Day 27 – One Body Too Many (1944)

Day 27: One Body Too Many (1944)
Cast:      Bela Lugosi as Merkill
Jack Haley as Albert Tuttle
Jean Parker as Carol Dunlap

Written by Maxwell Shane & Winston Miller
Directed by Frank McDonald (Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back)

Plot: Insurance salesman Albert Tuttle is hoping to sell a millionaire a life insurance policy only to find him already dead. His family remains at the mansion awaiting their fortune, which they’ll receive only after a glass dome is constructed at the top of the mansion. Of course, a killer is loose and wants to stop those plans, killing anyone who gets in their way.

Personal Thoughts: More comedy than old dark house mystery, this was a bit of bore to get through. Jack Haley (Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz) did his best to provide laughs but they seemed too forced. Lugosi doesn’t fair too well here as he is once again a butler with not much to do. There are some fun moments where he is trying to get everyone to drink coffee with the apparent goal to kill people with rat poison. It’s a weak gag that’s carried through the final scene but it got a few chuckles out of me. Put this one lower on your list.

Trivia:

• Lugosi returned briefly to a major Hollywood studio in this Paramount Pictures release.
• This film is now in the public domain.

Availability:

• Watch the movie on YouTube.
• Alpha Video DVD