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Author Topic: Mysteries that play fair
Chad R.
Initiate of Jabootu
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Post Mysteries that play fair
on: February 28, 2012, 20:52
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Sunday I watched "The Hounds of Baskerville," the second episode of the second season of the BBC's usually very nifty Sherlock.

*Extremely vague spoilers follow.*

I didn't like it. Oh, the actors were good as usual but the mystery didn't play fair. Way too many unpredictable and ridiculous contrivances were needed to explain the goings on. There was no way for an observant viewer to have figured out any of it. One of the friends I was watching it with was absolutely livid at the cheating they had to do to tie the story up.

*End vague spoilers.*

So, can anyone recommend any mystery movies that "play fair?" That is, the clues are out in the open and a sufficiently clever and observant viewer could solve it along with the characters in the film? The more intricate and well-constructed the mystery the better. One I already know about is The Last of Sheila, a 1973 murder mystery written by Tony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim, of all people.

Capt_Nemo
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Post Re: Mysteries that play fair
on: February 28, 2012, 21:37
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Most movie mysteries that, I think, "play fair" are ones that have a bad tendency to telegraph who it is by casting the person who did it as a lesser known celebrity.

An example of this is Clint Eastwood's "Blood Work." I knew who it was because they had a character in it that didn't seem to have a purpose played by a b list celebrity. So as the movie unfolded. I basically marking time.

The only time I ever kicked myself for not paying attention was the movie "The Sixth Sense." But that was not a straight up mystery.

The only other one I can think of is the 1965 version of "Ten Little Indians" There was a moment in that film that should have unravelled it for me. But I didn't catch it.

admin
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Post Re: Mysteries that play fair
on: February 29, 2012, 08:58
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For TV shows I would highly recommend Jonathan Creek, although those are pretty tough mysteries (generally).
Another great impossible crimes show was Banacek, although that was more of a 'howdunnit' than a whodunnit, as it involved heists rather than murders.

The '70s Ellery Queen show was generally pretty good, although the lesson the producers learned was that audiences didn't want to work hard at the mysteries. So they dumbed them way down for their next two such shows, Murder She Wrote and Diagnosis Murder, which then ran forever.

The Brits still like whodunnits, but as I wrote in my review of Stranger Among Us (which was quite a while ago), American audiences just got out of the habit of the fair play mystery and now nobody knows how to make 'em and nobody knows how to watch 'em.

The Thin Man has a pretty classic whodunnit wrap-up at the end. Agatha Christie adaptations obviously, including the delightful Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple films.

Last of Sheila is a pretty great movie, by the way. Saw it in the theater back in the day, and it actually holds up to repeat viewings.
Chad R.
Initiate of Jabootu
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Post Re: Mysteries that play fair
on: March 1, 2012, 15:09
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I think I remember your A Stranger Among Us review. I believe you observed that the killer in shows like Murder She Wrote and Diagnosis Murder (and let us not forget Matlock!) was usually whoever the biggest guest star was that week, which is just the TV version of the point Capt. Nemo makes above. By the way Captain, I'll have a look at the 1965 Ten Little Indians as per your suggestion.

Interesting you should mention people forgetting how to watch mysteries. The friend I talk about who got so angry is Sarah, the woman who accompanied me to the most recent T-Fest. She watches mysteries with an intense, laser-like focus and a determination to figure things out, hence her anger at the show for the cheating, exactly as if she had been playing poker with someone and caught him palming a card. I'm really looking for suggestions for stuff to show her.

I know about The Thin Man, but I'll check out those Miss Marple movies. As for the TV shows, thanks for reminding me of Jonathon Creek. I watched all the regular episodes a while back but I still need to see the holiday specials. There are some really great, well-constructed mysteries in there. Well, and a couple of crappy ones, too. (The one with the alien comes to mind. And the one with the guy who sells his soul to the Devil. I got mad at that one.)

zombiewhac-
ker
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Post Re: Mysteries that play fair
on: March 21, 2012, 14:54
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I've seen three of the Miss Marple films so far. Margaret Rutherford is ideal in the role, but if my memory serves, those movies don't always play fair, either.

Marple invariably uncovers a clue key to solving the mystery, but never bothers to tell anyone about it, including the audience, until the unmasking at the end of the picture.

Aussiesmur-
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Post Re: Mysteries that play fair
on: March 25, 2012, 19:41
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Among books, I always enjoyed The General's Daughter by Nelson DeMille. The book is told in first person perspective from the Warrant Officer investigating the crime, and the mystery unravels from his perspective. There is really no 'oh god' moment, but rather the investigation becomes more and more focussed on a particular suspect, with the details unfolding clearly and logically.

It sounds like a weird example, but the 'Who Shot Mr Burns' Simpsons episodes played completely 'fair' with the viewer, with foreshadowing clues, etc.

The first series of Veronica Mars contained a number of interesting 'mystery' plots, and the over-arching plot of 'Who killed Lily Kane' was particularly well done.
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