So You Want to Be a Detective
Directed by Richard L. Bare
Produced by Richard L. Bare Productions
A lighthearted 1948 comedy short where a daydreaming everyman imagines himself as a detective, trading quips with a sardonic narrator in a playful send-up of noir conventions.
Joe McDoakes imagines himself as a private detective on a murder case. Throughout the film, he spars verbally with narrator Art Gilmore.
Questions people ask
Is So You Want to Be a Detective sad? Barely. Less sad than 89% of films.
Is So You Want to Be a Detective easy watching? Yes. More comforting than 77% of films.
Is So You Want to Be a Detective scary? Barely. Less frightening than 76% of films.
Is So You Want to Be a Detective violent? Barely. Less violent than 76% of films.
Does So You Want to Be a Detective end with hope? Somewhat. More hopeful than 70% of films.
These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Cinnamon Score
How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other film this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Like So You Want to Be a Detective
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as So You Want to Be a Detective
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like So You Want to Be a Detective, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like So You Want to Be a Detective, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like So You Want to Be a Detective, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
