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Amazon.co.uk Review
The Trouble with Harry is a lark, the mischievous side of Hitchcock given free reign. A busman's holiday for Alfred Hitchcock, this 1955 black comedy concerns a pesky corpse that becomes a problem for a quiet, Vermont neighbourhood. Shirley MacLaine makes her film debut as one of several characters who keep burying the body and finding it unburied again. Hitchcock clearly enjoys conjuring the autumnal look and feel of the story, and he establishes an important, first-time alliance with composer Bernard Herrmann, whose music proved vital to the director's next half-dozen or so films. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com
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English
Region 2
Region 2
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
At first glance, "The Trouble with Harry" seems a radical departure for Hitchcock, from dark psychological thrillers to a deadpan black comedy. In a book-length interview with French filmmaker François Truffaut in 1960s, Hitch said he wanted to shoot something light-hearted, funny, simple and free of symbolism pervading his previous works. Hitch planned "Harry" as such a change of pace. In contrast to his high-budget films where he usually used handsome protagonists, icy blondes, expensive costumes and elaborate sets, "Harry" stands out its humbleness and light-heartedness.
Although a mysterious dead man is at the forefront of the story, "Harry" is actually a romantic comedy between two different couples, reflecting Hitchcock's taste of wry humor very well. The nonchalant attitude of the characters to Harry's body and their never-ending pursuit of selfish desires under fast-changing circumstances are quite amazing. One by one each characters come upon the corpse in the woods and think they killed him, and then attempt to get rid of him. Over the course of a day Harry is buried and digged out four times and two love affairs come to fruition.
As all of his work, Hitch's visual flair adds another layer to "Harry". The film is beautifully photographed to show the autumn foliage of New England to best effect. Thanks to VistaVision, the picture is crisp and sharp, colors are vibrant, contrast levels are excellent, fine details are well-represented. Albeit simple, the cinematography is well-done, as is the lighting and Hermann's scores.
Overall, "Harry" falls short of being a true Hitchcock classic at all, yet a delightful film about human beings and their strange desires. Give it a spin.
Although a mysterious dead man is at the forefront of the story, "Harry" is actually a romantic comedy between two different couples, reflecting Hitchcock's taste of wry humor very well. The nonchalant attitude of the characters to Harry's body and their never-ending pursuit of selfish desires under fast-changing circumstances are quite amazing. One by one each characters come upon the corpse in the woods and think they killed him, and then attempt to get rid of him. Over the course of a day Harry is buried and digged out four times and two love affairs come to fruition.
As all of his work, Hitch's visual flair adds another layer to "Harry". The film is beautifully photographed to show the autumn foliage of New England to best effect. Thanks to VistaVision, the picture is crisp and sharp, colors are vibrant, contrast levels are excellent, fine details are well-represented. Albeit simple, the cinematography is well-done, as is the lighting and Hermann's scores.
Overall, "Harry" falls short of being a true Hitchcock classic at all, yet a delightful film about human beings and their strange desires. Give it a spin.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I've watched this film over and over again. I like to put it on at bed time instead of reading a book, and get asleep on it, simply because of the wonderful Vermont landscapes.
It's not the typical Hitchcock film and it builds up as an intriguing murder mystery, not so much for the 'whodunit' as for the suspense of what is actually going to happen to Harry in the end and how the whole trouble is going to get resolved. The theatrical interaction of the characters, especially around the body, makes the infinite Vermont landscape of a small community a very efficient outdoor theatre in which the plot revolves, untouched by the bustling metropolitan world of the mid-50s (Sam's 'little men with hats').
What makes this film a masterpiece to me is the not-so-subtle anarchism and sexuality of the dialogue: Miss Gravely's 'put your finger through the handle', Shirley Maclaine's obsession with lemonade, the Captain's opening monologue about hunting as well as Sam's dialogue with the deputy sheriff. They are just a few examples of the deeper meaning that Hitchcock was trying to communicate through a surreal, funny and poetic black comedy, including the underlying thoughts given to freedom, art, sexuality, happiness and the distaste for law and government.
It's not the typical Hitchcock film and it builds up as an intriguing murder mystery, not so much for the 'whodunit' as for the suspense of what is actually going to happen to Harry in the end and how the whole trouble is going to get resolved. The theatrical interaction of the characters, especially around the body, makes the infinite Vermont landscape of a small community a very efficient outdoor theatre in which the plot revolves, untouched by the bustling metropolitan world of the mid-50s (Sam's 'little men with hats').
What makes this film a masterpiece to me is the not-so-subtle anarchism and sexuality of the dialogue: Miss Gravely's 'put your finger through the handle', Shirley Maclaine's obsession with lemonade, the Captain's opening monologue about hunting as well as Sam's dialogue with the deputy sheriff. They are just a few examples of the deeper meaning that Hitchcock was trying to communicate through a surreal, funny and poetic black comedy, including the underlying thoughts given to freedom, art, sexuality, happiness and the distaste for law and government.
Format:DVD
Hitch's use of the beautiful, autumnal New England settings are a smokescreen. In England, we'd have a chocolate-box picture postcard scene of thatched cottages with roses around the door instead.
It's this contrast with a murder and on the face of it, rather sweet and simple folks in the village. But, take away that sweet wrapper and something rather more unpleasant and sinister is revealed. As the layers are further removed more revelations see the light of day. It's also the opposite to the normal murder, instead here we have a body that everybody wants to own up for.
But this is censor-controlled America in the mid '50s and whilst brutal murders with buckets of blood and stories of great depravity are the norm these days, the stories here are much more simple and ordinary. Hitch would never do a farcical comedy, he is far too measured for such frivolities but there is no doubt that he had a playful and dark humour that he had to rein in in order to command respect as a director. Here, he is making his own picture, probably away from prying executive producers that would want to fashion it into something saleable.
As it was, 'The Trouble with Harry' wasn't and was a flop. He was then, of course about to indulge us with his spree of classics, as if a lesson learned. Self indulgence seldom works, whatever the director, however famous the name.
But, it gave us Shirley MacLaine, who is a breath of Vermont air, in her debut feature. The dialogue is often non-sensical and one either sits there in disbelief or accepts it as being just part of the strange humour. The blossoming of two romances could be seen as something good growing from a something bad.
It is understandable that Trouble With... divides opinion. Those that expect Hitchcock, the master suspenser and find instead something quite the opposite and those that take a film at face value and watch it for what it is and how it is presented. Those in the latter category are far more likely to enjoy it.
It's this contrast with a murder and on the face of it, rather sweet and simple folks in the village. But, take away that sweet wrapper and something rather more unpleasant and sinister is revealed. As the layers are further removed more revelations see the light of day. It's also the opposite to the normal murder, instead here we have a body that everybody wants to own up for.
But this is censor-controlled America in the mid '50s and whilst brutal murders with buckets of blood and stories of great depravity are the norm these days, the stories here are much more simple and ordinary. Hitch would never do a farcical comedy, he is far too measured for such frivolities but there is no doubt that he had a playful and dark humour that he had to rein in in order to command respect as a director. Here, he is making his own picture, probably away from prying executive producers that would want to fashion it into something saleable.
As it was, 'The Trouble with Harry' wasn't and was a flop. He was then, of course about to indulge us with his spree of classics, as if a lesson learned. Self indulgence seldom works, whatever the director, however famous the name.
But, it gave us Shirley MacLaine, who is a breath of Vermont air, in her debut feature. The dialogue is often non-sensical and one either sits there in disbelief or accepts it as being just part of the strange humour. The blossoming of two romances could be seen as something good growing from a something bad.
It is understandable that Trouble With... divides opinion. Those that expect Hitchcock, the master suspenser and find instead something quite the opposite and those that take a film at face value and watch it for what it is and how it is presented. Those in the latter category are far more likely to enjoy it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
is no stars an option
this is awful, I'm going through a hitchcock phase and am relatively new to his films other than the more popular ones so I read up on them and if they get positive reviews I'll... Read more
Published 5 months ago by columboforpresident
Blessed are they who expect nothing, for they shall not be...
In one way you could argue that The Trouble With Harry, a largely forgotten and ignored Alfred Hitchcock film, is the epitome of his film-making craft. Read more
Published 7 months ago by IWFIcon
No Trouble with Harry
A welcome reacquaintance with one of Hitchcock's most underrated creations,and one which deserves to be much better known. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Holden Gray
Dull comedy about a dead body.
The joke, such as it is, is that no-one treats Harry like a human being. He is pure macguffin. Unfortunately, the comedy that centres around disposal of the body is tedious. Read more
Published 15 months ago by DaveH1973
Literally laughing in the face of death.
A quiet and picturesque autumnal part of Vermont is the setting for Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 foray into cheeky black comedy. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Spike Owen
Trekking up and down the trails of the mind
What's most surprising about this film is the date, 1955. It is a nice criminal detective comedy since all ends well that had started very grimly and so bad. Read more
Published on 1 Feb 2009 by Jacques COULARDEAU
absolutely amazing!
I cannot explain in proper words how brilliant and clever this film is. I have that fantastically rare warm feeling I get when I've just finished watching a 5 star film and feel... Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2008 by Ms. F. I. Macdonald
No trouble at all in loving this.
This is a wonderfully sumptuous whimsy as sweet and as a filling as one of Miss Gravelys blueberry muffins. Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2007 by evanstad
For Hitchcock completeists only
Oh dear, oh dear. Hitch must have wanted a holiday in New England. The best I can say about this is that it's pretty to look at, with its Autumn-in-Vermont scenery and Shirley... Read more
Published on 15 Oct 2007 by Dennis E. Sisterson
Harry just lies there
A young kid Arnie Rogers (Jerry Mathers, Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver in the Leave it to Beaver series) is playing in a field and some shots are fired. Soon Arnie comes upon a body. Read more
Published on 3 May 2007 by bernie
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