Gumshoe dick Steve Martin is called on by lovely Rachel Ward to find her missing father, a cheese manufacturer. When he finds a list containing names, people put a licking on him to keep those names from turning up in the wrong hands.<br /><br />An exhilarating, amazing, and rewarding film experience for Classic Movie fans, most of the key characters in this plot are played, through astonishing editing by Bud Molin, terrific cinematography by Michael Chapman, marvelous period costumes from Edith Head(her final film for which this is dedicated), by classic film stars such as Ava Gardner, Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck, Ray Milland, Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, among others as they are confronted through meetings and conversations from detective Martin.<br /><br />The flawless, seamless ability to place Martin in scenarios with so many stars of the great films from the 40's and 50's is such a pleasure to behold. Sure, many might feel some of the comedy falls flat, but I think Martin(..and Ward & Carl Reiner who also directed)is perfectly cast. His scenes dressed as a woman are hilarious especially when he kisses Ward and confronts James Cagney(..from his role in "White Heat" portraying his mother).