One Body Too Many, (B/W) is not an especially good movie. BUT, it is a fun movie. It is one of those silly mystery/horror/comedy type B movie that became the meat and potatoes of so many early studios. I love it.

Jack Haley is Albert Tuttle a nose to the grindstone insurance man who has an appointment with an old, rich recluse. He arrives at his mansion and is seen in by the butler (Bela Lugosi). He is shown into his clients office and immediately starts his spiel to the back of a chair and where smoke coming from a lit cigar. However, it is just a lit cigar in an ashtray, unbeknownst to Tuttle the client is dead and in his coffin in the office. Tuttle lays his brief case on the closed coffin before he realizes just what is in the room. When he does try to get out, he can't open the door, etc. This movie is filled with every conceivable cliche imaginable. But that's the fun of it. A huge dark creepy house, a will to be read, a suspicious looking butler and cook, a beautiful damsel in distress, a dim witted detective, a houseful of greedy family members of the deceased, murders, trick doors, screams and noises at night, etc. Of course, a very nervous and reluctant hero.

This kind of movie would be nothing without Lyle Talbot and he is here as the family member who thinks timid Jack Haley has something to hide. I have had this movie for years and every once in a while I dust it off to watch it again because sometimes you need a little harmless fun.

This tape of the 1944 movie, One Body Too Many is the kind of tape you want to preserve, however as I said my article Can You Preserve a VHS Tape?" "All tapes will deteriorate somewhat with use and the march of time." That being said, my plan was to order this movie and several others on DVD. One Body Too Many is available on DVD but apparently is not a good copy. A reviewer complains about the clarity, etc. As I noted earlier, "a bad or streaky VHS tape will make bad or streaky DVD." At this point I will simply keep my tape. Just thinking about this movie makes me smile.

If you enjoy this kind of movie I recommend:

Another movie with Bela Lugosi, this time he is the star. Devil Bat (B/W)(1940) A minion inventor in a big company, Dr. Paul Carruthers, invents a formula guaranteed to make money. The powers that be takes full credit for it. Does Dr. Carruthers sue? Does he quit? No way-he gets even with the "Powers" and their whole family. It takes a inquisitive newspaper reporter with the nose of a detective to find out who and what is behind these untimely deaths. I have this VHS tape but will definately order the DVD which received a good review at Amazon.