Streaming Gems: Clue (1985)
Photo from Movieweb
From Shane Conto
Who would have thought that you could make a film adapted from a board game and it is something special? There is a long tradition of Hollywood messing up video game adaptations but maybe they have a bit of a better track record with more traditional games. No matter the medium, the right story can make a great film and that certainly is the case with Clue. There is such a great set up. Murder mysteries have been stable additions to the film world since early cinema and they make for a great basis for a film. Whodunnits with a great cast can go a long way in terms of engaging an audience and leaving them intrigued.
How great is the cast in Clue? This is a perfect ensemble if you have ever found one. Clue has a secret weapon and that is the iconic characters that make up this murder mystery. Each of them get plenty of fleshing out and characterization thanks to the charismatic cast of character actors. The real MVP of the film is Tim Curry who is the butler, Wadsworth. There is so much sarcasm, sass, and high energy in his performance that she propels the whole film forward. His explanation of the events at the end of the film is so much fun and that is almost all up to Curry’s pitch perfect performance. Mrs. Peacock is a high society wife and Eileen Brennan delivers such a snobbish and aloof performance. Madeline Kahn is one of the most memorable performers with her intense and quiet turn as Mrs. White. She has a few moments with her impeccable line deliveries that just stand out so well. Christopher Lloyd is both distinguished and creepy as Professor Plum. Martin Mull is faux tough in the best way as the swaggering Colonel Mustard. Lesley Ann Warren is sexy and powerful as the mysterious Miss Scarlet. Then there is Michael McKean. He is hilarious with his high energy and neurotic turn as the closeted Mr. Green (or is that what he wants you to think?).
The cast is incredible but what else stands out about this whodunnit comedy? Director Jonathan Lynn finds so many great ways to capture the time period of this classic tale. The costuming, for one thing, is just exquisite. Each outfit captures the theme of the characters perfectly. Some of them are quite impressive and every one of them embodies the period of the film. That 50s vibe is so significant and permeates every aspect of the film, especially the outfits. The production design is so important as well because of the significance of the house and all of the different rooms. When the whole game is based on figuring out which specific space housed the murder, they better feel memorable. No surprise, the whole house feels so iconic and is worked perfectly for a wide range of thrills, laughs, and shocks along the way. The music is just the cherry on top with some perfect (literal) needle drops that really set the tone for the film.
What is the biggest selling point of Clue? The film is legitimately hilarious. The physical comedy is classic and wonderfully effective. Curry is the one who delivers most of it but the rest of the cast play off of him so well too. The dialogue from Jonathan Lynn is sharp, pointed, and biting. There are so many innuendos that you might blush once you realize everything that is truly being said. The sarcasm works so perfectly in creating banter between this cast of wildly entertaining characters. The hilarity of how the mystery plays out is one of the best gags of the whole film. There is one true way to experience this film and that is with the combination of all three available endings. In the end, there is a great mystery surrounded by hilarity and pitch perfect performers.
Clue is available on multiple streaming platforms, including Hulu.
