The Trouble with Harry (1955)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

John Michael Hayes (screenplay)
Jack Trevor Story (novel)

Release Date:

3 October 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A comedy about a corpse.

Plot:

The trouble with Harry is that he's dead, and everyone seems to have a different idea of what needs to be done with his body...

Plot Keywords:

Artist | Suspect | New England | Dead Body | Macguffin

Awards:

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Edmund Gwenn	...	Capt. Albert Wiles
John Forsythe	...	Sam Marlowe
Mildred Natwick	...	Miss Ivy Gravely
Mildred Dunnock	...	Mrs. Wiggs
Jerry Mathers	...	Arnie Rogers
Royal Dano	...	Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs
Parker Fennelly	...	Millionaire
Barry Macollum	...	Tramp
Dwight Marfield	...	Dr. Greenbow
Shirley MacLaine	...	Jennifer Rogers

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.50 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Brazil:12 | USA:Approved (certificate no. 17335) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Ireland:PG | Peru:14 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Barre, Vermont, USA

Company:

Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions

Trivia:

When Music Composer Lyn Murray was working on the music score for To Catch a Thief (1955), Alfred Hitchcock was already looking for a composer for this film, which was to be his next. So Murray suggested Bernard Herrmann. This was the beginning of the long professional relationship between Hitchcock and Herrmann.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Captain and Miss Gravely are at Miss Rogers' home, the Captain is holding his shovel with the blade down. In a close-up, the blade is up by his face. Then later, it is down again.

Quotes:

Capt. Wiles: Blessed are they who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Odyssey 5: Trouble with Harry (#1.12)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Flaggin' the Train to Tuscaloosa

Delightfully twisted

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.