10 Underrated Comedy Performances In Film

Having spent the majority of his career carving a niche for scenery-chewing turns as sneering villains and mischievous otherworldly beings, a revisit to the Johnathan Lynn helmed Clue boasts Curry at his most refreshing: playing the straight man.

Acting as a comic foil to a host of highly-strung suspects, Curry’s Wadsworth facilitates proceedings with composure, ease and deference. Even in the face of some outwardly hilarious theatricality, (Madeleine Kahn’s iconic “flames on the side of my face” moment deserves a list of its own) Curry manages to undercut the absurd with a gentleness we don’t often see from him. His tearful admission that he and his wife “had friends who were…socialists” would be moving if it weren’t so amusingly bizarre.

The film isn’t perfect. In fact, upon its release it was given a lukewarm reception to say the least. But a retrospective viewing proves it to be an entirely enjoyable, rather strange romp performed by an exceptional ensemble cast, of which Curry shines in one of his defining roles.

Stand-Out Moment: The film’s denouement.

All three of them. In which Wadsworth gets a sweat on, dashing in and out of rooms whilst unveiling the murderer and how they did it. “And monkey’s brains, so popular in Cantonese cuisine, are not often to be found in Washington DEE SEE…” You can get tired just watching it.