The Cheap Detective (1978)

Most of Neil Simon's work is in what might be termed traditional comedy, but in the mid-'70s, he made a couple of detours into parody, as in The Cheap Detective. Though not a classic film, it's a nice change of pace for Simon, and played into the then-current trend toward spoofing film genres (e.g., Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Simon's own Murder By Death). The plot is extremely convoluted, as befits a spoof of the hard-boiled private eye picture. Simon can't quite maintain the rapid fire succession of gags (visual and verbal) and director Robert Moore can't quite maintain the necessary pace, but for the most part, the film is good fun. The cast helps matters greatly, with Peter Falk as a rather nutty Humphrey Bogart type and Madeline Kahn hilarious as a Mary Astor-like character who keeps changing her name (to, among other things, Norma Shearer). Eileen Brennan creates a very memorable saloon crooner, and Ann-Margret is wonderful as the most fatale of femme fatales. Special credit should also go to Charles R. Pierce for his careful rec-reation and slight exaggeration of film noir settings, and to Patrick Williams' score, a loving homage with a zing of its own. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide