Rating: ***
Review Date: 6/10/20
Cast: Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd,
Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Colleen Camp,
cameo by Jane Wiedlin
Based on the popular Parker Brothers board game, six guests are anonymously invited to a dinner party by a mysterious host to discuss a troubling matter. But when the host winds up dead, they have to figure out who the killer is before the police show up. They all have motives, so it could be any one of them. During its original theatrical run, the big gimmick was that three different endings were distributed to theaters across the country, so you had no idea how it would turn out. Fortunately, the DVD contains all of the endings, which are played in order with title cards shown between them. While ending "C" is supposedly what really happened, ending "A" is arguably more satisfying.
"Clue" is a very silly and quirky movie, which is disconcerting at first. It's more of a comedy than a murder mystery, so it requires you to be in that mindset when you go into it. The narrative can be hard to navigate and the logic isn't always sound, but where the film really shines is in its wonderful performances and snappy dialog. The eccentric characters are delightful and the actors do a fabulous job bringing them to life. It's a great looking film that's playfully sexy and full of zany energy. Colleen Camp's bountiful and perpetually jiggling bosom is a theme that runs throughout the film, and Lesley Ann Warren's scandalous dress perfectly complements her wicked tongue and seductive charm. Tim Curry gives a delightfully unhinged performance as the rattled butler, which verges on breathless delirium. The production values are good, but I noticed at least one scene where shoe continuity was a problem. There are several layers to the film, so it demands multiple viewings to process all of the dialog, in jokes, interdependencies, and visual cues. It's definitely a fun film to watch if you're in the mood for goofy and light-hearted entertainment.