You have to give Carl Reiner and Steve Martin some credit: They tried to make a "film noir" that would be funny and incorporate film clips from famous movies as though they were part of the story. Despite their best effort, this doesn't come off. The film quality is never duplicated, the doubles in the Martin scenes are unconvincing, and the hopelessly complex story is obviously designed to include names used in the old movies. Worst of all, the movie just isn't funny. Oh, there are a few good lines, but most of the humor is junior high sexual banter about "feeling up" and grabbing breasts and the like. The Nazi villains are so tediously predictable and trite that the film's conclusion just comes apart of itself. Rachel Ward is gorgeous. Martin does a competent job. But this is not a good film, in large part because it is not amusing.
Review of Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
