One Body Too Many (1944)
Directed by Frank McDonald and released by Paramount Pictures, One Body Too Many is a quirky comedy-mystery that blends classic whodunit tropes with screwball antics. With a cast led by Jack Haley (best known as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz) and Bela Lugosi, the film delivers a lighthearted romp through a mansion full of greedy heirs, secret passages, and one very inconvenient corpse.
Plot Summary
Mild-mannered insurance salesman Albert L. Tuttle (Jack Haley) arrives at the mansion of eccentric millionaire Cyrus J. Rutherford, hoping to sell him a policy—only to discover Rutherford has just died. Mistaken for a private detective hired to guard the body, Tuttle is roped into staying the night to ensure the corpse isn’t stolen.
Why the paranoia? Rutherford’s will stipulates that if his body isn’t buried in a custom-built glass-domed vault on the roof, the inheritance will be reversed—those set to receive the most will get the least, and vice versa. Naturally, someone wants to tamper with the burial plans, and Tuttle finds himself dodging murder attempts, uncovering secrets, and trying to survive the night.
Cast Highlights
- Jack Haley as Albert L. Tuttle
- Jean Parker as Carol Dunlap
- Bela Lugosi as Merkil, the sinister butler
- Lyle Talbot, Douglas Fowley, Blanche Yurka, and Lucien Littlefield round out the suspicious household
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The role of the creepy butler was originally intended for Boris Karloff, but Bela Lugosi was cast instead
- The film was part of Pine-Thomas Productions’ shift from action to comedy, with Haley signed on to lead their new comedic ventures
- Lugosi’s performance is delightfully eerie, though the film plays more for laughs than chills
