The Busy Body

The Busy Body, a 1967 American comedy film, directed by William Castle, stars Sid Caesar as Harold Billinge, a bumbling caretaker for a mob boss, Joey DuPre (played by Robert Ryan). The story primarily revolves around the recovery of a large fortune in cash that has been secretly stashed within the attire of a deceased individual, known as 'Mr. Fiske', who had a tendency to be reckless and carefree. Initially, the mob boss, Joey DuPre, instructs Harold to take care of Mr. Fiske's body. However, upon arrival, Harold notices that the deceased is wearing a rather peculiar and extravagant amount of money. Intrigued by this discovery, Joey DuPre instructs Harold to extract the fortune, which Harold is reluctant to do in fear of getting caught. As a result, he concocts schemes to recover the hidden cash, involving a group of eccentric individuals. In the midst of his scheme to recover the fortune, Harold inadvertently enlists the help of Phoebe Davenport (played by Kay Starr), the eccentric widow of the deceased, Mr. Fiske. Although initially suspicious of Harold's intentions, Phoebe develops a close relationship with him as they share an affinity for bumbling and incompetent behaviors. Harold often finds himself entangled in comedic situations, inadvertently causing chaos wherever he goes. As Harold works to evade the mob while attempting to extract the fortune from the deceased's body, his carefree nature is tested when his loyalty to Joey DuPre and his growing affection for Phoebe collide. Meanwhile, Joey DuPre has grown increasingly impatient with Harold's lack of success in recovering the fortune and threatens him with severe consequences if he fails to retrieve the cash. Despite these obstacles, Harold perseveres in his bumbling endeavor to successfully return the fortune to Joey DuPre. The film features William Ching as Joe Bickle and Kay Cole as Leticia, additional characters in the comedic tale. In addition to its cast, The Busy Body gained significant attention at the time of its release, largely due to William Castle's reputation as a master of gimmicks in film marketing. Castle was known throughout his career for implementing unique marketing strategies, which would attract audiences through the use of unconventional gimmicks. The 1967 comedy, starring Sid Caesar in the lead role, is characterized by its use of slapstick humor and comedic timing, creating a light-hearted viewing experience for the audience. Ultimately, the movie, The Busy Body, is a classic comedy film that showcases the talents of Sid Caesar through an entertaining narrative of mishaps, bumbling antics, and the consequences that follow.