I had always wanted to check out this black comedy – a rare thing for Hollywood during this era (off-hand, the only other one I can recall is ARSENIC AND OLD LACE [1944]). However, it's never been available to me until now…so that, in compiling a list of lightweight titles I most wanted to watch throughout the Christmas season, it's no surprise the film ended up at the top of the list. Even so, this has more of a cult than classic reputation – but it was certainly a delight: incidentally, while I'm usually somewhat queasy watching movies centering around hillbillies, their inherent eccentric nature works perfectly within the context of MURDER, HE SAYS' bizarre plot.

By the way, the greedy/homicidal-family-after-a-sum-of-money involved harks back to the popular 'old dark house'-type comedy-thrillers – which undoubtedly gives the whole added appeal. With this in mind, the location of the loot being hidden within the nonsensical verses of an old ditty is a much-used device in this kind of picture – as is the presence in the house of both a secret passageway and a mysterious assailant (whose identity actually isn't hard to guess). Similarly, the fact that the moribund crone (justifiably) suspects her relatives' motives and opts to confide in a stranger is particularly reminiscent of the wonderful Sir Roderick Femm scene in my favorite subgenre entry – the appropriately-titled THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932).

That said, the original elements here are no less engaging – with the unlikely albeit effectively-handled 'glowing poison' expedient a recurring motif (which reaches its zenith in the hilarious dinner sequence around an inconveniently revolving table). The most side-splitting visual gags, then, both feature bodily contortions: the hero being tied up in a most awkward position to be grilled by the Fleagles and his own later pretense as a midget in order to conceal one of their two identical sons lying unconscious at his real feet! For the record, there's even an amusing in-joke in the film's reference to THE GHOST BREAKERS (1940) – the marvelous Bob Hope comedy-horror vehicle, also made by director Marshall at Paramount!

Fred MacMurray makes for an ideal lead – suitably bewildered and out-of-his-depth at first, but who eventually contrives to outwit the crazy clan by employing his 'superior' city-slicker ways. Apart from a whip-cracking Marjorie Main (perhaps the quintessential female hick) and mad scientist(!) Porter Hall as the respective heads of the backwoods brood, the remaining cast members were unknown to me – though all enter gleefully into the offbeat spirit of the thing. The twins were obviously played by the same actor and, unsurprisingly, leading lady Helen Walker turns out not to be vicious/demented after all (since she's only impersonating a convicted member of the dysfunctional family, with the real character herself surfacing towards the end).

Maintaining a frenzied pitch virtually for the entire duration (leading to an extended chase finale that's capped by an inventive come-uppance for practically the entire main cast) makes the film seem longer than its 94 minutes – but it's an inspired ride all the way, and great fun to boot. The quality of the copy I acquired (derived from VHS) isn't optimal if still quite passable under the circumstances…at least until Universal (who now owns the film) sees fit to give it a decent – and much-deserved – release on DVD. I guess HD-DVD is out-of-the-question for such an obscure little item and, in any case, I'm not yet willing to give in to the format just yet owing to the undue hassle and expense this would clearly entail!

On the surface, I could see someone mistaking this for "The Egg and I" or one of the Ma & Pa Kettle films. After all, "The Egg and I" stars Fred MacMurray and Marjorie Main and is set in rural America--and Main starred in these sequels. But, while the Kettles were a wacky but sweet family, Main and her brood in this film are more like the folks from "Arscenic and Old Lace"--but meaner. In other words, a family of dangerous psychos. This makes "Murder, He Says" a very, very dark comedy--one that might surprise you.

Fred MacMurray works as a pollster. He's been sent to look for another pollster who disappeared some time back and the trail ends with Main and her family. Soon it becomes apparent that the family is sort of like the Mansons morphed with the Clampetts--and it appears Fred might be next. The only reason they don't just kill him is that they want to use him to get the secret from Grandma as to where some cash from an older robbery is hidden. Once he learns some clues as to its whereabouts, the family wants to beat it out of him and cannot kill him until they find it. But clearly Fred's days are numbered. A bit later, a woman arrives who claims to be an escaped family member interested in the money. However, she's really not--and is trying to return the money to clear the family name. Oddly, Fred agrees to help her--though she is one wacky and violent lady herself--just not a killer. Then, an unknown person (whose face you can't see) pops in and out of the walls--klunking people on the head. Can Fred survive this house of horrors?! Overall, the film is a lot of wacky, dark fun. Not as great as "Arsenic and Old Lace" (which tended to be wilder and more likable),but still a very unusual and interesting little comedy. In many ways, it plays like a Looney Tunes short or Scooby Doo episode with live actors.

By the way, the film makers did a great job in making one actor look like a set of twins--it was the most complicated use of double-exposures I've seen. Also, towards the end of the film, look for Barbara Pepper (the lady with the .45)--she later played Mrs. Zipfel on "Green Acres".

I've seen Murder He Says many times and it's a pretty funny film. Fred MacMurray had never done that kind of belly laugh comedy before and I'm sure that Walt Disney must have screened this film and that he was certainly capable of it when he made him Disney's number one male star starting with The Shaggy Dog.

But every time I watch it, I keep thinking this was a property developed for Bob Hope. All of the mixed up adventures with this rube Fliegle family are pure Hope. Imagine Hope instead of Fred MacMurray in the lead and I'm sure you'll agree with me.

My guess is that Hope was busy entertaining the troops and Paramount had this thing ready to go and prevailed upon another of their contract players to step in.

As a pinch hitter though, Fred MacMurray batted in a big old home run with this one.

By the way that tune that is the key to where the buried treasure is will be rattling around in your brain for weeks.