Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Murder on the Emerald Seas Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 6, 2018

Co-writer/director Alan Ormsby endeavors to create something wacky with 1974’s “Murder on the Emerald Seas” (a.k.a. “The Great Masquerade”), and his approach to big screen comedy takes some getting used to. Clearly a fan of classic comedies, favoring the work found in silent cinema, Ormsby tries to master the same timing and tirelessness for “Murder on the Emerald Seas,” which plays broadly and excitedly with familiar set-ups and punchlines. It’s a whodunit, but providing a thorough mystery isn’t part of the production’s plan, as most energy is poured in generating silliness, which can only reach as far as the iffy screenplay allows.

Due to the murders of three beauty pageant contestants in the Artisan Models Ball, owner Sherwood (Roberts Blossom) is moving the masquerade party to a cruise ship to prevent outside violence. The cops want to learn more about the inner workings of the company, sending in Dave (Robert Perault) on an undercover mission, posing as a contestant. Transformed into a “female impersonator,” Dave becomes Faith Cummings, tasked with tailing Sherwood, who loves to mingle with the models, and follow Vito (Lee Sandman), a gangster up to no good whose sister, Rita (Judy LaScala), is a perennial loser in the beauty contest.

“Murder on the Emerald Seas” is designed to resemble bygone entertainment, offered up in chapters to best break down Dave’s journey from a detective worried about his chief’s sexuality to a man in a dress, postponing his engagement to his girlfriend to spend time on the Emerald Isle participating in a beauty pageant and masquerade party. Not that Dave even remotely looks like a woman, but Ormsby tends to enjoy the oddity of the cop’s mission, staging scenes where the bewigged guy is hit on by amorous men, while his actual training at a charm school eats up much of the first half of the movie, juggling smeary beauty and wonky feminine grace to transform himself into a highly desired lady.

Murder on the Emerald Seas Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Murder on the Emerald Seas" arrives on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation, and damage is apparent from the opening scene, which is riddled with chemical blotches (check the last screencap for a look). The issue pops up a few more times during the movie, brief but unavoidable, slightly hurting an otherwise wonderfully vivid viewing experience. Clarity is terrific, showcasing this collection of oddballs with fine detail, picking up on costuming choices and make-up designs, delivering a clear view of costumed and undercover pageantry. Set decoration is also defined. Colors are vivid, showing plenty of life with signage and period outfits, which deliver bright primaries. Skintones are natural. Delineation is communicative.

Murder on the Emerald Seas Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

With the visual stretches of damage, the 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers accompanying disruptions as well, adding roughness to the listening event. Again, all of this is periodic and clears up fast, but dialogue is disturbed at times. Getting past these tender spots, and the track delivers clear and inviting performances, picking up on comic timing and what passes for performance nuances. Scoring (haunting, repetitive ragtime) is also compelling, with adequate instrumentation and position to support onscreen antics.

Murder on the Emerald Seas Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Murder on the Emerald Seas Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If one can buy Dave as a woman, the rest of "Murder on the Emerald Isle" shouldn't be much trouble to sit through, though its sense of humor leaves much to be desired, trying too hard to light up the screen with hoary jokes, even bringing in Henny Youngman to cameo to secure the legitimacy of the mischief. There's a body count, but it's not a priority to the helmer, who's mainly interested in cracking wise, showcasing nudity, and embracing the slapstick possibilities of the plot, which has a few characters dressed up as Keystone Cops to accentuate the tribute. It's amazing the feature doesn't end in a pie fight. "Murder on the Emerald Isle" more of a curiosity than an achievement, with Ormsby playing the role of a ringmaster rather than a director, throwing so much at the wall to see what sticks. It's not a particularly funny endeavor, but it keeps trying, even with the lamest ideas. Such enthusiasm has its appeal, making this weird attempt at throwback entertainment with an R-rated edge digestible.