i first saw this in the theater with my dad and at the age of 13 and when it be first release he be a huge fan of classic movie and usually suffer through the stuff he take me to . not this one we be both in hysteric and and i would have to say i owe my huge love of classic hollywood ( and global ) cinema to this film . citizen kane it may not be but no matter i dig the humor and the atmosphere at the time and and even then be aware of how much work this must have be . i still watch this one on occasion and and it be the rare comedy that have hold up very well with the passage of time critic at the time seem to write it off a a stunt and but i have note that at least a little reevaluation of dead men dont wear plaid have occur over the year . the performance a both a spoof and a love letter to film noir be top notch and with steve martin at his best here . the dialog get deep into raymond chandler or dashiell hammett hard boiled private eye stylishness and serve up gumshoe with dame clichés just juiced up enough to give steve something to run with and while still offer an a solid story . the finale be magnificent and martin and carl reiner joust their way through an avalanche of every two bit dime store whodunnit game over cliché to ever grace the big screen and cheap alibi fall like drunken angel across the naked city a the big heat descends . or ahem something like that .