The Cheap Detective (1978) on Netflix
PG19781h 32mComedyCrimeMystery
San Francisco, 1940. The police blame private eye Lou Peckinpaugh for his partner's murder, and he sets out to clear his name. A strange crowd of characters is hunting a lost treasure.
- Netflix2.9/5
- IMDb6.4/106,543 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes53%
Trailer
Plot summary
Lou Peckinpaugh works as a private detective in San Francisco in 1940. The police think he murdered his partner, and the charge is brought at the urging of his mistress, who is the partner's wife. Lou sets out to prove he had no part in the killing. A strange assortment of characters is hunting a lost treasure, and Lou helps them recover it. The city also holds documents, dames and Nazis.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Cheap Detective (1978)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- CinemaScore exists because of this film: founder Ed Mintz started the audience-polling firm in 1979 after disliking The Cheap Detective, despite being a Neil Simon fan, and hearing a fellow disappointed moviegoer say they wanted ordinary people's opinions rather than critics'.
