The Trouble with Harry

Theatrical Release Poster

Shirley MacLaine

Mildred Natwick

Mildred Dunnock

Jerry Mathers

Royal Dano

**The Trouble with Harry** is a 1955 American Technicolor black comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes was based on the 1949 novel by Jack Trevor Story. It starred Edmund Gwenn and John Forsythe; Jerry Mathers and Shirley MacLaine, in her first film role. The Trouble with Harry was released in the United States on October 3, 1955, then re-released in 1984 once the distribution rights had been acquired by Universal Pictures.

The film was one of Hitchcock's few true comedies (though most of his films had some element of tongue-in-cheek or macabre humor). The film also contained what was, for the time, frank dialogue. One example of this is when John Forsythe's character unabashedly tells MacLaine's character that he would like to paint a nude portrait of her. The statement was explicit compared with other contemporary movies.

## Plot

The quirky but down-to-earth residents of the small hamlet of Highwater, Vermont, are faced with the freshly dead body of Harry Worp, which has inconveniently appeared on the hillside above the town. The problem of who the person is, who was responsible for his sudden death, and what should be done with the body is "the trouble with Harry."

Captain Wiles is sure that he killed the man with a stray shot from his rifle while hunting, until it is shown he actually shot a rabbit. Jennifer Rogers, Harry's estranged wife, believes she killed Harry because she hit him hard with a milk bottle. Miss Gravely is certain that the man died after a blow from the heel of her hiking boot when he lunged at her out of the bushes (still reeling from the blow received at the hands of Jennifer). Sam Marlowe, an attractive and nonconformist artist, is open-minded about the whole event, and is prepared to help his friends and neighbors in any way he can. In any case, no one is upset at all about Harry's death.

However, they all are hoping that the body will not come to the attention of "the authorities" in the form of cold, humorless Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs, who earns his living per arrest. The Captain, Jennifer, Miss Gravely and Sam bury the body and then dig it up again several times throughout the day. They then hide the body in a bathtub before finally putting it back on the hill where it first appeared, in order to make it appear as if it was just discovered.

Finally it is learned that Harry died of natural causes; no foul play at all was involved. In the meantime, Sam and Jennifer have fallen in love and wish to marry, and the Captain and Miss Gravely have also become a couple. Sam has been able to sell all his paintings to a passing millionaire, although Sam refuses to accept money, and instead requests a few simple gifts for his friends and himself.

## Cast

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

## Trivia

* This was one of Alfred Hitchcock's favorites of all of his films.
* The film takes place over the course of one day.
* The film was Alfred Hitchcock's experiment to see how audiences would react to a non-star-driven film.
* The film was unavailable for decades because its rights were bought back by Alfred Hitchcock and left as part of his legacy to his daughter Patricia Hitchcock.
* "What seems to be the trouble, Captain?" was Alfred Hitchcock's favorite line from all his movies.
* Alfred Hitchcock bought the rights to the original novel anonymously for just $11,000.
* Alfred Hitchcock insisted on using a real actor for the body of Harry. He chose Philip Truex.