 punch lines with some effect.

If you are a fan of the Bogie movies which it satirizes, this is definitely a must-see. It is you, for which this movie was written in the first place.

It rates a 6.5/10 from...

the Fiend :.