{"id":7939,"date":"2009-07-04T11:00:08","date_gmt":"2009-07-04T18:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=7939"},"modified":"2022-02-22T09:28:26","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T16:28:26","slug":"trouble-with-harry-the-1955","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=7939","title":{"rendered":"Trouble With Harry, The (1955)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Frankly, I don&#8217;t care what you do with Harry, as long as you don&#8217;t bring him back to life.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Poster-230x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"230\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-66628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Poster-230x300.jpg 230w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Poster-98x128.jpg 98w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Poster-207x270.jpg 207w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Poster.jpg 535w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 230px) 100vw, 230px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen a corpse shows up on a hill in Vermont, three different people &#8212; the corpse&#8217;s widow (Shirley MacLaine), a spinster (Mildred Dunnock), and a retired sea captain (Edmund Gwenn) &#8212; believe they may be responsible for his death; it&#8217;s up to a resident artist (John Forsythe), who has fallen for MacLaine, to help them figure out what to do with the body.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Black Comedy<\/li>\n<li>Edmund Gwenn Films<\/li>\n<li>Hiding Dead Bodies<\/li>\n<li>Hitchcock Films<\/li>\n<li>Mildred Dunnock Films<\/li>\n<li>Murder Mystery<\/li>\n<li>Shirley MacLaine Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\n<em>The Trouble With Harry<\/em> &#8212; &#8220;one of [five] Alfred Hitchcock films&#8230; that were long kept out of circulation&#8221; [the others were <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=18528\"><em>Rope<\/em> (1948)<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=20476\"><em>Rear Window<\/em> (1954)<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=10409\"><em>The Man Who Knew Too Much<\/em> (1956)<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=28420\"><em>Vertigo<\/em> (1958)<\/a>] &#8212; is surely Hitchcock&#8217;s most amiably comedic film, and likely <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1747hitc.html\">&#8220;the closest America&#8217;s come to reproducing the feel of an English Ealing comedy&#8221;, according to DVD Savant<\/a>. Peary, however, doesn&#8217;t appear to be a big fan of the film: he notes that &#8220;it looks like Hitchcock, stuck with a one-joke premise, made a half-hearted effort&#8221;, and argues that &#8220;it lacks pace, style, and, most importantly humor&#8221;. But I disagree on most of these counts. <\/p>\n<p>Yes, the story is decidedly one-note, but it&#8217;s based on a clever conceit, and works well if you&#8217;re in the right mood. As far as pacing is concerned, the storyline simply follows its own leisurely logic rather than the usual thrill-a-minute velocity one expects in a Hitchcock flick; and in terms of style, Hitchcock and d.p. Robert Burks make lovely use of the Vermont countryside, with many establishing shots literally bursting with vibrant fall colors. With regards to humor, while not all of the &#8220;jokes&#8221; in the film work (i.e., the &#8220;gag&#8221; about a millionaire wanting to buy all of Forsythe&#8217;s painting, only to find him either absent or suddenly unwilling to sell, falls flat), there&#8217;s a steady undercurrent of dark, dry humor that bolsters the film. Indeed, Hitchcock was actually quite the cinematic experimenter, always interested in stretching his own boundaries and trying new approaches &#8212; here, he was purposely trying out a more &#8220;subtle&#8221; form of humor on American audiences. (Apparently European audiences were more receptive, given that it played for a year or more in England, Italy, and France.) <\/p>\n<p>He also purposely kept his cast free from big-name stars &#8212; and nearly everyone involved (only Forsythe rubs me the wrong way) shines in their respective roles. Gwenn is perfectly cast as an amateur hunter convinced he&#8217;s accidentally shot Harry; his budding romance with Natwick (equally convinced she&#8217;s guilty of manslaughter, and given to exaggerating the truth about her age) is quite sweet. Meanwhile, it&#8217;s clear to pretty much everyone who sees the film that its &#8220;major point of interest is the debut of young Shirley MacLaine&#8221;, whose &#8220;performance &#8212; the matter-of-fact delivery of lines, and the weird rhythm of her speech &#8212; is disarming&#8221;, and whose natural beauty is refreshing. Her unusual casting has gone down in cinematic history: she had no movie experience at all, and was shocked at being chosen, but Hitchcock apparently said to her, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tcm.com\/thismonth\/article\/?cid=72466&#038;rss=mrqe\">&#8220;All this simply means is that I shall have fewer bad knots to untie.&#8221;<\/a> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Shirley MacLaine (in her film debut) as Jennifer Rogers<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Shirley-MacLaine.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Shirley-MacLaine-1024x541.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"338\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Shirley-MacLaine-1024x541.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Shirley-MacLaine-300x159.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Shirley-MacLaine-128x68.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Shirley-MacLaine-768x406.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Shirley-MacLaine-1536x812.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Shirley-MacLaine-511x270.jpg 511w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Shirley-MacLaine.jpg 1675w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Mildred Natwick as Ivy Gravely<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Natwick.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Natwick-1024x556.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66634\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Natwick-1024x556.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Natwick-300x163.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Natwick-128x70.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Natwick-768x417.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Natwick-1536x835.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Natwick-497x270.jpg 497w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Natwick.jpg 1660w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Edmund Gwenn as the Captain<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Gwenn.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Gwenn-1024x563.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66631\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Gwenn-1024x563.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Gwenn-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Gwenn-128x70.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Gwenn-768x422.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Gwenn-1536x844.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Gwenn-491x270.jpg 491w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Gwenn.jpg 1665w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Jerry Mathers (pre-&#8220;Leave it to Beaver&#8221;) as Arnie, Jennifer&#8217;s young son<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Mathers.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Mathers-1024x551.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"344\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66633\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Mathers-1024x551.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Mathers-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Mathers-128x69.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Mathers-768x414.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Mathers-1536x827.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Mathers-501x270.jpg 501w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Mathers.jpg 1673w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Beautiful location footage in the hills of Vermont<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Location.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Location-1024x547.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"342\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66632\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Location-1024x547.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Location-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Location-128x68.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Location-768x410.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Location-1536x821.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Location-505x270.jpg 505w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Trouble-Harry-Location.jpg 1675w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Bernard Herrmann&#8217;s score (his first for Hitchcock)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as an unusual entry in Hitchcock&#8217;s oeuvre. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0048750\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1955\/10\/18\/archives\/screen-the-trouble-with-harry-whimsical-film-from-hitchcock-at.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/93991\/the-trouble-with-harry#articles-reviews?articleId=72466\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1747hitc.html\">DVD Savant Review (scroll down to second review)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/film\/reviews\/79817\/the_trouble_with_harry.html\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Frankly, I don&#8217;t care what you do with Harry, as long as you don&#8217;t bring him back to life.&#8221; Synopsis: When a corpse shows up on a hill in Vermont, three different people &#8212; the corpse&#8217;s widow (Shirley MacLaine), a spinster (Mildred Dunnock), and a retired sea captain (Edmund Gwenn) &#8212; believe they may be responsible for his death; it&#8217;s up to a resident artist (John Forsythe), who has fallen for MacLaine, to help them figure out what to do&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=7939\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7939"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81630,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7939\/revisions\/81630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}