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.
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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.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.4 / 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?
For the defence
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe 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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Comedy · 1977
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Foul Play
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Robert Moore
Written by
Neil Simon
Peter Falk
Lou Peckinpaugh
Ann-Margret
Jezebel Dezire
Eileen Brennan
Betty DeBoop
Sid Caesar
Ezra Dezire
Stockard Channing
Bess
James Coco
Marcel
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 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.