This week’s mystery movie has been the 1945 (copyright 1944) Paramount Pictures film “Murder, He Says,” with Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, Marjorie Main, Jean Heather, Porter Hall, Peter Whitney, Mabel Paige and Barbara Pepper, making it a mini “Double Indemnity” reunion. The screenplay was by Lou Breslow from a story by Jack Moffitt, with photography by Theodor Sparkuhl, art direction by Hans Dreier and William Flannery, with special effects by Gordon Jennings and Paul Lerpae. It was directed by George Marshall.
It’s available on DVD from TCM for $10.75.
The film opened in Los Angeles at the Paramount theaters on June 14, 1945, with “The Chicago Kid” and a short Technicolor feature, “Boogie-Woogie,” with Robert Benchley.
“Murder, He Says” was MacMurray’s last film at Paramount before going to Twentieth Century-Fox. MacMurray’s last Paramount film was supposed to have been “Girls Town,” but it wasn’t ready in time, according to an Edwin Schallert column (April 8, 1944) in the Los Angeles Times. “Murder” was originally conceived as a Bob Hope film.
Writing in the Los Angeles Times (June 15, 1945), Philip K. Scheuer called the film a “ghoulish farce” and said:
“Murder, He Says” is good trash — to me. Indeed, like certain of the hillbilly Fleages it introduces, it glows at times with an inspired madness. And let me put you right about the Fleagles: When they glow, they GLOW — and not with warmth or moonshine, either. They — just — plain — light — up.
An unsigned review in the New York Times (June 25, 1945) said:
As weird a marriage of mirth and shudders as has yet come out of Hollywood is unveiled in “Murder, He Says,” a Paramount item, which, for want of a more specific description, might be termed farce melodrama. For this offering, which began a stand at the Globe on Saturday, mixes mayhem and clowning with the happy abandon of a drunk suffering from dementia praecox. As a result, this caricature of a hillbilly family, who combine the seamier attributes of the Jukes and the Jeeter Lesters, dilutes the effects of numerous laughs with an always incredible plot.
And for our first mystery guest of 2017, we have a mystery gent and a telephone.
Update: This is George McKay.
For Tuesday, our mystery clerk has a mystery companion, who is somewhat alarmed.
Update: This is Ralph Peters, left, George McKay, center, and Tom Fadden.
Wednesday’s mystery guest is a rustic lady. (Update: Her film career began in 1912).
Update: This is Mabel Paige.
Brain Trust roll call: Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (after much deliberation, the mystery movie, Monday’s mystery guest and Tuesday’s mystery background actor in a plaid shirt), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Don Danard (Tuesday’s mystery guest, half credit on mystery actor in plaid shirt) and Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery guest, Tuesday’s mystery guest and mystery actor in plaid shirt).
And for Thursday, we have this mystery woman.
Update: This is Jean Heather, better remembered as Lola Dietrichson in “Double Indemnity.”
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Don Danard (Wednesday’s mystery woman), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie and mystery woman), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and mystery cast), Diane Ely (Wednesday’s mystery woman/wrong movie) and Patrick (mystery movie and mystery guests).
And for Friday, we have a group of guests, some more mysterious than others.
Update: This is Marjorie Main, Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker and Peter Whitney.
Brain Trust roll call: Alan Warren (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guest), Dan Nather (mystery movie and mystery guests) and Patrick (Thursday’s mystery guest).
ladailymirror.com 
Henry Travers in You Can’t Get Away with Murder would be: 1.) too easy for Monday, 2.) wrong, 3.) correct.
LikeLike
Alas, 2 it is.
LikeLike
I’m taking a flyer–I think this may be Harold deBecker; Megan and Thom don’t think so.
LikeLike
Megan and Thom are right.
LikeLike
Once again, I should have listened to Megan and Thom!
LikeLike
Victor Potel today?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
I’m going to take another flyer (I never learn)–Is Tuesday’s rube Arthur Hunnicut? Also, I’m positive the gent in the plaid shirt at the far left is Ralph Peters.
LikeLike
Is that Charles Cane in the corner?
LikeLike
I don’t believe so. He isn’t in the cast listed on imdb.
LikeLike
Tom Fadden for tuesday.
LikeLike
Still studying today’s guest but is that Randolph Scott on the far right peeking in?
LikeLike
I don’t think you would find Randolph Scott within a country mile of this picture. 🙂
LikeLike
The gang’s all here. On the far left – Ralph Sanford.
In the b.g.- Douglas “Keep Watching the Skies” Spencer.
Wondering what his next line is – Tom Fadden.
LikeLike
Tom Fadden.
LikeLike
On the far left in the check shirt is it Ralph Dunn?
LikeLike
Dunn isn’t in the extended cast list as provided on imdb, so I don’t think so.
LikeLike
Looks like MURDER, HE SAYS. The storekeeper should be George McKay. I see Ralph Peters among the local gentry.
LikeLike
I’m guessing Edward Ellis on Monday . . .
LikeLike
Our consensus is that Monday’s guest is George McKay in Murder, He Says.
LikeLike
Zeffie Tilbury on Wednesday?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Mabel Paige.
LikeLike
Pretty sure it’s Mabel Paige this a.m.
LikeLike
Could that be Mabel Paige in Murder, He Says?
LikeLike
Monday George McKay, tuesday at left Ralph Peters, today Mabel Paige in MURDER HE SAYS .
LikeLike
Hank Bell as the alarmed guy, and Mabel Paige as the rustic lady?
Is “Roseanna McCoy” the mystery movie?
LikeLike
George McKay, Tom Fadden and Mabel Paige in Murder, He Says from 1945
LikeLike
Jean Heather, Murder He Says.
LikeLike
Jean Heather.
LikeLike
Jean Heather.
LikeLike
Wasn’t quite sure yesterday, but I couldn’t miss Jean Heather in MURDER, HE SAYS (1945). So that means George McKay on Monday and Tuesday (don’t know his companion on Tuesday), and Mabel Paige on Wednesday. Which means we’ll probably see Fred MacMurray and Helen Walker tomorrow . . .
LikeLike
Thursday’s mystery woman is Jean Heather.
LikeLike
“Murder, He Says”? I think that’s Heather Jean on Thursday.
LikeLike
MURDER, HE SAYS. George McKay MOnday, Mabel Paige Wednesday, Jean Heather Thursday, Fred MacMurray, Marjorie Main, and Helen Walker today.
LikeLike
Movie is Murder He Says — Friday L-R Marjorie Main, Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, and Peter Whitney
LikeLike
Thurs is Jean Heather. Wen is Mabel Paige.
LikeLike
“Murder He Says” is the film. Fred MacMurray, Marjorie Main, Helen Walker and Peter Whitney.
LikeLike
Marjorie Main + Fred MacMurray = MURDER HE SAYS 1945. Still can’t ID Thursday’s doll!
LikeLike
Marjorie Main, Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker and Peter Whitney.
LikeLike
Murder, He Says from 1945. On Friday Marjorie Main, Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker and Peter Whitney
LikeLike
Friday: (l to r) Marjorie Main, Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker and Peter Whitney trying to figure out what, “onches nobis, inob keesis” means.
LikeLike
“Murder, He Says”, 1945. I saw this “first run” when I was age 10 & didnt recognize it until today. If I’m correct, this movie did make a lasting impression on me,…. great entertainment.
LikeLike
Murder, He Says (1945) – Marjorie Main, Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, and Peter Whitney
LikeLike
Marjorie Main, Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, Peter Whitney.
LikeLike
Murder, He Says (1945)
LikeLike
I finally recognized Marjorie Main and Fred MacMurray, leading me to IMDB, which suggests that this is “Murder, He Says”: a 1945 comedy wherein “A pollster stumbles on a family of murderous hillbillies, and joins in their search for hidden treasure.” Caint hardly wait to see it.
LikeLike