Category Archives: Murder Mystery

2001 Films, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Drama, Murder Mystery, Period Drama, Satire, Top 250 Films

Gosford Park-2001

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Gosford Park-2001

Director Robert Altman

Starring Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Ryan Phillippe

Top 250 Films #105

Scott’s Review #350

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Reviewed January 9, 2016

Grade: A

Somewhere between the brilliant PBS series of the 1970s and the ultra-modern cool of Downton Abbey (also PBS) lies the masterpiece that is Robert Altman’s 2001 gem, Gosford Park.

It’s ironic that Downton Abbey’s creator, writer, and executive producer, Julian Fellowes, wrote the screenplay for Gosford Park.

No wonder, combined with Altman’s direction, they created a genius.

The period is 1932, and the wealthy, along with their servants, flock to the magnificent estate of Gosford Park, a grand English country home.

The guests include both Americans and Brits, and everyone is gathered for a shooting weekend- foreshadowing, if ever there was.

Following a dinner party, a murder occurs. The rest of the film follows the police investigation and the guests’ and servants’ perspectives as a whodunit unfolds.

Many of the characters’ lives unravel as secrets are exposed.

Sir William, the murder victim, is a powerful industrialist. After he announces he will withdraw an investment, the ramifications affect many of the guests, spelling out the setup for the audience.

At the risk of seeming nothing more than a plot device, it is so much more than that.

During a pheasant shoot, Sir William receives a minor wound thanks to a stray birdshot- is this intentional or merely an accident? When Sir William meets his fate that evening, the potential suspects pile up.

If there are two compelling aspects to a great film, they are a good old-fashioned whodunit and an enormous cast, all potential suspects.

What makes Gosford Park exceptional is that every character is interesting in some way, and all are well written.

Secrets abound in this film and are revealed in delicious detail. Torrid affairs, sexuality secrets, and blackmail abound as revelations make their way to the surface, and Altman knows exactly how to cast doubt or suspicion on many of his characters.

The compelling relationship between American film producer Morris Weissman and his valet, Henry Denton (Ryan Phillippe), along with the domineering head housekeeper, Mrs. Wilson (Helen Mirren), is my favorite character and dynamic.

How clever that Maggie Smith would play similar roles as stuffy aristocrats in both Gosford Park and Downton Abbey.

Rich in texture is the balancing between the haves and the have-nots, and how those characters mix (sometimes in secret rendezvous!)

Typical of Altman films, the dialogue often overlaps, and the actors largely improvise. In addition to being an actor’s dream, this quality gives a dash of realism to his films, and Gosford Park is no exception.

With so many characters, plots, and subplots happening at once, I recommend watching the film at least twice to understand its layers fully.

Gosford Park (2001) will be increasingly appreciated.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Robert Altman, Best Supporting Actress-Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen/Original Screenplay (won), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design

Golden Globe Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture-Musical or Comedy, Best Director-Robert Altman (won), Best Supporting Actress-Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Best Screenplay

2022 Films, Crime Thriller, Murder Mystery, Thriller

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery-2022

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Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery-2022

Director Rian Johnson

Starring Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe

Scott’s Review #1,331

Reviewed January 5, 2023

Grade: B

I teetered over grading Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), referred to as Glass Onion, a B+ or a B, but the hardline critic in me won out on this day.

If I hadn’t compared it so much to the deliciously witty and inventive Knives Out from 2019, I might have given it a generous B+ rating. Still, it’s also impossible not to compare the two, since the setups and similarities are too apparent.

Rian Johnson, who returns to the fold as director, writer, and co-producer, pays tribute to the fabulous Agatha Christie murder mystery whodunits and the Hercule Poirot detective inclusion with the delightful Daniel Craig as the lead, reprising his role as master detective Benoit Blanc, as he takes on an exciting new case.

A Greek island owned by ultra-billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) serves as the setting for the Southern detective’s latest adventure, which unfolds as a group of the tech giant’s friends gather for a murder mystery party that quickly turns deadly.

I couldn’t watch Miles without thinking of Elon Musk, the current controversial social media Twitter chief executive officer, in all his juvenile buffoonery.

Appearances by top stars Janelle Monáe, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, and Leslie Odom Jr., and a surprise cameo by Hugh Grant round out the cast. Along with Craig and Norton, this brings enough star power to create buzz.

It’s also appealing that Benoit, a clear ode to Poirot, is the only character who is the same from the first Knives Out story. His character is immediately developed when we see him soaking in a bathtub in his Manhattan apartment, conversing with a male voice offscreen.

He refuses to leave the tub during the very topical COVID pandemic, making the entire film feel incredibly timely and relevant.

Let’s see what happens when the film ages ten years.

We later learn that his husband, Phillip (Hugh Grant), lives with him, and Blanc is gay. How wonderful to incorporate an LGBTQ+ presence into a main character, and icing on the cake is that the studly James Bond actor is all in.

With Blanc’s vague sexuality revealed, the exciting mystery commences with many twists and turns among the characters, led by a fantastic dual performance by Monáe. She plays sophisticated New Yorker Andi and her southern sister Helen Brand.

The other characters are a mixed bag with Hudson and Hahn playing ridiculous, over-the-top roles as a washed-up fashion designer and an aspiring governor, respectively.

But the cartoon character award goes to former WWE professional wrestler David Bautista as the weird, buff guy, Duke Cody, who barely keeps his clothes on.

Still, the characters are a hoot, and the anticipation of how they all connect, who has screwed over whom, and why, is slowly revealed in fun form.

Not to be outdone, there are even revelations of who is screwing whom in the bedroom.

The story isn’t as interesting as the one in Knives Out. The ingenious script is lost, and by the end, it’s a case of who cares? All we want to know is who’s dead and who’s alive, and what does the Mona Lisa have to do with anything?

The cast undoubtedly had a ball making Glass Onion, and the sunny Greek Island locale is a great choice. As the players bask in the sun and saunter around in bikinis, sipping a cocktail or three amid peril, it is great fun for the cast and viewers alike.

It’s unclear if Johnson will create another installment of the Knives Out collection, but I’m on board if he does. I’ve been fascinated by the whodunit genre for as long as I can remember.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) isn’t quite as riveting or satisfying as Knives Out (2019), but the film is still enjoyable, thanks to its superior, glossy production values and a great cast.

Oscar Nominations: Best Adapted Screenplay

2019 Films, Crime Thriller, Murder Mystery, Thriller

Knives Out-2019

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Knives Out-2019

Director Rian Johnson

Starring Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig

Scott’s Review #969

Reviewed December 17, 2019

Grade: B+

Knives Out (2019) is a cleverly constructed whodunit, crafted in a style not dissimilar from the famous board game Clue. This facet is mentioned by one character during a scene in the film.

With a sizable cast of film stars, both young and old (mostly old), the result is a good time, featuring intelligent writing, surprises, and a crowd-pleasing tone. The project is presented by a cast who undoubtedly had a ball during filming.

The point of the film is to try and figure out whodunit and why, in perfect murder mystery form.

It is explained through narration that wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) has invited his family to flock to his mansion for his eighty-fifth birthday party. The next morning, Harlan’s housekeeper Fran finds him dead, apparently having slit his own throat.

An anonymous figure hires private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to investigate the situation. When Blanc arrives at the grand estate to interrogate family and friends, tidbits of scandal and intrigue slowly emerge as layers are revealed.

The sizable cast features Hollywood stalwarts like Jamie Lee Curtis (Linda, Harlan’s daughter), Don Johnson (Richard, Harlan’s son-in-law, and Linda’s husband), Chris Evans (Ransom, Harlan’s grandson), Michael Shannon (Walt, Harlan’s youngest son), and Toni Collette (Joni, widow of Harlan’s deceased son Neil).

Helpful is how the film takes the time to introduce and explain each prominent character, so that the viewer has a good sense of who’s who and how one character relates to the others before the tangled web unravels.

The delicious aspect of Knives Out is the numerous twists and turns it offers throughout its runtime.

Surprisingly, it was a key revelation exposed quite early on, so that the pacing is more left of center than classic whodunits of days past. Once the new story arc is revealed, the plot thickens further, and we know that more events will ultimately unfold, as the story cannot be this simple.

This successfully kept me engaged as a viewer throughout the entire experience.

Having witnessed the previews at length and the way the trailer presents a Hercule Poirot/Agatha Christie/Jessica Fletcher-type sleuth to solve, it was delightful to see one character snuggling on the couch, absorbed in an episode of the 1980s television series “Murder, She Wrote.”

Director Rian Johnson offers several sly homages to influential tidbits of pop culture that helped shape his film and retain its amusement.

Another momentous positive is the incorporation of a political discussion among the family as they brood and fret over how much money they stand to inherit from their dead patriarch.

Donald J. Trump, a man who catapulted the United States into controversy post-2016, is never mentioned by name. Still, immigration, children in cages, and expletives are carefully hurled about in his honor, so there is no question about the connotations.

Harlan’s caregiver is Marta (Ana de Armas), the heroine of the film and the standout, whose mother is an undocumented immigrant.

So political overtones abound.

Knives Out seamlessly blends dark humor with traditional mystery, ensuring it never loses its edge. The big reveal at the end is neither brilliant nor disappointing. It simply bubbles to the surface after numerous red herrings and lies.

The final sequence is palpable, and savvy viewers will wonder what one character will possibly do next to either please or anger the rest of the characters.

Might a sequel be at hand?

A film not meant to be high art or anything more than an entertaining good time, Knives Out (2019) achieves its intent by offering an experience reminiscent of an Agatha Christie tale that is fun for the audience.

The benefits are reaped, as the film received an enormous box office return. Thanks in large part to a talented cast, a gloomy mansion, and wealthy individuals faced with peril and comeuppance, these elements make for a wonderful recipe for a good, solid mystery.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Screenplay

1978 Films, British, Murder Mystery, Thriller

Death On The Nile-1978

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Death on the Nile- 1978

Director John Guillermen

Starring Peter Ustinov

Scott’s Review #714

Reviewed January 14, 2018

Grade: B+

Death On The Nile is a 1978 British thriller that follows up the successful 1974 offering, Murder On The Orient Express- both films based on the fabulous Agatha Christie novels of the 1930s.

This time around, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) investigates a string of deaths aboard a luxurious steamer carrying the lavishly wealthy and their servants.

The film is a good, old-fashioned whodunit, perhaps not on the level of storytelling as its predecessor; the murder mystery lacks the oomph expected, but it features exquisite Egyptian historical locales worth its weight in gold.

Featuring a who’s who of famous stars and tremendous actors of the day, Death On The Nile carves a neat story right off the bat in such a way that the murder victim is fairly obvious right away- most of the characters have reason to celebrate her demise.

Rich and reviled heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) has stolen her best friend Jacqueline’s (Mia Farrow) beau, Simon, sparking a bitter feud between the women. While honeymooning in Egypt, the newlyweds are continually taunted by angry Jacqueline.

Once the cruise ship departs with all on board, Jackie is the prime suspect when Linnet is murdered.

Poirot must find the killer as numerous other suspects, all with grudges against Linnet, begin to emerge.

Death On The Nile features a stellar cast, including legendary Bette Davis as Marie Van Schuyler, an eccentric American socialite with an eye for Linnet’s necklace.

Davis’s casting is reason enough to watch the film, though the character is not center stage but rather a supporting role.

The lead female honor goes to Farrow, who has the meatiest and most complex role in the film.

Jackie’s unstable actions make her the most likely to commit the deed, but the fun is to figure out the “whys” and the “hows” of the murder.

Is there more than one killer? Are they working in cahoots or independently? As the body count rises, these questions resonate more and more.

The costumes and sets are gorgeous, and it is no wonder the film won the Oscar for Best Costume Design. At a ball, the women are dripping with jewels and gorgeous gowns.

Along with Davis, boozy author Salome Otterbourne, hilariously played by Angela Lansbury, is granted the prize of wearing the most luxurious and interesting of all the costumes.

Dripping with jewels and always with a cocktail in hand, she is the film’s comic relief.

Director John Guillermin makes the film a light, fun experience and, despite the murderous drama, doesn’t take matters too seriously.

These humorous moments balance nicely with the inevitable murders.

The fun for the audience is deducing whodunit- most of the characters have the motive, and the cast of characters is hefty.

I had memories of the famous board game Clue- was it Jackie in the ballroom with the revolver? You get the idea. The film makes for a good, solid mystery game.

Comparisons to 1974’s Murder On The Orient Express are hard to avoid, especially with the lead casting of Hercule Poirot.

Truth be told, Albert Finney’s portrayal in “Murder” is superior to Peter Ustinov’s Poirot in “Death,” and I am not sure what purpose Colonel Race (David Niven), as Poirot’s friend, serves other than to be a loyal sidekick and present a character that Poirot can explain events to, think what Watson was to Sherlock Holmes.

Regardless, Finney is the superior Poirot, as he musters more strength and charisma than Ustinov.

How lovely and historic to witness the wonderful Egyptian locales- the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids are featured amid an attempt on the life of the romantic pair by way of falling rocks- this sets the tone for the perilous cruise about to be embarked upon.

Perhaps a perfect film for a Saturday stay-at-home evening with friends, complete with a serving of quality wine and cheese, Death On The Nile is a sophisticated, yet fun, British mystery film.

It is fantastic to watch in a party setting where the audience can be kept guessing until the nice conclusion and the big reveal of who killed whom and why.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Costume Design (won)

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Foreign Film