The Trouble with Harry (1955)
-
90% of critics liked it
(20 reviews) -
72% of users liked it
(12,974 ratings)
The trouble with Harry is that he's dead. The scene is a autumnal Vermont village, where a pre-Leave It to Beaver Jerry Mathers stumbles upon Harry's corpse in the woods. Mathers alerts his mother Shirley MacLaine (making her film debut), who recognizes Harry as her ex-husband. Later on,… More The trouble with Harry is that he's dead. The scene is a autumnal Vermont village, where a pre-Leave It to Beaver Jerry Mathers stumbles upon Harry's corpse in the woods. Mathers alerts his mother Shirley MacLaine (making her film debut), who recognizes Harry as her ex-husband. Later on, retired sea captain Edmund Gwenn likewise comes across the moribund Harry. Both MacLaine and Gwenn have reason to believe that they're responsible for Harry's demise; MacLaine thinks that she killed Harry by clobbering him with a bottle, while Gwenn is certain that he shot the poor fellow while hunting. As the day draws to a close, seemingly every person in town is convinced that he or she has had some hand in Harry's death, thus they conspire to hide the body from the authorities. Visiting artist John Forsythe, dumbfounded at the calm, collected reactions of the villagers regarding Harry (whose ubiquitous body pops up at the most inopportune moments), solves the "mystery." Though not his most successful film, The Trouble with Harry was one of director Alfred Hitchcock's favorites. The story's whimsical black-comedy elements are perfectly complemented by Bernard Herrmann's playful music score. Best bit: Mildred Natwick, coming upon Gwenn as the latter is strenuously dragging away Harry's corpse, asking offhandedly "What seems to be the trouble, Captain?" The Trouble With Harry was adapted by John Michael Hayes from the novel by John Trevor. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Genres
- Mystery & Suspense, Classics, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Oct 3, 1955 Wide
- On DVD
- Mar 6, 2001
- Studio
- MCA Universal Home Video
Critic Reviews
-
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
This latest of Mr. Hitchcock's efforts is a curiously whimsical thing.
-
Josh Larsen, LarsenOnFilm
A spirited irreverence about the power of death pervades. Think of this as a relief valve compared to most of Hitchcock's other films.
-
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
I love it. I've seen it more times than just about any other Hitchcock.
-
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
highly entertaining romantic comedy that still has the Hitchcock touch--a dark comedy using a dead body as the central MacGuffin
-
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Beautifully subtle suspense with a sprinkle of black humor.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Also available on
UltraViolet Retailers
Other Retailers
Subscription Services
Cast
-
Edmund Gwenn
as Capt. Albert Wiles
-
John Forsythe
as Sam Marlowe the painter
-
Shirley MacLaine
as Jennifer Rogers Harry's Wife
-
Mildred Natwick
as Miss Graveley
-
Mildred Dunnock
as Mrs. Wiggs
-
Jerry Mathers
as Arnie Rogers
-
Royal Dano
as Calvin Wiggs
-
Parker Fennelly
as Millionaire
-
Barry Macollum
as Tramp
-
Dwight Marfield
as Dr. Greenbow
-
Ernest Curt Bach
as Chauffeur
-
Philip Truex
as Harry Worp
-
Leslie Woolf
as Art Critic
