The Trouble with Harry

"You're not supposed to bury bodies whenever you find them. It makes people suspicious."

A body is found on a hill overlooking the small town of Highwater, Vermont.  It is found in the morning by a young boy, Arnie Rogers (Mathers).  Arnie runs to get his mother, Jennifer (MacLaine), who recognizes the body but isn't upset by his death.  Meanwhile, the body is discovered by Captain Albert Wiles (Gwenn).  Wiles was hunting in the woods and believes he accidentally shot the man.  As he moves the body, he is discovered by spinster Miss Ivy Gravely (Natwick) and later by artist Sam Marlowe (Forsythe).

Wiles' shooting catches the attention of Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs (Dano), who drives around town trying to find the source.  To keep Wiggs from stumbling onto the body, Marlowe and Wiles bury it.  Who is the stranger, who Jennifer identifies as "Harry"?  And who is responsible for his demise?


The trouble with Harry is that he's dead... that's how most reviews or explanations of this film begin. The film is based on the 1949 novel "The Trouble with Harry" by Jack Trevor Story.  Director Alfred Hitchcok bought the film rights for the novel.  He wanted to make a film without a big-name cast and with a subtle humor.  It was his favorite film, but it mostly bombed with audiences.

Shirley MacLaine was a Broadway star when Hitchcock discovered her.  This was her film debut and she won a Golden Globe for this role.  This was Edmund Gwenn's second collaboration with Hitchcock (after Foreign Correspondent).  John Forsythe previously worked with Hitchcock on the TV show "Alfred Hitchcock Presents."

The film is funny and charming and it's a shame that the film is as well-known as other Hitchcock films.  It is subtle but keeps you invested... it isn't a thriller like most Hitchcock films, but it is still worth checking out.

The Trouble with Harry (1955) 99 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Edmund Gwenn as Captain 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 Sheriff Calvin Wiggs
Parker Fennelly as Millionaire