The Trouble With Harry
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Mildred Natwick, Jerry Mathers, Shirley MacLaine
Our first Hitchcock of the Season is one of his few true comedies. It is based on the novel by the undeservedly forgotten English writer, Jack Trevor Story. It’s autumn and all is well in an idyllic Vermont village until the body of Harry is found. The four residents who team up to solve the mystery then pair off and the film becomes an unexpected, and beautifully handled, blend of thriller and surprisingly modern rom-com. This is a delightful little film and will surprise those who think only of Psycho when they think of Hitchcock. Indeed, it helps make the case for Hitchcock’s supremacy – who else has such range and such finesse across that range?