Review #433: 'Clue' (1985)

When movies start turning to board games for inspiration, it's time to start worrying. Although to state that this is now the case is a massive exaggeration, this year saw the release of Battleship, obviously based on the classic 'hit' or 'miss' two-player game. It reminded me of this 1985 oddity, which I had recorded from TV as a child and naturally watched it to death, though I remembered little to nothing about it, other than it starred Tim Curry and Christopher Lloyd. Based on the board game Clue (or Cluedo to us Brits and probably everyone else outside of America), it tells the story of a group of misfits with a lot to hide arriving at a remote mansion, with butler Wadsworth (Curry) playing the host and guide.

The group consists of Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan), Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn), Professor Plum (Lloyd), Mr. Green (Michael McKean), Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull) and Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren), who after eating dinner are ushered into the rest area to meet their blackmailer, Mr Boddy (Lee Ving). They are each handed one of the trademark weapons (revolver, wrench, rope et al), but when the lights go out, a gunshot rings out and Mr. Boddy (get it now? Har har!) lies apparently dead but with no bullet wound. Soon, the group of dashing about the house as bodies pile up and more questions are raised.

Yes, this is admittedly a slim plot, with very little going on to justify 90 minute running time, but it remains amusing enough throughout to avoid being a total disaster. The climax sees three different endings played out with Wadsworth offering three explanations and offering three different murderers. During its theatrical run, the film offered one of these three different endings depending on which cinema who would unfortunate enough to be in. This is a nice idea, which makes it a slight shame it tanked and failed to earn back its budget. But the cast is surprisingly good for such a forgettable film, with Curry offering plenty of energy, and Madeline Kahn being as brilliant as she always tends to be. Better than it has the right to be, but still offering relatively little in terms of humour and set-pieces.


Directed by: Jonathan Lynn
Starring: Tim Curry, Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren
Country: USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie