''Missing Pieces'' is a 1992

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

film written and directed by Leonard Stern. Eric Idle plays a former greeting-card writer whose possible inheritance causes him great distress.

Plot

Eric Idle and

Robert Wuhl Robert Wuhl (born October 9, 1951) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known as the creator and star of the television comedy series '' Arliss'' (1996–2002) and for his portrayal of newspaper reporter Alexander Knox in Tim Bu ...

star as a mismatched couple, Wendel and Lou, in this

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...

film. Supporting characters include a one-handed kingpin, a lawyer who suffers from dwarfism, and twin brothers - one a crazed photographer and the other a mild-mannered antique dealer. When one of Wendel's many former

foster parent Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home (residential child care community, treatment center, etc.), or private home of a state- certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family me ...

s, Mr. Hu, dies, Wendel is bequeathed a riddle as his inheritance. Wendel and his

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G ...

-playing best friend Lou soon realise that the riddle isn't Hu's heirloom, just the key to finding Wendel's true

inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officia ...

. In the course of solving the riddle, they are pursued by several unfavourable characters, almost all of whom want them dead.

Cast

* Eric Idle - Wendel *

- Lou Wimpole * Lauren Hutton - Jennifer *

Bob Gunton Robert Patrick Gunton Jr. (born November 15, 1945) is an American character actor of stage and screen. He is known for playing strict authoritarian characters, including Warden Samuel Norton in the 1994 prison drama '' The Shawshank Redemption'' ...

- Mr. Gabor *

Richard Belzer Richard Jay Belzer (born August 4, 1944) is a retired American actor, stand-up comedian, and author. He is best known for his role as BPD Detective, NYPD Detective/Sergeant, and DA Investigator John Munch, whom he has portrayed as a regular cas ...

- Baldesari *

Bernie Kopell Bernard Morton Kopell (born June 21, 1933) is an American character actor known for his roles as Siegfried in ''Get Smart'' from 1966 to 1969 and as Dr. Adam Bricker ("Doc") on ''The Love Boat'' from 1977 to 1986. Early beginnings Kopell was bo ...

- Dr. Gutman *

Kim Lankford Kim Lankford (born June 14, 1954) is an American businesswoman and retired actress, best known for her role as Ginger Ward on ''Knots Landing'' from 1979 to 1983. Life and career Lankford was born in Montebello, California. She made her screen ...

- Sally *

Donald Gibb Donald Richard Gibb (born August 4, 1954) is an American actor, best known for his roles as the hulking, dimwitted fraternity brother Ogre in several installments of the ''Revenge of the Nerds'' film series, as Kumite fighter Ray Jackson in '' B ...

- Hurrudnik *

Leslie Jordan Leslie Allen Jordan (April 29, 1955 – October 24, 2022) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and singer. His television roles include Supporting characters on Will & Grace, Beverley Leslie on ''Will & Grace'' (2001–2006 and 2017–2020) ...

- Krause *

Louis Zorich Louis Zorich (February 12, 1924 – January 30, 2018) was an American actor. He played sporting good salesman Burt Buchman, Paul Buchman's father, on the NBC series ''Mad About You'' from 1993 to 1999. Early years Zorich was born in Chicago, I ...

- Ochenko * Don Hewitt - Scarface *

John de Lancie John Sherwood de Lancie, Jr. (born March 20, 1948) is an American actor, director, producer, writer, and comedian, best known for his role as Q in various ''Star Trek'' series (1987–present); beginning with '' Star Trek: The Next Generation ...

- Paul / Walter Thackary * James Hong - Chang *

Janice Lynde Janice Lynde is an American actress. The Houston-born, Lake Charles, Louisiana-reared Lynde began her career with the Dallas Symphony, both as a pianist and as a vocal soloist. The child of German parents Marvin and Sophia Zoch, she had to learn ...

- Marion * Mary Fogarty - Mrs. Callahan (as Mary Fogerty)

Reception

The film opened in theatres on July 17, 1992 and was available on DVD from 20 August 1996. Also, on HBO Video.

External links

* * 1992 films 1990s comedy mystery films American comedy mystery films 1990s English-language films Films scored by Marvin Hamlisch Universal Pictures films 1992 comedy films 1990s American films {{1990s-comedy-film-stub