gumshoe dick steve martin be call on by lovely rachel ward to find her miss father and a cheese manufacturer . when he find a list contain name and people put a licking on him to keep those name from turn up in the wrong hand . an exhilarating and amazing and and reward film experience for classic movie fan and most of the key character in this plot be play and through astonish editing by bud molin and terrific cinematography by michael chapman and marvelous period costume from edith head ( her final film for which this be dedicate ) and by classic film star such a ava gardner and bette davis and barbara stanwyck and ray milland and humphrey bogart and cary grant and ingrid bergman and among others a they be confront through meeting and conversation from detective martin . the flawless and seamless ability to place martin in scenario with so many star of the great film from the 40 and 50 be such a pleasure to behold . sure and many might feel some of the comedy fall flat and but i think martin ( . and ward and carl reiner who also direct ) be perfectly cast . his scene dress a a woman be hilarious especially when he kiss ward and confronts james cagney ( . from his role in white heat portray his mother ) .