The Trouble with Harry

Trailer—The Trouble with Harry

When I read the box at the video store, I thought it sounded a little silly, but since it was directed buy Hitchcock, I decided to give it a try. I was glad I did! This film does a good job at showing what life is like (in a twisted way) in a small American town. Of course the whole thing is a black comedy about a corpse, but it's great fun, and suspenseful too, especially when Calvin is in the room, questioning everybody. I didn't understand why the door kept opening, but maybe it was just a joke - normally the door would signal a killer entering or something like that - but the door is never any cause for alarm. All the actors are good, especially Gwenn, and Mrs. Gravely was so endearing. Don't ignore this lesser known Hitchcock movie. It's a treat to watch and is genuinely funny.

Everyone who had something to do with Harry just can't figure out if he should stay buried or dig him up. From there, Hitchcock's black comedy brings about tension and giggles. Seems that everyone had a reason for wanting Harry out of the picture, only trouble is, Harry is more trouble dead than alive. A light film for Hitchcock, but it does contain the transference of guilt theme, and the guilt bounces all over our main players. A small gem of a film that often gets overlooked, watch this one and you'll be charmed by the trouble that Harry causes.

I was really young when I saw this film for the first time. In a quaint Vermont town, a body is found. For a while, the guy is just part of the landscape. Kids even play around it (that's Jerry Mather...the Beaver). A flood of guilt settles on the community. At least three people feel they may have caused the death of this man. However, the townspeople will do anything to keep the authorities from getting wind of it. Royal Dano, the long faced sheriff, is out there somewhere. We are also introduced to Shirley MacLaine who plays a young mother and is the wife of the deceased. As with all Hitchcock films, there is a lot of unique situations as people bury, dig up, hide, cover the body. If some feel the end is anticlimactic, that's what it's supposed to be. One of the stars of the show is Vermont in the fall which provides a backdrop for all the grim doings that are going on.

Director Alfred Hitchcock attempts comedy again, with better results as this film is about the corpse of Harry Worp, which is first discovered by Capt. Albert Wiles(played by Edmund Gwenn) who thinks he shot Harry accidentally when he was hunting rabbits, so decides to hide the body instead. Unsuccessfully, as it turns out, as it is discovered by young Arnie Rogers(played by Jerry Mathers) who then gets his mother(played by Shirley MacLaine) to see it, though she recognizes it as her missing husband! She then decides to hide it herself, only to have artist Sam Marlowe(played by John Forsythe) stumble over it! Thus begins the odyssey of Harry's body, and the trouble it causes... Amusing comedy is almost too droll for its own good, but a fine cast and amiable nature make it a pleasant diversion, but nothing more.