Murder, He Says
Directed by George Marshall
Written by Lou Breslow and Jack Moffitt
1945/US
Paramount Pictures
IMDb Page
First viewing/Criterion Channel

Pete Marshall: It’s like looking for a needle in a… a slaughter house.

I think the golden years of Screwball ended in 1944.

Pete Marshall is a pollster. He goes deep into the Ozarks to investigate the disappearance of his colleague. He runs into the Fleagle family. The family is currently on a search for the $70,000 cousin Bonnie Fleagle (Barbara Pepper) stole in a bank robbery. Pete also learns that the hillbilly family is armed and ready to shoot outsiders who interfere.

Eventually Claire Matthews (Helen Marker), daughter of a man who has been falsely accused of the robbery, turns up to clear her father’s name. Now Pete has an ally and love interest. With Marjorie Main and Porter Hall as the heads of the clan.

This one has a plot similar to “Spider Baby” or “The Hills Have Eyes” only it’s supposed to be a madcap comedy. It wasn’t for me. For one thing, Marjorie Main’s “Ma Kettle” loud voice grates on me and she is in this a LOT. Watchable but not much more than that.