''The Body Disappears'' is a 1941 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by D. Ross Lederman and starring Jeffrey Lynn,

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007). was an American actress. A star of both movies and television, she received an Academy Award for Best Actress, four Golden Globe Awards and nominations for two Pr ...

and

Edward Everett Horton Edward Everett Horton, Jr. (March 18, 1886 – September 29, 1970) was an American character actor and comedian. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons. Early life Horton was born March 18 ...

. It was produced and distributed by

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

as a

second feature A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second half of a double feature, s ...

Plot

Unconscious after his

bachelor party A bachelor party (in the United States), also known as a stag weekend, stag do or stag party (in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries, and Ireland), or a buck's night (in Australia and Canada), is a party held for or arranged by a man wh ...

, Peter De Haven (Jeffrey Lynn) is transported by his friends to the college dissecting room as a

practical joke A practical joke or prank is a trick played on people, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort.Marsh, Moira. 2015. ''Practically Joking''. Logan: Utah State University Press. The perpetrat ...

. Professor Shotesbury (Edward Everett Horton) mistakenly injects him with a serum that makes him

invisible Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be ''invisible'' (literally, "not visible"). The phenomenon is studied by physics and perceptual psychology. Since objects can be seen by light fr ...

. While invisible, De Haven learns that his fiancee, Christine (Marguerite Chapman), is only marrying him for his money. He also falls in love with Shotesbury's daughter, Joan (Jane Wyman). Meanwhile, Shotesbury is committed to a

sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, is a historic name for a specialised hospital for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments, and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often in a health ...

by his colleagues for his claims about invisible monkeys and men. De Haven and Joan, by this time also invisible, go to release Shotesbury from the mental hospital, which they achieve by making him invisible as well. All the while time is running out for De Haven to receive an

antidote An antidote is a substance that can counteract a form of poisoning. The term ultimately derives from the Greek term φάρμακον ἀντίδοτον ''(pharmakon antidoton)'', "(medicine) given as a remedy". An older term in English which is ...

. In the end, all receive the antidote, and De Haven ends up with Joan.

Cast

* Jeffrey Lynn as Peter De Haven III *

as Joan Shotesbury *

as Professor Shotesbury * Herbert Anderson as George "Doc" Appleby * Marguerite Chapman as Christine Lunceford * Craig Stevens as Robert Struck * David Bruce as Jimmie Barbour *

Willie Best William Best (May 27, 1916 – February 27, 1962), known professionally as Willie Best or Sleep 'n' Eat, was an American television and film actor. Best was one of the first African American film actors and comedians to become well known ...

as Willie * Ivan F. Simpson as Dean Claxton (as Ivan Simpson) *

Tod Andrews Tod Andrews (born Theodore Edwin Anderson; November 9, 1914 – November 7, 1972) was an American stage, screen, and television actor. Early years Tod Andrews was born as Theodore Edwin Anderson in El Paso, Texas, to Henry Anderson and Lydia A ...

as Bill (as Michael Ames) *

William Hopper William DeWolf Hopper Jr. (January 26, 1915 – March 6, 1970) was an American stage, film, and television actor. The only child of actor DeWolf Hopper and actress and Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper, he appeared in more than 80 feature f ...

as Terrence Abbott (as DeWolf Hopper) *

Natalie Schafer Natalie Schafer (November 5, 1900 – April 10, 1991) was an American actress, best known today for her role as Lovey Howell on the sitcom '' Gilligan's Island'' (1964–1967). Early life and career Natalie Schafer was born on November 5, ...

as Mrs. Lunceford *

Charles Halton Charles Halton (March 16, 1876 – April 16, 1959) was an American character actor who appeared in over 180 films. Life and career Halton trained at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts. He made his Broadway debut in 1901, after which ...

as Prof. Moggs *

Sidney Bracey Sidney Bracey (born Sidney Bracy; 18 December 1877 – 5 August 1942) was an Australian-born American actor. Born into an acting family, he began a stage career in Australia, on Broadway and in Britain usually as leading men in musicals and ...

as Barrett (as Sidney Bracy) *

Wade Boteler Wade Boteler (October 3, 1888 – May 7, 1943) was an American film actor and writer. He appeared in more than 430 films between 1919 and 1943. Biography He was born in Santa Ana, California, and died in Hollywood, California, from a heart ...

as Inspector Deming

Critical reception

Writing in

AllMovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, television series, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was ...

, critic Hal Erickson described the film as "an agreeably daffy comedy with science-fiction undertones," having "all manner of looney complications" and "still fresh and funny after nearly six decades." A review of the film in

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

described it as a "funny B movie" with "fine special effects

hat A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...

highlight this variation of the 'invisible man' theme," noting further that "Horton and wide-eyed Best ivefine comic performances." Critic Dennis Schwartz described the film as a "delightful screwball comedy" and "the kind of old-fashioned comedy that can cheer you up with a few laughs if you are down, or if you are in a silly mood make you feel even sillier."

References

Bibliography

* Dick, Bernard F. ''The President’s Ladies: Jane Wyman and Nancy Davis''. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2014.

External links

* * * 1941 films 1941 comedy films American comedy films 1940s English-language films American black-and-white films Films directed by D. Ross Lederman 1940s American films English-language comedy films Films scored by Howard Jackson (composer) {{1940s-US-comedy-film-stub