Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid is one of Steve Martin's lesser known films. It was the second of four Martin made with director Carl Reiner. But its never achieved the classic status of The Jerk or The Man With Two Brains. And that's a shame. Because its one of the most ambitious and conceptually audacious films Martin has ever starred in.<br /><br />I get the impression not just any actor could have pulled this off, but Martin does. Very successfully too if I do say so. And I don't envy his task. He's starring in a film made up of many different clips from films of the 1940s and 50s. DMDWP is a film more smooth than it has a right to be. Thanks to Martin's perfect comic timing.<br /><br />The film is designed as an affectionate spoof of hard-boiled detective stories. And Martin is right at the centre of it as gumshoe Rigby Reardon. I won't bother going into detail about the plot. Probably because its best not to think about it too much while watching DMDWP. The amusement comes from Martin's deadpan Rigby, and how he plugs into the vast assortment of clips Reiner has put together.<br /><br />DMDWP is right out of a Raymond Chandler novel. Where detectives are hard-boiled burn outs and women are impeccably dressed and dripping with attitude. And makes it the springboard for one of the wackiest film-noirs you'll ever see.<br /><br />Just about every actor from the Golden Age of Cinema appears in DMDWP. Although Lauren Bacall is a conspicuous absentee. But its the way the film incorporates footage from more films than I can count that makes what you're seeing so special. We're talking about different classics, all with vastly different plots. And Reiner combines them in a way that verges on the inspired.<br /><br />Its all typical film-noir. Complete with dark alleys, femme fatales and exotic locales. Shot in beautifully crisp B&W. And right in the middle of it is a hair-dyed Steve Martin.<br /><br />His latest case is the murder of cheese-maker(!) Dr John Forrest. His daughter Juliet Forrest (Rachel Ward) brings Rigby in to do some investigating. I can't really say anymore, because its such a wacky investigation. But it includes everything from sucking bullets out of chest wounds, Rigby's custom-made Java to wearing a blonde wig and a dress.<br /><br />What a brilliant film this is! I have no idea when Reiner and Martin dreamt this up. And its a film that shouldn't even begin to work. But oddly enough it does. The filmmakers have set themselves a real arduous task. But somehow they take these wildly different plots from all over the place and turn it into an almost cohesive film. Remember, I said almost!<br /><br />OK, I'll be honest with you. DMDWP doesn't always make a lot of sense. But then film-noir usually doesn't. Even Raymond Chandler had trouble keeping up with The Big Sleep while he was writing it! But the fact that the film makes any kind of coherent sense at all is down to Steve Martin.<br /><br />He has seldom been better in anything else. Martin was still in his crazed, manic man phase, so the role of Rigby Reardon was something of a pleasant diversion. Martin was a real trooper. Going far above and beyond the call of duty. Most of the time he has to talk to thin air. While the footage is incorporated at a later date. I suppose you can tell where the reality ends and the footage begins. It is noticeably grainier, but Martin makes sure every scene hits it's mark.<br /><br />There are so many great little gags. Particularly inspired is the way DMDWP takes scenes from these films that are meant to be deadly serious and reworks them through clever editing and Martin's reactions so they become comedic instead. I especially loved Rigby's conversations with Humphrey Bogart's Philip Marlowe. And the scene where he throttles Bette Davis is unnerving.<br /><br />Martin gets a lot of droll dialogue that he delivers to perfection. I had no idea that he had such a talent for deadpan humour. And he gets to show off his talent for physical comedy too. The scene where he makes coffee has to be seen to be believed. I don't want to spoil it for you, but it provides one of the greatest sight gags you'll ever see.<br /><br />Aside from Martin, the only other person who provides a human element is Rachel Ward. She certainly looks enticing, but she is occasionally a little bland. She never quite sizzles the way you expect her to.<br /><br />But that doesn't matter. Because this is Martin's show. DMDWP was also one of the rare occasions where he had the opportunity to flex his considerable skills as a writer. I'm sure he's tailored a few situations to match his talents. But whether it calls for him to be deadpan or (occasionally) manic, Martin does brilliantly.<br /><br />Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid does admittedly run out of steam about 10 minutes before the end. As soon as it runs out of clips to use, the film loses some momentum. But even still, its a very, very good film indeed. One of Steve Martin's best. A tightly plotted, gag-packed laugh-a-thon that doesn't deserve obscurity. And getting to see Martin with dark hair is worth the price of admission alone!