Tina Fey, Jimmy Kimmel and Will Ferrell might be today's household names of comedy who cut their teeth on Saturday Night Live, but go back a few decades and Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin formed the core of the SNL alumni; and had an even more glittering string of box office smash comedies under their belts. Steve Martin hasn't had the same fortune as Bill Murray when it comes to an enduring career, but at his peak he was certainly a giant of American comedy, and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid featured one his most impressive performances. A spoof on classic film noir movies of the 40s, the film splices in clips from dozens of movies to great effect, allowing Martin the opportunity for quips and banter with movie legends such as Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant and Ava Gardner. The story might be as nonsensical as The Big Sleep (clips from which feature in the film) but this in itself is a suitable way to lampoon the often labyrinthine plotting of noir thrillers. But it's the gags which count for the most, and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid has more than enough that hit the spot.
