One of the most important aspects of any Hitchcock film is the comic relief that breaks up the heavy mood and growing tension – and Hitchcock was always wickedly funny. With ‘The Trouble With Harry’, he went for full on humour and produced a very dark comedy that is quite a little treat in his oeuvre.
The troublesome Harry is in fact a dead body, and one which a few people feel responsible for. There’s his estranged wife, Jennifer, who hit him with a milk bottle; Miss Gravely who hit him with the heel of her hiking boot; and Captain Wiles who was out hunting a believes one of his bullets may have gone astray. Despite this troubling situation, no one actually seems to be too concerned and Harry is often forgotten about as new relationships develop between the would-be culprits.
Presided over by Sam, a local artist, played with cocky bravado by John Forsythe, but written as a kind-hearted romantic, the group repeatedly bury and dig up Harry as they try to decide the best course of action to protect the members of their group. Eventually, when they believe themselves safe and Sam proposes to Jennifer, they realise they have to dig him up again to prove he’s dead so they can marry. Due to the tone of the film, we never really believe anyone’s at risk and it’s all pretty harmless fun. The film seems very dated thanks to a reserved romance – the central joke of the film is that Sam and Jennifer will want a double bed when they’re married (having only met that day)! – and the world in which they live is of a pleasant, rural America where everyone in the community is willing to help each other out.
In a way it’s a very un-Hitchcock film, and many members of his typical audience felt betrayed, especially as humour revolving around a dead body being repeatedly dug up did not find favour in the US. There are, however, a few touches that betray Hitchcock’s presence. In Jennifer’s house a cupboard door is seen repeatedly opening by itself, setting itself up for later betraying the presence of the corpse, but when the local policeman comes to the house and the cupboard falls open, Harry’s not inside! Hitchcock clearly enjoys playing with his audience’s expectations and tricking us.
The whole film has a playful air to it and the reality is that the corpse plays no important part at all. Instead, it is the McGuffin, what Hitchcock called the plot detail that drives the narrative, but ultimately is not what the story is about. ‘The Trouble With Harry’ is essentially a romantic comedy, with two couples coming together and the hero finding success with his art. It’s a very light film with likeable characters and the performances might not be great but they’re enjoyable; although Edmund Gwenn as the Captain is a little out of place with his English accent; but Shirley Maclaine in her debut is enchanting. For anyone who loves classic comedies, with a dark edge, this is for you.
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