Home, Sweet Homicide (1946) DVD-R

Starring Peggy Ann Garner, Randolph Scott, Lynn Bari, Dean Stockwell, Connie Marshall,
James Gleason, Anabel Shaw
Directed by Lloyd Bacon

Print: black/white
Runtime: 90 min.
Genre: mystery

Mystery writer Marian Carstairs is hard at work trying to finish her latest novel. Her three
children meanwhile are entertaining themselves trying to solve a murder in their own
neighborhood. In between gathering clues, the kids play matchmaker by trying to fix up their
widowed mom with the handsome detective investigating the case.

Home Sweet Homicide is a comedy mystery film about a widowed lady and her three children who want a husband for her. Marian is a detective novel writer who has completed her latest book and her children plan a party to celebrate it. They also plan on inviting their neighbor, Mr. Cherrington who is a writer hoping for a romance. Once when the children are leaving home, they hear two gunshots from the neighboring Sanford house and note the time. When they return, they see film actress Polly Walker leaving the Sanford House in an emotional state. The children talk to her and soon, Bill Smith and Dan O’Hare of the homicide squad arrive at the house as Polly had called them earlier. Flora Sanford is found dead and Polly is questioned by Bill. She tells him that Flora, an actor’s agent had invited her for tea but was dead by the time she arrived. The children are told to leave until they inform that they heard the gunshots. The children decide that they want their mother to solve the crime and they avoid telling the detectives the time of the shots. Later, the officers visit Marian’s home. She informs them that Flora was her literary agent. Flora’s husband Wallace is suspected of the murder, but the children give an alibi for him as he is a friend of theirs.

The children plan to solve the crime and intend to visit the scene of the crime. They soon discover that Wallace is hiding from the police. Wallace swears that he is innocent and states that his wife had refused to give him a divorce so he could marry Polly. Mr. Cherrington is unable to attend the dinner at the children’s home. Bill is invited to the dinner and the children hope that he will take Marian to the movies so that they can continue their investigation. During dinner, a fire is started in a nearby house and the children escape. They go to the Sanford house and find an envelope. Wallace had earlier told them that there is an envelope in the house and Flora used to blackmail others for money. The envelope might prove clues about her killer. They find the envelope and suddenly a man, Frank Riley enters the house looking for something. He is shot by an unseen person. The children take the envelope home and examine the contents. They decide to write letters to Bill stating that Flora was a blackmailer and the names of the people whom she used to blackmail.

When Bill receives the letters, Dan suspects that the children have sent them. Mr. Cherrington visits Marian to discuss about the murder case, but before he leaves he fixes the front door lock so that he can visit secretly at a later time. The police officers show Marian the letters and state that the children are playing a dangerous game. Marian orders the children to hand over the envelope. The children admit that they know where Wallace is hiding and that they lied about the time of the shots. When the children try to give the envelope to Bill, they are attacked by Mr. Cherrington. They are rescued and Mr. Cherrington is caught. He admits that Riley had ghostwritten his book and that their contract was in the envelope. When the book became a bestseller, Riley with Flora tried to blackmail him and ruin his reputation. Wallace states that he will confess to his wife’s murder if Polly is not involved in the case. However, a phonograph record of typing sounds is found with which Cherrington established his alibi. He tries to escape but is caught by the police and Wallace is released. The children are delighted as it seems Bill and Marian will marry. Home Sweet Homicide was released in 1946 and it was directed by Lloyd Bacon. The movie, Home Sweet Homicide was based on a mystery novel by Craig Rice.