When you think of it, this is a very inexpensive way to produce a movie. Imagine what it would have cost to hire **real** actors for all those scenes lifted from the old detective pictures. This movie actually has a quite small cast, with one of the parts played by writer/director Carl Reiner--more money saved! The marvelously talented Reni Santoni, who portrays a South American policeman to hilarious effect, is a Reiner favorite. Santoni actually played a character based on the young Carl Reiner in the semi-autobiographical "Enter Laughing" fifteen years earlier.<br /><br />There is much clever writing here and Steve Martin's deadpan style of comedy is right on the money. As this is satire, not drama, the virtual absence of plot isn't a major flaw. Likewise the limited acting skills of Rachel Ward who only has to do sexy.