The Trouble with Harry (1955)

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

Also Known As:

Mais qui a tué Harry? (Belgium: French title) (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
O Terceiro Tiro (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
¿Quién mató a Harry? (Argentina) (video title) [es]
El tercer tiro (Argentina) [es]
Herrie om Harry (Netherlands) [nl]
Hvem har dræbt Harry? (Denmark) [da]
Immer Ärger mit Harry (West Germany) [de]
La congiura degli innocenti (Italy) [it]
Maar wie heeft Harry gedood? (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
Mutta... kuka murhasi Harryn? (Finland) [fi]
Nevolje s Harryjem (Croatia) (DVD title) [hr]
Pero... ¿quién mató a Harry? (Spain) [es]
Poios skotosse ton Harry (Greece) [el]
Ugglor i mossen (Sweden) [sv]

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:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: After Arnie opens the door to find Harry in the bathtub he asks, "Hey, what's he doing in our bathtub?" Once the camera switches to a wide shot you can see but not hear Arnie repeating the end of the line.

Quotes:

Capt. Wiles: [as he sees Sam Marlowe coming] Next thing you know they'll be televising the whole thing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bis zum Ellenbogen (2007)

Soundtrack:

Flaggin' the Train to Tuscaloosa

An absolute gem, one of the few 10's I've ever given!!!

This movie is fantastic. I don't think anyone except Hitchcock could have made such humour out of a dead body. Shirley MacLaine (in her first role) is delightful and Edmond Gwenn perfect. You'll see a young Jerry Mathers pre-dating Leave it to Beaver by a few years. Don't miss this little gem, it's as funny today as it was in 1955 and I suspect for a long time to come.