DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID

US, 1982, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Steve Martin, Rachel Ward, Carl Reiner, Reni Santoni.
Directed by Carl Reiner.

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (Steve Martin explains during the film that he doesn't understand the meaning of this phrase - although attributing it to Philip Marlowe) is an entertaining spoof of the private eye films of yesteryear. It takes all the conventions, the black and white photography, the voice-over technique and the almost cliche situations. However, it makes them quite funny in themselves. It might be compared with other spoofs of the '70s including The Blackbird and The Cheap Detective. However, the singular aspect that makes this film successful is its insertion of eighteen of the stars of yesteryear as characters in the film. Excerpts from their films are cunningly inserted - and even made to look as if the stars are in the film by the use of doubles. The dialogue is adapted to the images of the original and in many cases is very funny - for instance Alan Ladd eating cookies in Steve Martin's kitchen in his assassination scene from This Gun For Hire.

Steve Martin shows an engaging comic capacity, less frantic than in his The Jerk. It echoes his more serious role in Pennies From Heaven. Rachel Ward is a very attractive heroine. Carl Reiner, the co-writer and director, enjoys himself as a Nazi villain and Reni Santoni, who appeared as the Carl Reiner figure in his Enter Laughing, is a South American policeman. Reiner has directed such comedies as Oh God, The One And Only, The Jerk. A fairly successful spoof and an enjoyable tribute to the old stars.

1. The film presupposing audience enjoyment of films? Knowledge of them? of the genres and conventions? The drawing of response to private eye films? The appreciating of film culture? Affection, recognition? Gentle parody?

2. An '80s re-look at the private eye films and their traditions? Their perennial appeal? A slice of Americana? The foibles and fun of the conventions? The idea of using the stars of the past? How well did it work? Technically, thematically? Relying on the stars and their images – and sending them up? Adapting the dialogue to the visuals of the past films? The use of 'in' jokes - for example Lana Turner and the reference to Schwabs? Charles Laughton and The Hunchback of Notre Dame? A pleasing retrospect of the stars? The difference between the tone of the '80s (especially in innuendo) and the similarities with the past?

3. Black and white photography, the gritty tone suggesting the mid-'40s? The use of so many films from the mid and late forties? The credits and the rain sequence? The opening with the suggestion of Maltese Falcon? The references to Philip Marlowe and Bogart inserted as Marlowe? The integration of the past with the present? The use of a Miklos Rosza score with its variety of moods and echoes of old styles?

4. The blend of the serious with the flip? The tribute to Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler with Marlowe and the private eyes? The parody of the femme-fatale? Romance? The innuendo and phallic symbols? The use of the Nazi war criminals and South America?

5. Steve Martin and his comic style? Delivery, straight man, deadpan? Romantic? Verbal and visual humour? Impersonations - especially the women? A genial hero? The character of Rigby Reardon and the parallel to Philip Marlowe? His predicaments, attempts at suave handling of situations? Mistakes? His love for Juliet? Disappointment with her? His character developed by the interaction with the old film clips?

6. Juliet as the femme fatale, the echoes of the Maltese Falcon, the glamour, her relationship with her father, wanting to be involved in the work, spying? Falling in love with Rigby - but the posters in his house with Marlowe's warnings against loving clients? Her involvement in the violence - and her being punched? The point about 'cleaning woman' and her using it at the end? Her seeming to betray Rigby and her disappointment at his phone call? Her rescuing him at the end?

7. Carl Reiner as the supercilious butler - in the Erich von Stroheim manner? The Nazi criminal? His plan, his mocking Reardon? The jokes about cheese? His henchmen?

8. Carlos and the eager South American policeman? His advice, worry about the pyjamas, the rescue?

9. The insertion of the old action films:

(a) Alan Ladd and his shooting from This Gun For Hire (and Juliet removing the bullets from Rigby's arm)?

(b) Ray Milland and his alcoholism in The Lost Weekend - and finding the note in the sugar bowl?

(c) Burt Lancaster in The Killers and his being shot?

(d) Barbara Stanwyck and her hysterical phone call from Sorry, Wrong Number?

(e) Veronica Lake in The Glass Key and her being made to be a vamp?

(f) Bette Davis and the stale bread and old turkey routine and her being throttled in Deception?

(g) Lana Turner as a sexpot from Johnny Eager and The Postman Always Rings Twice?

(h) Edward Arnold as the severe businessman, the joke about the dog and its droppings? (Arnold in Johnny Eager)

(i) Kirk Douglas as the tough in I Walk Alone and his violence?

(j) Fred Mac Murray in Double indemnity, the name of his character from the film, the sexual innuendo with his spying on blondes in the supermarket, the send-up of Martin looking like Barbara Stanwyck in this film?

(k) Cary Grant and the innuendo taking his scene from Suspicion and putting him in the train with Reardon?

(1) Ingrid Bergman from Notorious as the hostess at the party?

(m) Charles Laughton from The Bribe and the discussion in the South American bar?

(n) Joan Crawford from Humoresque on the phone leading to Juliet's disillusionment with Rigby?

(o) James Cagney from White Heat with the prison sequence, Rigby disguised as his mother for the interview, the escape and his putting Rigby in the boot of the car?

(p) Ava Gardner from The Killers and The Bribe and the importance of her character in the new film, her singing in the nightclub, the contact with the characters in the film, her reappearance in South America, the interview with Rigby?

(q) Vincent Price, from The Bribe, as the final villain?

10. How enjoyable a cinematic spoof of so much that cinema audiences love?