Watching Who's Got the Body?: A Bumbling Good Time

Okay, look. If you're hoping for some deep, noir-ish detective flick, Who's Got the Body? is absolutely not it. This is more for folks who love those *really* old, kinda goofy B-movies where everyone's in a tizzy over something silly. You know, like a forgotten slapstick gem. If you can't stand old black-and-white stuff or movies where the plot feels like it's held together with string and a prayer, best skip this one. But if you're like me and find charm in the chaotic energy of early cinema, you might just grin through this one. 😄

So, the whole thing kicks off with a body. A missing body, actually. Not a scary, grisly one, mind you. More like a comically inconvenient one that just *poof*, vanishes from a very fancy drawing-room. Terry Carroll plays the frantic butler, and honestly, his wide-eyed panic is half the fun here. He's practically a cartoon character trying to keep it together.

Then we get Rube Welch, playing some sort of bumbling detective. Or maybe just a nosy neighbor? It's a bit fuzzy, honestly. But he's got this *magnificent* way of tripping over his own feet, and every time he enters a scene, you just know things are about to get messier. There's this one bit where he tries to discreetly peer into a trunk, and the trunk lid just springs open and bops him on the head. Classic stuff. 🤦‍♀️

The plot, what there is of it, involves everyone pointing fingers. Was it Jean Newcombe's character, looking all innocently suspicious? Or Henry Armetta, who seems to be perpetually hiding behind potted plants? The camera just *loves* to linger on these little moments of suspicion. You can almost feel the director nudging you, 'See? *He's* probably guilty!'

The pacing is... well, it's frantic. People are always rushing from one room to another. Doors slam. People whisper conspiratorially, then shout for no real reason. It's like a stage play where everyone's been told to hit their marks a little too aggressively. Shirley Grey has this one scene where she's just *gesticulating wildly* for a full minute, and you're not even sure what she's trying to say, but her energy is undeniable.

What really sticks with me is this weird interlude where Douglas Burley's character, who's barely in the movie, suddenly starts doing this impromptu magic trick with a handkerchief. It has absolutely *nothing* to do with finding the body. It just... happens. And then everyone claps politely before going back to yelling about the missing corpse. It's one of those moments that makes you scratch your head but also kind of endears you to the film's oddball charm. ✨

The ending? It's quick. Almost abrupt. You finally find out who 'got the body,' and it's less a grand reveal and more of a 'Oh, *that's* where it went.' No big twists, no profound message. Just a quick bow and everyone's on their way. It feels like they just ran out of film, or maybe decided they'd had enough fun for the day.

Little Quirks I Noticed:

• The shadows on the set are *wild*. Sometimes they look like they're moving independently.
• Someone keeps bumping the camera. You can see it wobble a few times!
• The maid, played by Jean Newcombe, has the best eye-rolls. Seriously, worth watching just for those.
• There’s a cat that wanders into frame during one of the intense chase scenes and just… sits there. No one acknowledges it.
• The door to the study is *way* too creaky. Every single time it opens.