Crappy film

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Blistering performances.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

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.

Why does a lady bring a bike into Lou's apartment? It must be a copy from another movie, but which one? I enjoyed this movie immensely! I could follow most of the action that is from other movies. Favorite character: tough to choose - but I go with Peter Falk. I also enjoyed Stockard Channing as his secretary. And the line where she says, "She's prettier, but I'm easier." And later when she wants Lou to "Thank her". I liked this much better than "Murder by Death". It was good but "The Cheap Detective" is better. I was looking for Phil Silvers, too, like many others. I have read he's in the last scene as the taxi driver. And there was a LOT of ladies in that taxi with Lou.

The Cheap Detective is a film which is geared for those older than 35. Younger adults may not appreciate the humor and the great comedians starring in the film. With actors like Peter Falk, Madeline Kahn, Stockard Channing, James Coco, Dom DeLuise, John Houseman, Madeline Kahn, Marsha Mason, Phil Silvers,and Abe Vigoda; one can always enjoy the laughter and styles of acting they bring. The movie represents spoofs of several Humphrey Bogart movies like the The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, Casablanca, and To Have and Have Not as well as other film classics of Neil Simon. There is even a line from A Streetcar Named Desire. It is not ha ha laughter funny, just smirky funny -- but enjoyable smirky. Popcorn, pizza and whatever all around here. Be ready to smile.

Meaning the creators of Airplane obviously. The dialogue in this one is so reminiscent of Airplane. That would mean since this one came out a full 2 years before Airplane did, those guys musta saw this one and said, "That's the dialogue we need." I wonder if Neil Simon ever got a call up with either of them saying, "Hey, thanks for Cheap Detective, it made or careers." LOL The only difference in the 2 movies is that this one is a stinker. The screenplay was just not very well done. Louise Fletcher was so miscast in this its just a slap in the face. She was dry as a bone in this. Almost painful to watch. Peter Falk is a character in everything he does, but even he couldn't save this one. Airplane got a lot of things connected all at once whereas this just had the snappy dialogue. Simon shoulda went on vacation somewhere and gave this script a few more weeks/months, it would have helped.