Banco pour un crime

I admit that "Once Upon a Crime" probably will not add anything to the cinematic landscape in the near future. But it's so funny. Set in Monaco, a group of unacquainted tourists (among them John Candy, Jim Belushi and Cybill Shephard) get involved in a murder plot, the answer to which may or may not be closer than they think.

If absolutely nothing else, this movie will prove that Monaco is like Las Vegas, only much more desirable in every way. And John Candy is his usual goofy self, Jim Belushi and Cybill Shephard are at each other's heels constantly, and Giancarlo Giannini plays the police chief. More or less, the whole movie is "Murder on the Orient Express" set in Monaco. I should remind you that unless you tolerate the kind of off-the-wall humor that dominated movies throughout the '80's and early '90's, you won't like "Once Upon a Crime" one bit. Otherwise, you'll have a great time.

Americans tourists vacationing in Monaco become suspects in a murder case as their dumb mistakes and attempts at cover-up make them more and more suspicious. This a great ensemble movie that makes me laugh everytime and the plot is complex enough to warrant repeat viewing.

I saw this ages ago when I was younger and could never remember the title, until one day I was scrolling through John Candy's film credits on IMDb and noticed an entry named "Once Upon a Crime...". Something rang a bell and I clicked on it, and after reading the plot summary it brought back a lot of memories.

I've found it has aged pretty well despite the fact that it is not by any means a "great" comedy. It is, however, rather enjoyable and is a good riff on a Hitchcock formula of mistaken identity and worldwide thrills.

The movie has a large cast of characters, amongst them an American couple who find a woman's dog while vacationing in Europe and decide to return it to her for a reward - only to find her dead body upon arrival. From there the plot gets crazier and sillier and they go on the run after the police think they are the killers.

Kind of a mix between "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" and a lighter Hitchcock feature, this was directed by Eugene Levy and he managed to get some of his good friends - such as John Candy - to star in it. The movie is mostly engaging due to its cast, and the ending has a funny little twist that isn't totally unpredictable but also is kind of unexpected.

THE GOOD: Sean Young (unusually lively and appealing), Giancarlo Giannini (who gives class to the film by his mere presence), some moments of James Belushi.

THE BAD: John Candy (grating, with barely even one funny line) and George Hamilton (his aging gigolo is an even more aging stereotype).

The others fall somewhere in between.

All in all, this film is pleasant entertainment for 90 minutes, although for a film billed as a "mystery-comedy", the mystery part is largely secondary. (**1/2)

Marilyn (Cybill Shepherd) and her husband, Neil (James Belushi) are on the train to Monte Carlo to enjoy a well-earned vacation. While they are aboard, they run into businessman Augie Morosco (John Candy) as well as Phoebe (Sean Young) and Julian (Richard Lewis). Phoebe and Julian are soon ordered to leave the train, as they have a dog with them. Surprisingly, it turns out not to be their dog, but rather a canine they found and are returning to the female owner for the reward money. When they arrive at the owner's mansion, Phoebe and Julian soon discover that the owner has been murdered. Naturally, they are afraid that they will be blamed and flee the area. Meanwhile, Marilyn and Neil are experiencing different results at the gaming tables. Through various happenstances, all of the above characters will be suspects in the murder of the little dog's owner. Will police inspector Bonnard (Giancarlo Giannini) be able to nail the correct killer?

This comedic whodunit has an adorable cast (especially the quite stunning Sean Young) and a silly-but-fun plot that keeps the viewer pondering. John Candy's scenes are too few in number for him to steal the show, yet he generates chuckles, as usual. Instead, George Hamilton, in a small role, is the one who makes ample use of his screen time to charm and delight the audience. The scenery and costumes, also, are first rate. Viewers may have to search hard to find this film at the video store or library. Those who do will be rewarded with an evening of smiles and second-guessing as the film merits are unrolled.