Clue is a 1985 American black comedy mystery film based on the board game of the same name. Directed by Jonathan Lynn, who co-wrote the script with John Landis, and produced by Debra Hill, it stars the ensemble cast of Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, and Colleen Camp.
Inspired by the nature of the board game, the film's initial release featured various different endings, with one of three possibilities sent to each theater. Home media releases include all three endings presented sequentially. The film initially received mixed reviews and did poorly at the box office, grossing $14.6 million in the United States against its budget of $15 million, but later developed a considerable cult following.
Plot
In 1954, six strangers are invited to a secluded New England mansion. Greeted by Wadsworth the butler and Yvette the maid, each guest receives a pseudonym to maintain confidentiality: "Colonel Mustard", "Mrs. White", "Mrs. Peacock", "Mr. Green", "Professor Plum", and "Miss Scarlet".
They are soon joined by Mr. Boddy, who has been blackmailing everyone for some time. Wadsworth notified the police, who will arrive in 45 minutes, but Boddy threatens to expose everyone if he is arrested. He then gives them six weapons — a candlestick, a dagger, a lead pipe, a revolver, rope, and a wrench - and demands someone kill Wadsworth, who possesses the front door key and whose death will ensure no one will learn their secrets, before turning out the lights. A gunshot rings out before Peacock turns the lights back on, revealing Boddy seemingly dead with no indication as to how at first glance.
As the guests investigate Boddy's death, Wadsworth explains his wife committed suicide after she refused to name friends who were socialists, forcing Wadsworth to become Boddy's butler. He then summoned the guests, hoping to force a confession out of Boddy and turn him over to the police. The group suspect the cook, Mrs. Ho, of killing Boddy, only to find she was fatally stabbed with the dagger. Amidst this, someone discovers Boddy is alive before killing him with the candlestick. Wadsworth locks the weapons in a cupboard, but before he can throw away the key, a stranded motorist arrives and Wadsworth locks him in the lounge before throwing a key out the front door. After the group pair up to search the mansion, someone burns the blackmail evidence, unlocks the cupboard, and kills the motorist with the wrench. Discovering a secret passage, Mustard and Scarlet find themselves locked in the lounge with the motorist's corpse until Yvette shoots the door open with the revolver.
A cop investigating the motorist's abandoned car arrives to use the phone. The mansion receives a call from FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover, which Wadsworth takes alone. After successfully distracting the officer and hiding the bodies, the group resume their search until someone turns off the electricity. In the confusion, Yvette, the cop, and an arriving singing telegram girl are murdered with the rope, lead pipe, and revolver, respectively. Wadsworth restores the power and gathers the group, having deduced what happened. Recreating the night's events, he explains that the other five victims were Boddy's informants who are each connected to one of the guests: Ho used to be Peacock's cook; the cop was being bribed by Scarlet; the motorist was Mustard's driver during World War II; Yvette was one of Scarlet's call girls, who had an affair with White's missing husband; and Plum had an affair with the singing telegram. An evangelist interrupts the gathering, but Peacock turns him away. Wadsworth continues his explanation, with one of three possible outcomes.
Ending A: "How It Might Have Happened" Scarlet ordered Yvette to murder Ho and Boddy before killing her and the other victims. Intending to sell the guests' secrets, Scarlet prepares to use the revolver to kill Wadsworth, who argues that there are no bullets left before disarming her just as law enforcement raid the manor, led by the evangelist, the undercover chief of police. Afterward, Wadsworth reveals he is an undercover FBI agent before accidentally firing the last bullet in the revolver at a chandelier, which narrowly misses Mustard.
Ending B: "How About This?" Peacock killed the victims to prevent them from exposing her for taking bribes from foreign powers. Using the revolver to hold the others at gunpoint, she forces them to let her leave. However, she is arrested by the evangelist, the undercover chief of police, before law enforcement raid the manor. Afterward, Wadsworth reveals he is an undercover FBI agent and offers fruit or dessert.