"Home, Sweet Homicide" is a rather unconventional movie: it has kids in the leading roles, but it's aimed equally if not more so at the adults of the audience, and it's not carried by slapstick, but largely by verbal comedy. The dialogue is witty and even has contemporary (for 1946, of course) pop references to the Marx Brothers or Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. The kids themselves are smart, brave characters who would do anything for their mother, and are played by young actors natural and gifted beyond their years (it's no coincidence that all of them had long careers in film). The adults are solid too, with Lynn Barri absolutely perfect as the mystery writer mother. OK, the film gets a little more conventional in the last 10 minutes when the mystery is unraveled, but most of the time it's an underrated delight. *** out of 4.
Review of Home, Sweet Homicide
