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The Cheap Detective

The Cheap Detective

Comedy · Crime · Mystery · 1978

A spoof of the entire 1940s detective genre. San Francisco private detective, Lou Pekinpaugh is accused of murdering his partner at the instigation of his mistress—his partner's wife.

Movie details

The Cheap Detective

“He knows every cheap trick, cheap joke, cheap shot and cheap dame in the book.”

1978 Comedy · Crime · Mystery 1h 32m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

A spoof of the entire 1940s detective genre. San Francisco private detective, Lou Pekinpaugh is accused of murdering his partner at the instigation of his mistress—his partner's wife.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Cheap Detective?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Crime · 1953

Upon waking up to the news that the man she’d gone on a date with the previous night has been murdered, a young woman with only a faint memory of the night’s events begins to suspect that she murdered him while attempting to resist his advances.

Shadow of the Thin Man

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Comedy · 1941

Nick and Nora Charles are back at the racetrack—and murder is running a close second! While attending a major horse race with their young son, Nick Jr., the sophisticated couple witnesses a shocking murder from the crowded grandstand. What first appears to be an isolated killing soon leads to a maze of corruption, blackmail, gambling scandals, and criminal intrigue. As Nick investigates, he encounters suspicious bookmakers, dishonest officials, rival gangsters, and a mysterious killer determined to stay ahead of the law. Nora, as always, is never far from the action, bringing her quick wit and fearless curiosity to the case. William Powell and Myrna Loy return in top form as Hollywood’s favorite married detectives, with Asta adding his usual comic charm. Directed by W. S. Van Dyke, Shadow of the Thin Man is a stylish 1941 mystery-comedy packed with suspense, romance, sparkling dialogue, and the irresistible Nick-and-Nora chemistry that made the series a classic.

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Mystery · 1980

Jane Marple solves the mystery when a local woman is poisoned and a visiting movie star seems to have been the intended victim.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Robert Moore

Written by

Neil Simon

Peter Falk

Peter Falk

Lou Peckinpaugh

Ann-Margret

Ann-Margret

Jezebel Dezire

Eileen Brennan

Eileen Brennan

Betty DeBoop

Sid Caesar

Sid Caesar

Ezra Dezire

Stockard Channing

Stockard Channing

Bess

James Coco

James Coco

Marcel

Dom DeLuise

Dom DeLuise

Pepe Damascus

Court is in session

Put The Cheap Detective on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Cool Ironist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.