anthony-rigoni
This movie takes us back 70 years ago at the City of Chicago, where station WBN hosts the variety of many radio programs. Unfortunately, it's also the place of interest where six murders are committed. Brian Benben stars as hapless writer Roger Henderson, who tries to solve the murders of stool-pigeon trumpet player Ruffles Reedy(Jack Sheldon), Toupee wearing Director Walt Whalen Jr.(Jeffery Tambor), Bossy Stage Manager Herman Katzenback(Larry Miller), Sleazy Radio Announcer Dexter Morris(Corbin Bernsen), humorless sponsor Bernie King(Brion James), and WBN Head Man General Walt Whalen(Ned Beatty). Accused of being the killer by Short-Tempered Lt. Cross(Michael Lerner), he, along with bell boy Billy(Scott M. Campbell) and his wife Penny Henderson(Mary S. Masterson), must find out who committed the murders and why. It features appearances by well-known comedian George Burns as the 100-year-experienced radio comedian Milt Lackey, Anita Morris' last appearance as the Va-Va-Va-Voom Girl with the Va-Va-Va-Voom voice Claudette Katzenback, Christopher Lloyd as the sound effects man Zoltan, and Peter MacNicol(who is known for his starring role in the Mr. Bean Movie) as the son of one of the writers. To find out who the killer really is... You'll have to watch the movie. This movie is a nostalgia of classic radio and mystery with a dash of LOL. I guarantee you'll like this movie! 1000/1000
edwagreen
The only thing that this inane film has going for it is its pacing. It is done lively and quiet fast and given the nature and how bad the film is, it's appropriate to do it that quickly.This is a definite take-off on the radio period in America.While a radio show goes on, the best part of the action seems to be on the backstage, where a series of murders are taking place, one after the other.Suspicion immediately falls on one of the writers who is on the verge of breaking up with his wife, the show's producer.The beginning showed progress with the problems of script writing presented. With the murders, the film falters quickly and becomes one of amateurish slapstick and all other mayhem and nonsense.The comedy lines are silly. One example is: Woman to man: "Don't you see the star on my dressing room?" His response was: "Does that mean you're Jewish?" Case closed.
blanche-2
If you like the old radio shows, films set in the '30s and mysteries, this should be the film for you. The three things mentioned are favorite things of mine, but alas, I didn't enjoy this movie. The thin plot centers around a Phantom of the Radio (a disembodied voice) who says something sinister over a microphone, and then someone is murdered. Apparently all the people who are murdered worked together at another radio station that was involved in a scandal. One of the writers, Roger Henderson (Brian Benben becomes a suspect. He's the husband - possibly soon to be ex-husband of Penny Henderson (Mary Stuart Masterson) who manages to somehow keep the station going with no scripts and people dying all around her."Radioland Murders" has a crackerjack cast - besides the above, the cast includes Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Ned Beatty, Harvey Korman, George Burns, Scott Michael Campbell, Brion James, Anne DiSalvo - the list goes on.The radio shows (Lloyd's character is the sound effect man), the commercials and the music are absolutely wonderful. Unfortunately the director kept cutting from those elements to something else - either yelling or slapstick or both. The slapstick was incessant. Some slapstick is funny; constant slapstick becomes annoying. Certainly there are ways to show a chaotic, disorganized radio station without papers flying all over the place every two minutes and everyone getting knocked over and screaming. As far as the murders, they happen so quickly and so soon into the film that it was hard to know whom exactly had bought it.The acting is mostly good except for Benben, who for reasons of his own decided to pretend he was a wisecracking guy from the '40s instead of just doing the role. This is the same thing that ruined the "Nero Wolfe" show on A&E - you don't put an era on like a shoe, you ARE in the era, or you come off as being an external actor.Big disappointment. A shame because it had some great elements going for it.
megank2000
This is the BEST movie ever. I've seen it hundreds of times and never get tired of watching it. The cast is large and the jokes move rather quickly, but this witty humor is what makes it great! The people who don't like or understand this movie are the ones who don't keep up with all of the hilarious jokes and things mentioned in fast dialog or under-the-breath. You must love witty to love this film. There are memorable and highly-quotable lines, and you'll find yourself mentioning things like "what a bunch of nimrods" in your everyday conversations. This is definitely a movie you'll remember and be able to watch time and again.
AD
