Clue (film)
1985 comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn

Clue is a 1985 American comedy mystery film directed and written by Jonathan Lynn, who developed the story with John Landis. Based on the board game Cluedo (also known as Clue), the film stars Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, and Lesley Ann Warren. Set in 1954, the plot follows six strangers who gather at a secluded mansion where a series of murders unfolds, forcing the group to determine the identity of the killer among them.
Released on December 13, 1985, Clue featured an unusual theatrical presentation, with each screening depicting one of three different endings, revealing an alternative solution to the plot's mystery. Clue received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $14.6 million against a $15 million budget. Over time, the film developed a cult following and an improved critical reception based on the ensemble cast performances. This bolstered reputation inspired the live adaptation Clue: On Stage as well as anniversary theatrical re-releases.
Plot
In 1954, six strangers are invited to a secluded New England mansion. They are greeted by the butler Wadsworth and the maid Yvette. Each is assigned a pseudonym to maintain confidentiality: "Colonel Mustard", "Mrs.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Clue (film)” is 1985 comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Clue, film and comedy, not as a finished interpretation.
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The phrase “1985 comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Object files, edition statements, performance records and contemporary criticism preserve different stages of the work’s history. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 13, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q558795. VIAF identifies the subject as 20154921221663590453. The Library of Congress control number is no2019012960. 3 of 5 selected statements include explicit references; 2 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1985 and 1954.
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This entry incorporates text from “Clue (film)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.