Murder, He Says Movie

Murder, He Says
Rating:
Run Time: 91 min
MPAA Rating:
Released: 1945
Directors: George Marshall
Genre/Type: Comedy
Crime
Slapstick
Comedy Thriller
Whodunit
Producers:
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Though it comes on much too strong at times, Murder, He Says fully justifies its present "cult" status. Professional pollster Pete Marshall (Fred MacMurray) gets more than he bargained for when he heads to hillbilly country to investigate the disappearances of several of his colleagues. Poor Pete stumbles across the Fleagle family, who have a quaint habit of murdering anyone they consider to be a nuisance. Whip-wielding Mamie (Marjorie Main), her deceptively meek husband Mr. Johnson (Porter Hall) and her hulking, lamebrained twin sons (both played by Peter Whitney) are searching for $70,000 hidden by Bonnie Parker-like desperado Bonnie Fleagle, and they don't intend to be disturbed by any outsiders like Pete. Having previously poisoned their troublesome grandma (Mabel Paige) with a curious substance that causes its victims to glow in the dark, Mamie and her brood try to dispatch Pete in the same manner, leading to an uproarious slapstick setpiece involving an elaborate "Lazy Susan" table. Complicating matters is the arrival of two different women (Helen Walker, Barbara Pepper) claiming to be the long-lost Bonnie Fleagle. Jean Heather costars as Elany Fleegle, the only sympathetic (but no less crack-brained) member of the killer brood. Its comedy content aside, Murder, He Says would be memorable for its eye-popping split-screen photography, thoroughly convincing the audience that Peter Whitney is indeed two different people.

Videos of Murder, He Says

Back to the top Top Questions about Murder, He Says

A pastor recently played one of Jay Z's songs backwards to reveal back masking that says 666 murder Jesus. It has not been able to be recreated. ChaCha
I'm very sorry to hear about your brother, but it is impossible to judge the morality without knowing the circumstances. I work in a hospital and sometimes when someone's quality of life has been destroyed and they have no hope of recovery,...
･ Ken Taylor. Ken Taylor was a dentist. He was married two times before he married Teresa. ･ She was beaten. Ken claimed intruders did it to her. ･ To a drug rehab. After Ken murdered her, he told her family that she was addicted to drugs a...
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Cast

Actors Character Born
Fred MacMurray Pete Marshall Aug 30, 1908 in Kankakee, IL
Helen Walker Claire Mathews Jul 17, 1920 in Worcester, MA
Marjorie Main Mamie Johnson Feb 24, 1890 in Acton, IN
Porter Hall Mr.Johnson Sep 19, 1888 in Cincinnati, OH
Jean Heather Elany Fleagle Feb 21, 1921 in Omaha, NE
Peter Whitney Mert Fleagle
Mabel Paige Grandma Fleagle
Barbara Pepper Bonnie Fleagle May 31, 1915 in New York, NY
George McKay Storekeeper Apr 15, 1886 in Salt Lake City, UT
Sid Saylor Townsman Mar 24, 1895 in Chicago, IL
Si Jenks Eighty-Year-Old Sep 23, 1876 in Pennsylvania
Ralph Peters Townsman
Walter S. Baldwin Vic Hardy
Peter Whitney Bert Fleagle
Milton Parsons Townsman May 19, 1907 in Gloucester, MA
James Flavin Police Officer May 14, 1906 in Portland, ME
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Back to the topReview

Review by Craig Butler
Murder, He Says seems to divide audiences, with naysayers finding it either entirely too silly or else too cavalier in its comic treatment of murder. But for those who get "tuned into it," Murder is a rollicking little farce whose dark edges give it a very special tang. Certainly it's unusual to find a film, especially from this period, that takes such delight in a bunch of characters who are cold blooded killers. But it's also hard to keep from getting interested in this peculiar pack of ruthless schemers. As the whip-wielding Mamie, Marjorie Main is a hoot, and Peter Whitney makes inanity almost inspired as the twins. But it's the deft comic performance of Fred MacMurray that carries the film; his timing, whether he's acting as straight man or comic, is perfect, and his ability to be a sane voice in a world of insanity anchors what could be an unwieldy film. Helen Walker does quite well as his eventual love interest, and the entire cast is good. The script does go off on some tangents, but most of them are funny, and a number of set pieces -- such as the rotating table -- are first rate. George Marshall's direction deserves plaudits for keeping things not only moving but moving forward. As stated, some viewers won't find Murder to their taste at all, but those that do will relish it.
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