dead men don not wear plaid be one of steve martin lesser know film . it be the second of four martin make with director carl reiner . but it never achieve the classic status of the jerk or the man with two brain . and that a shame . because it one of the most ambitious and conceptually audacious film martin have ever star in . i get the impression not just any actor could have pull this off and but martin do . very successfully too if i do say so . and i do not envy his task . he star in a film make up of many different clip from film of the 1940s and 50 . dmdwp be a film more smooth than it have a right to be . thanks to martin perfect comic timing . the film be design a an affectionate spoof of hard boil detective story . and martin be right at the centre of it a gumshoe rigby reardon . i would not bother go into detail about the plot . probably because it best not to think about it too much while watch dmdwp . the amusement come from martin deadpan rigby and and how he plug into the vast assortment of clip reiner have put together . dmdwp be right out of a raymond chandler novel . where detective be hard boiled burn out and woman be impeccably dress and drip with attitude . and make it the springboard for one of the wacky film noirs you will ever see . just about every actor from the golden age of cinema appear in dmdwp . although lauren bacall be a conspicuous absentee . but it the way the film incorporate footage from more film than i can count that make what youre see so special . be talk about different classic and all with vastly different plot . and reiner combine them in a way that verge on the inspire . it all typical film noir . complete with dark alley and femme fatales and exotic locale . shot in beautifully crisp b and w. and right in the middle of it be a hair dye steve martin . his late case be the murder of cheese maker ( . ) dr john forrest . his daughter juliet forrest ( rachel ward ) bring rigby in to do some investigating . i can not really say anymore and because it such a wacky investigation . but it include everything from suck bullet out of chest wound and rigby custom make java to wear a blonde wig and a dress . what a brilliant film this be . i have no idea when reiner and martin dreamt this up . and it a film that shouldn not even begin to work . but oddly enough it do . the filmmaker have set themselves a real arduous task . but somehow they take these wildly different plot from all over the place and turn it into an almost cohesive film . remember and i say almost . ok and i will be honest with you . dmdwp doesn not always make a lot of sense . but then film noir usually doesn not . even raymond chandler have trouble keep up with the big sleep while he be write it . but the fact that the film make any kind of coherent sense at all be down to steve martin . he have seldom be well in anything else . martin be still in his crazed and manic man phase and so the role of rigby reardon be something of a pleasant diversion . martin be a real trooper . go far above and beyond the call of duty . most of the time he have to talk to thin air . while the footage be incorporate at a late date . i suppose you can tell where the reality end and the footage begin . it be noticeably grainy and but martin make sure every scene hit it mark . there be so many great little gag . particularly inspire be the way dmdwp take scene from these film that be mean to be deadly serious and rework them through clever editing and martin reaction so they become comedic instead . i especially love rigby conversation with humphrey bogart philip marlowe . and the scene where he throttle bette davis be unnerve . martin get a lot of droll dialogue that he deliver to perfection . i have no idea that he have such a talent for deadpan humour . and he get to show off his talent for physical comedy too . the scene where he make coffee have to be see to be believe . i do not want to spoil it for you and but it provide one of the great sight gag you will ever see . aside from martin and the only other person who provide a human element be rachel ward . she certainly look entice and but she be occasionally a little bland . she never quite sizzle the way you expect her to . but that doesn not matter . because this be martin show . dmdwp be also one of the rare occasion where he have the opportunity to flex his considerable skill a a writer . i be sure he tailor a few situation to match his talent . but whether it call for him to be deadpan or ( occasionally ) manic and martin do brilliantly . dead men don not wear plaid do admittedly run out of steam about 10 minute before the end . as soon a it run out of clip to use and the film lose some momentum . but even still and it a very and very good film indeed . one of steve martin best . a tightly plot and gag pack laugh a thon that doesn not deserve obscurity . and get to see martin with dark hair be worth the price of admission alone .