Review of A Masterpiece of Murder

The limited availability of this TV movie (it has never been officially released on either video or DVD), and its irresistible cast (mostly of veterans, but with some newcomers as well), make it something of a cult item, and I'm glad I found a decent copy of it, but it's not quite a buried treasure. While Bob Hope is a remarkably active 83-year-old, he really is past his prime, and he looks bored throughout the picture; he still throws a lot of comic lines, but only about 1 out of 10 even come close to being funny. The setup of the movie is too leisurely, and the production has the same bland look as the Peter Ustinov made-for-TV Hercule Poirot movies that were being made at the same time. But it does include a couple of good car chases (!), two explosions (!), and the story at least sustains the mysteries until the end. And when all else fails, you can just sit back and watch all those famous actors! It really is a unique gathering. **1/2 out of 4.