SILVER

"It's not just a game anymore." The classic murder-mystery board game provides a surprisingly effective springboard for this manic, zinger-filled comedy from director Jonathan Lynn (MY COUSIN VINNY, YES MINISTER). When their dinner party host turns up dead, the guests of the late Mr. Boddy are trapped at his country mansion by their mutual suspicion and, as it turns out, abundant and shared motives for killing him. Hardworking butler Wadsworth (Tim Curry) leads the investigation with reluctant — and memorably comic — help from Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn), Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd), Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren), Mr. Green (Michael McKean), Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull) and more. DIR/SCR Jonathan Lynn; PROD Debra Hill. U.S., 1985, color, 97 min. RATED PG