That's the situation for veteran Broadway director Gene Wilder who moves to a very Off Broadway community in Connecticut where he finds himself not only directing a thriller on the stage but aiding local law enforcement in the murder investigation of the town's richest man (Terry O'Quinn) whom everybody, including himself, hated, creating a scenario as dramatic as any play he's ever directed, creating a list of suspects which includes a neglected spouse, abused son and worn out employees, as well as a few he didn't see coming.
You know that this is going to toss in a bunch of red herrings and some surprising evidence along the way so the most suspicious (the son) can be discovered to be innocent. No surprise in that because he had the clearest motive. In fact, O'Quinn seemed to be so hated that the local law would be tempted to toss in a medal for the culprit. Still quite enjoyable in spite of being so predictable, especially because the film tosses in movie and historical references, along with period top tunes, starting off with a lengthy clip from "Angels With Dirty Faces" and concluding with a 78 recording of "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me". In spite of seeming far too modern for his role, Wilder is fun as always, making me wonder if this had pilot intentions.
You know that this is going to toss in a bunch of red herrings and some surprising evidence along the way so the most suspicious (the son) can be discovered to be innocent. No surprise in that because he had the clearest motive. In fact, O'Quinn seemed to be so hated that the local law would be tempted to toss in a medal for the culprit. Still quite enjoyable in spite of being so predictable, especially because the film tosses in movie and historical references, along with period top tunes, starting off with a lengthy clip from "Angels With Dirty Faces" and concluding with a 78 recording of "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me". In spite of seeming far too modern for his role, Wilder is fun as always, making me wonder if this had pilot intentions.