What if The Trouble with Harry had been an Ealing comedy?

[Dave Rattigan]

I'm a big fan of Hitchcock's The Trouble with Harry (1955). It was based on a book by the British humorist Jack Trevor Story, however, and was originally set in England. Hitch's version was fairly faithful in spirit to the book, but relocated the action to Vermont.



Since reading the book, I've often thought what ripe material this would have been for an Ealing film. It's an ensemble piece, set in a rural English village (think Titfield Thunderbolt), a mixture of comedy and drama, with a macabre undercurrent and an incredibly Ealing-esque sense of community spirit.



I could just see some of the main roles being taken on convincingly by John Gregson (in the John Forsythe role), Joan Greenwood (Shirley MacLaine), Stanley Holloway (Edmund Gwenn - in fact, he was a Brit, so could still have been in it!) and Joyce Carey (Mildred Natwick). JT Story could have written the book for a cast such as that.



Anyone else a Harry fan? Anyone had this thought before?

[batman]

I have to confess I have never seen it.



Bats.

[DB7]

I think the nearest to that would be something like The Green Man rather than Ealing. For Hitch it's not quite macabre enough, is the film water down compared with the novel?



I much prefer the body in the chest in Rope.

[batman]

name='DB7']

I much prefer the body in the chest in Rope.

I'm glad somebody else likes Rope, I thought it was just me!



Bats.

[Windthrop]

name='batman']I'm glad somebody else likes Rope, I thought it was just me!



Bats.

The acting is fine I just wish it was black and white.

[DB7]

name='Windthrop']The acting is fine I just wish it was black and white.

I thought the acting was ok, but the long scenes and editing, and homoerotic undercurrent to the storyline make it fairly daring for a mainstream director.



The Trouble with Harry was never black enough for my liking, it tends to veer into farce and despite seeing it pre Forsythe in Dynasty, the film felt a bit lightweight or soapy.

[batman]

name='DB7']I thought the acting was ok, but the long scenes and editing, and homoerotic undercurrent to the storyline make it fairly daring for a mainstream director.

That's also why I like it. I believe Hitch made it to prove to himself that it could be done. Whatever the reason, the suspense is maintained throughout and despite his obvious 'star power', Stewart doesn't overwhelm the piece.



Bats.

[Dave Rattigan]

name='DB7']The Trouble with Harry was never black enough for my liking, it tends to veer into farce and despite seeing it pre Forsythe in Dynasty, the film felt a bit lightweight or soapy.

I'm not sure the book was all that much darker. I liked some of the grisly additions. For example, there's that hilarious conversation between the Captain and Miss Graveley on the porch, when he's trying to drink his tea while she's going on about her father meeting his death in a threshing machine!



It is a fairly lightweight film in some ways, but I really like that. To me it's a bit of a feel-good film, really.

[Dave Rattigan]

Oh, and I'm a big Rope fan, too. Very underrated. Great atmosphere; love the way dusk descends over the city in the background, so subtley, it's almost imperceptible.

[stevie boy]

name='batman']I have to confess I have never seen it.



Bats.

Bats, you should see it, quite a nice littlefilm, with some great acting and some lovely locations.

[batman]

name='stevie boy']Bats, you should see it, quite a nice littlefilm, with some great acting and some lovely locations.

I think I have it on VHS in a box set somewhere, I'll dig it out and have a look.



Bats.

[Bilmo]

I enjoy "The Trouble With Harry" frequently. I have watched the "extras" on the DVD, which explain why they changed the venue. Personally, I think it works extremely well. The free and very "innocent" feel of the great outdoors, the wonderful colouring and the warm, dry weather, make it an ideal setting.



Perhaps it has changed a little of the original "flavour", but I think it works extremely well, with a fine cast and just enough background music, to make it memorable.



An intriguing film and, if one studies it further, with some thought and detachment, it is not too difficult to see the brilliance of the story, as well as the "blackness" in the humour!

[Nick Dando]

It's the first film that Alfred and Bernard Herrmann worked on together. It's a very good score, too. It's one of my favourite films. The colours of the New England autumn (or fall) are magnificent. And I've watched it a number of times and still haven't spotted hitch, though I know where to look for his cameo appearance.



Nick

[orpheum]

I dont like it.It was only noteworthy as being the penultimate appearance on film of Edmund Gwenn.