DVD Review: "Murder He Says" (1945)

Directed by George Marshall. Cast: Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, Marjorie Main, Porter Hall, Peter Whitney, Jean Heather, Barbara Pepper, Mabel Paige. Released June 23, 1945. Running time: 91 minutes.

Kino Lorber's classics division has released a new 4k remaster of George Marshall's "Murder He Says;" a very funny movie that combines murder mystery and rural comedy.

Fred MacMurray plays a pollster who travels deep into hillbilly territory to seek out a co-worker who has gone missing. He ends up in the throes of a backwoods family who are trying to get info out of a dying grandmother regarding $70,000 of stolen loot stashed by their cousin, who is currently in prison. What follows is a myriad of mistaken identities, radioactive poisoning, close calls, and slapstick action. This Paramount release is fast-paced and relentlessly funny.

Those of us who are a certain age were first introduced to Mr. MacMurray via his TV gig as the patriarch of "My Three Sons" during the 1960s, along with several starring roles in lighthearted Disney comedies. Later, we discovered his versatility via his fine work in more serious parts like in the Billy Wilder films "Double Indemnity" (1944) and "The Apartment" (1960). "Murder He Says" was originally designed for Bob Hope to star, so it is MacMurray's job to play the role as a comedian, and not just an actor who does comedy. He rises to the occasion by eschewing the sturdy, anchored style he'd established in more serious films, and becoming a stammering, jittery victim of circumstances, deftly performing pratfalls and double-takes.

Marjorie Main had played long-suffering matriarchs of bad men in serious films like William Wyler's "Dead End" (1937) and Raoul Walsh's "Dark Command" (1940), but here she is able to chew the scenery with rural-comic gusto as the matriarch of a dysfunctional hillbilly brood. Sort of a blueprint for the Ma Kettle character that would later define her career, Main is loud, forceful, and delightfully funny as she hollers and bellows while brandishing a bullwhip.

Helen Walker has never been more beautiful or appealing as the leading lady, maintaining the shaky balance of an innocent character who pretends to toughness, while the genuinely tough Barbara Pepper, the elderly cranky Mabel Paige, and the completely daffy Jean Heather complete the female cast. Peter Whitney stands out comically playing dual roles (dumb, trigger-happy twin brothers Mert and Bert), while veteran character actor Porter Hall's welcome presence nicely balances out the supporting cast.

While more a vehicle for MacMurray and Walker than an ensemble piece, "Murder He Says" allows each actor to shine in his or her role, every one of them resonating discernibly. The rural comedy is filled with corn, but that only enhances the silliness of the situations, despite the underlying serious of the subject matter.

Kino Lorber's disc also features a fun and interesting commentary track by Michael Schlesinger and Stan Taffel, who know and understand the material, and also appreciate it with genuine good humor.

"Murder He Says" is a wonderfully entertaining farce that never slacks for a second. It is most highly recommended for libraries, research centers, and anyone who enjoys a good comedy film that will certainly hold up with repeated viewings.

The disc is available here: MURDER HE SAYS.