The Cheap Detective: the good kind of corny

It's no secret to most that I'm a huge fan of film noir, so finding a spoof comedy of the classic genre in 1978's "The Cheap Detective" made my sloppy drunken evening.

Peter Falk stars as Lou Peckinpaugh, a hard boiled detective
 struggling to make ends meet, but quite the ladies man none the less. It's 1939, WWII is kicking off half a world away, but for ol' Lou it's just another day in the concrete jungle. After a hard night's drinking, Lou returns to his office to find a woman (Madeline Kahn) with about a million names(the character is listed as Mrs. Montenegro in the credits) , who hires him to find a man, while simultaneously spitting out quirky one liners at a dazzling pace. Needless to say Lou takes the case and sends the mystery damsel on her way.In true film noir style as one lady leaves, another enters. This time it's Lou's partner's wife, who comes in to inform him that her husband has been murdered and that the police are building a case against him.  Now Lou must solve his case, clear his name and get the girl(s).

Paying homage to 2 Bogart flicks ( The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca, respectively) The Cheap Detective is a nice little romp through 1939 San Francisco, with all the private eye clichés we have come to expect over the years, and a Mel Brooks-esque sense of humor throughout. Falk hits all the right notes, whether he's having it out with his lost love (ala Casablanca) or piecing things together in his signature Columbo style, playing the part straight while spewing out oh so ridiculous lines. Throughout the movie there are several nods to classic movies and music alike, all the characters are caricatures of their respective original counterparts, but personally I felt something was lacking in the music department, and while the songs used in the movie were for comedic effect I can see why they chose what they did, but.... I just think they could have done a little better.As far as the story, if you took out all the cheesy one liners and cornball jokes, it would play out like a proper old school detective movie, however the corny comedic stylings are what I feel really give this movie its charm. Regardless,  I'd say this is a must watch for fans of film noir or anyone who likes them cheesy spoof comedies, of course taste is subjective, is it not?
 Also, this movie is usually in the bargain bin where cheaper DVD's are sold, its definitely worth the 5-7 bucks.