KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

oOoBarracuda Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid is the perfect introduction to actor/writer/director/producer extraordinaire Carl Reiner. I had never before seen anything Reiner had acted in or directed, so his 1982 feature was a brilliant introduction. The comedy starring Steve Martin, Rachel Ward, and several famous faces from 1940's film noirs was a brilliant homage/parody of the detective film genre. A detective trying to solve his current case with the help of many top-notch detectives from yesteryear intercut into this black and white film is a treat for audiences everywhere.Juliet Forrest (Rachel Wood) is convinced that her father's death from an apparent vehicle crash was no accident. To prove her theory that her father was murdered, she enlists the help of a detective Rigby Reardon (Steve Martin). Reardon, however, is not the private eye Juliet thinks he is. He is unable to solve the case alone and enlists the help of his many famous friends. Mostly aided and mentored by Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) himself, Reardon begins to piece together the many pieces of the puzzle while winding through 19 well-known films from the golden age of Hollywood. With the help of his mentor and many sidekicks, Reardon is able to uncover the sinister plot involving a member of the nazi party, Field Marshall VonKluck (Carl Reiner).Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid was my first go with Carl Reiner, and I could not have been more pleased with the outcome. I am attempting to become more familiar with the spoof genre, and this film is a notable entry on many "best of" spoof lists. It was great to see the legendary Edith Head's name in the opening credits; it was then, in fact, that I knew this film was going to be a great time of visiting many of the film noir films that I love so much. It was wonderful to see this film dedicated to Edith and her memory, as well as the many others who have worked on classic cinema of the 40's and 50's, considering this would turn out to be Head's final film. The notion to intercut the scenes with classic scenes from noir films was comedic brilliance. It became a game to see how Reardon would make the scenes work within the context of his case, leaving the audience fully engaged throughout the entire film. Anytime you see a clip of one of your all-time favorite, and oft forgotten about films (The Lost Weekend) in a contemporary film, it is sure to bring some personal joy. Steve Martin was perfectly cast in the role of the bumbling, light-hearted yet well-meaning and determined detective. A laugh a minute, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid is one of those difficult to achieve comedies that one is able to watch again and again and still find extremely funny. What I wouldn't give for a cup of Reardon's famous java!

SnoopyStyle Business is slow at Rigby Reardon (Steve Martin)'s private eye agency. Juliet Forrest (Rachel Ward) wants him to investigate the accidental death of her cheese scientist father. She suspects a giant conspiracy. He gets shot and his clue is stolen. Juliet sucks out the bullet. Rigby goes berserk at the mention of cleaning woman.The addition of old film strips is lots of fun. The conflicting sense from the old clips and Steve Martin is a goldmine. It's mostly an one joke movie but Steve Martin keeps it fresh. It also helps to have a love for these old movies. The story does a feeling of randomness. The disconnected old clips serve mostly to have some fun with. In between, Martin deadpans some great gags.

judithh-1 No one has noted that Steve Martin is parodying the character of Rigby in "The Bribe." A number of scenes are taken directly from the earlier film such as Reardon being slipped a mickey. The final scenes are actual footage from the bribe with Martin instead of Robert Taylor. Martin, however, is a poor substitute for Taylor.Some of the old film footage is also from "The Bribe," scenes including Ava Gardner and Charles Laughton. Martin is also standing in for Taylor in the scenes from "Johnny Eager." Rachel Ward's hair also seems to me to be an eighties take on Ava Gardner in "The Bribe." The strangling scene derives from another Taylor movie, "High Wall."The film isn't to my taste but it is well done. The editing in of stars of the past is seamless. Just give Robert Taylor a thought when you're watching it.

secondtake Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)I'm a film noir buff. Fanatic. Devotee. So I really loved how this movie was made--not what happens in it, but the main trick of inserting real film noir clips with new footage starring Steve Martin. When it first happens (with Alan Ladd) it's like, what? Is this for real? And then it keeps happening, usually with easy cuts where the original noir shows someone on the phone and it can cut to Martin talking on the phone, or with two people on each side of a room or a door, the camera changing positions and allowing the cuts from one world to the other. In a few special cases they get fancier, like the Cary Grant insert--you'll have to see about that. (I just corrected the wikipedia page on this note.)I also think the director (and co-writer) Rob Reiner makes the new footage (which is 90 percent of the movie) take on an authentic black and white feel--heavy shadows, moving camera, and so on. Martin of course is a somewhat comic version of a film noir hero or anti-hero (this movie is a spoof overall) but he's got more presence than you might expect. It's smart and respectful and well done.What it lacks is a genuine plot. The many various clips require such somersaulting to work them into the script, any hope of an overarching drama is dashed. I found myself watching just to watch, and to wonder who would get included next. Martin's sidekick played by Rachel Ward is a bit drab, too, if pretty (she was a model) and is for some reason very English, a big monkeywrench in the film noir universe. Steve Martin deserves some admiration for pulling this off. There is not only a filming continuity needed but one of acting and delivery, which he masters. Now if only he and Reiner had a plot to carry the thing through as a movie, and not just a big, sophisticated, beautiful gag.