Mystery plot devices: The lethal stage weapon

19 years ago

I'm sure you know it: The prop gun that turns out to be loaded with live rounds, the prop knife that turns out to be a real knife, etc.

I came across this in the last mystery I read and one I am currently reading (written with an interval of 55 years) and I began to wonder how common and how old this device is and if itÃ¢ÂÂs common enough to be called a cliche.

The two books are Ngaio MarshÃ¢ÂÂs Enter a Murderer and J.D. RobbÃ¢ÂÂs Witness in Death. What other mystery titles (or movies) can you remember where this plot device is used? (and what was the weapon?)

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Comments (3)

teacats
19 years ago
In the excellent TV series (now on DVD) "Rosemary & Thyme" -- features this device (a real gun during a play) in one of their episodes!

An excellent series -- I believe there are three seasons of episodes available! :)
martin_z
19 years ago
Fact rather than fiction - Chung Ling Soo (really an American magician William Ellsworth Robinson) was actually shot on stage when a trick involving catching a bullet in his teeth went wrong. There are conspiracy theorists who believe that the death was not accidental.....

Here is a link that might be useful: Chung Ling Soo
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dynomutt
19 years ago
Well, Ellery Queen kind of used it in The American Gun Mystery and that was written back in the mid-30s. Go read this one -- and see if you can find ALL the red herrings! ;-)

I'm pretty sure I've also read a Nero Wolfe mystery (I'm thinking it was one of his short stories or novellas) with the same plot device.

I'd also check out the movies Deathtrap with Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve and Sleuth with Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier. Those two movies, I'm pretty sure, deal with that plot device as well. Oh, and they're also a great fun to watch!

Of course, there's also the situation with Brandon Lee, Bruce Lee's son. If I'm not mistaken, he died while filming The Crow when he was shot by a blank gun with a piece of something in the barrel -- the details are in the FAQ for the movie in IMDB.

Mystery plot devices: The lethal stage weapon

Comments (3)

teacats

martin_z

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