Guest Author - Vannie
Great mindless fun! ONE BODY TOO MANY, a 1944 delightful black and white grade B or very possibly C movie. It is a silly mystery/horror/comedy type B movie that became the meat and potatoes of so many early studios. I love it.
Jack Haley is Albert Tuttle a nose-to-the-grindstone insurance man who has an appointment with a rich elderly recluse. He arrives at his mansion and is seen in by the butler (Bela Lugosi). He is shown into his clients office and immediately starts his insurance spiel to the back of a chair with smoke spiriling from a lit cigar. However, unbeknownst to Tuttle the client is dead and in his coffin in the office that Tuttle is in. Tuttle lays his brief case on the closed coffin before he realizes just what it is. Of course, he panics and when he tries to get out, he can't open the door, etc.
This movie is filled with every conceivable cliche imaginable. But that's the fun of it. A huge dark creepy house, a will to be read, a suspicious looking butler and cook, a beautiful damsel in distress, a dim witted detective, a houseful of greedy family members of the deceased, murders, trick doors, screams and noises at night, etc. And of course, a very nervous and reluctant hero. You name the cliche and it's there. This kind of movie would be nothing without Lyle Talbot and he is here as the family member who thinks timid Jack Haley is not who he says he is and has something to hide.
If you have this movie and it is filed away somewhere, dig it out and enjoy! I have had this movie for many years and every once in a while I dust it off to watch it again because sometimes you need a little harmless and mindless fun. So get out the popcorn and pop, and settle back to watch this lovely no-brainer bit of fluff.
