Casey Chong with six underrated private detective movies you need to investigate…
Movies about private investigators are as old as time, stretching way back to the black-and-white era where classic noirs like The Maltese Falcon, Murder, My Sweet and The Big Sleep were among the prime examples. Further popular examples from Vertigo to Klute, L.A. Confidential and Knives Out continue to show that the genre still has its place even today. With that in mind, here are a selection of underrated private investigator movies that never quite got the attention of some of their more widely-known contemporaries, but are still well worthy of adding to your watch list…
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982)
Writer-director Carl Reiner, who also appears on-screen as Field Marshal Wilfried Von Kluck, parodies the 1940s film noir while paying homage to the genre in Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid. Shot in a vintage black-and-white, the movie stars Steve Martin as Rigby Reardon, a private investigator who is hired by the daughter of a renowned cheese scientist, Juliet Forrest (a sultry Rachel Ward), to investigate the death of her father.
The major selling point is Reiner’s seamless splicing with footage from classic noirs such as The Big Sleep, Double Indemnity and Notorious, allowing Reardon to “interact” with some of the characters, such as Humphrey Bogart, who plays Philip Marlowe. Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid also benefits from Steve Martin, whose impeccable comic timing and hilariously deadpan personality are thoroughly entertaining. Whether he goes completely amok whenever someone mentions the words “cleaning woman” or keeps a straight face amidst the absurd situations, he is no doubt the heart and soul who holds everything together.
The Big Fix (1978)
Jeremy Kagan’s film adaptation of Roger L. Simon’s novel of the same name features an unlikely casting of Richard Dreyfuss as a private investigator – not the usual cynical and world-weary type, but rather a flawed everyman who prefers to spend quality time with his kids. He has a gun, but he doesn’t use it, and even stuffed a crayon in the barrel. The first half of The Big Fix is pretty much a laidback character-driven comedy-drama alternating between Dreyfuss’ character as Moses Wine’s personal and on-the-job routine.
The main story sees Wine hired by his ex-girlfriend, Lila (Susan Anspach), to investigate a political smear campaign, is playing second fiddle. But Dreyfuss’ overall likeable and often quirky performance, coupled with the excellent tonal shift midway through the movie following the death of a character, and how Kagan manages to incorporate the political disillusionment that defines the 1970s era, elevates the movie to mostly effective results. The Big Fix also features pre-Die Hard Bonnie Bedelia in her supporting turn as Wine’s ex-wife, Suzanne.
Lady in the Lake (1947)
The 1940s detective noirs were dominated by the likes of Double Indemnity, The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon – among the classic examples that defined the genre with cynical protagonists, femme fatales and distinct visual styles. But director Robert Montgomery, who also leads Lady in the Lake as Phillip Marlowe, is bold enough to play it radically differently. He’s daring enough to shoot his movie predominantly from his character’s POV, meaning the audience will only see what he sees from his first-person perspective.
Such a visual approach is unheard of at the time of its release, resulting in a fresh spin on the usual detective noirs typically seen in the ‘40s. Among the only times we get to see Montgomery in front of the camera is during the opening monologue, where he addresses the audience about what to expect later in the movie. Lady in the Lake may have been polarizing back in the day, but it’s hard to deny Montgomery’s sheer ambition of pushing the genre to the next level.
Night Moves (1975)
Arthur Penn, best known for his seminal work in Bonnie and Clyde, directed this subtle character-driven neo-noir thriller, led by Gene Hackman’s engaging lead performance. He plays Harry Moseby, a private investigator who is hired by a former actress, Arlene Iverson (Janet Ward), to locate her 16-year-old daughter (Melanie Griffith, making her film debut). Hackman’s cynical and disillusioned character arc is the highlight here, showcasing his nuanced acting prowess with dramatic and emotional depth.
Penn and cinematographer Bruce Surtees capture the sweltering heat of the sunny Florida setting and deliver its perfectly moody neo-noir aesthetics in Night Moves. Penn prefers to take things deliberately in a restrained manner over the mainstream thrill of the investigative work as the story delves deeper into Moseby’s troubled personal life, and his search for the truth is blinded by a lingering sense of despair and ambiguity.
Zero Effect (1998)
Bill Pullman’s Daryl Zero, who carries “the world’s most private detective” tagline on the poster, isn’t a metaphor, but a literal representation of who he is. His character is unlike that of any of the usual private investigators since he prefers to do things peculiarly, and that is relying on his put-upon assistant Steve Arlo (Ben Stiller) to serve as his buffer to meet and deal with his clients.
Pullman brings the right amount of quirkiness and the intellectual depth of an eccentric private investigator role, resulting in one of the best performances of his career. He pairs well with Ben Stiller, where the latter equally excels in his comedic chops. Their idiosyncratic and modern Holmes/Watson-like dynamic adds a sense of offbeat fun to the movie. Too bad Zero Effect, which marks Jake Kasdan’s directorial debut, failed to strike a chord with the audience, grossing only $2 million on a $5 million budget.
Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Carl Franklin’s follow-up to his impressive crime thriller One False Move continued to demonstrate his directorial flair in mixing the genre with a strong character-driven approach. The added noirish elements in Devil in a Blue Dress resulted in one of his best works, despite the movie underperforming at the time of its release.
The story takes place in the late ‘40s era with the introduction of Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins (Denzel Washington), a former World War II vet who’s been recently laid off and is desperately looking for a job. He needs money to feed himself and service his mortgage loan. His opportunity arrives when a man named DeWitt Albright (Tom Sizemore) hires him to locate a missing white woman, Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals). The job seems to be cut and dry, but a film noir wouldn’t be complete without dealing with various setbacks.
Denzel Washington’s conflicted role as Easy Rawlins showcases his usual acting flair, and he is backed by a solid supporting cast, notably Don Cheadle’s trigger-happy and volatile Mouse. Franklin’s genre know-how direction establishes the 1940s noir told from the black perspective not only from its aesthetic, but also by successfully incorporating the racial tension and power play that reflects the particular era.
What are your recommendations for underrated private investigator movies? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong
