Cover Up (1949)
The classic cozy Christmas murder mystery movie gem you've probably never seen
I want Miracle on 34th Street with a murder mystery.
Instead of the original Macy’s Day Parade Santa being merely drunk, I want him to die. When he’s a no-show, Doris Walker happens upon Kris Kringle (examining the sleigh or something) and hires him to fill in. After the parade, original Santa’s body is discovered in the department store locker room.
The rest of the movie will play out like it does because, really, the murder mystery is a subplot to be worked in. Granville Sawyer will still declare Kris insane. Fred Gailey will still take on Kris’s case pro bono. But, Fred and Doris will also investigate original Santa’s murder while trying to help Kris.
At some point before the final hearing, Fred or Doris (or even Susan, wouldn’t that be fun!) will find evidence that points to Sawyer as the killer. He had gambling debts and original Santa was his bookie. After the impressive mail bag drop by the postmen proves Kris is Santa, Fred will trick Sawyer to admitting to original Santa’s murder in front of the court and everyone. Sawyer will be hauled off to jail and the movie will continue on like it does.
We’d have Christmas spirit, comedy, murder mystery, and happy happy feels all in the same package. Win-Win.
Alas, that balance is difficult to find. In movies, anyway. Christmas mystery movies usually involve theft or light kidnapping. No murders in sight. And I get it. Christmas is all about goodwill and love. But crime television shows find a way to work it into special episodes. The number of Christmas cozy murder mystery novels to read is increasing exponentially each year. The combination of Christmas + murder mystery can work. Heck, judging from the number of holiday horror movies available, Christmas + slashers + gore makes sense to Hollywood bigwigs. So why aren’t there more Christmas murder mystery movies out there?
In my quest to find a solid movie to fit the bill, I’ve come across a few classics that could work. There are three things my perfect holiday murder mystery movie needs:
It must have cozy vibes.
It must have a decently plotted mystery.
It must include several elements of the holiday.
One of my favorites that hits all three points is Lady On A Train with Deanna Durbin. Christmas is everywhere, the mystery’s not overly intellectual but satisfying to work out, and (to me) the outfits and locations and situations are very cozy-like. The problem with Lady On A Train is the screwball and slapstick levels are off the charts. As much as I enjoy watching this one, I have to do it while wrapping gifts or some other distraction and have it playing in the background.
Another movie recommended to me was Lady In The Lake. This one has loads of murder and a decent amount of holiday cheer, but there’s nothing cozy about it. This is noir. Also, it doesn’t follow Chandler’s novel. Although, I do find the first-person filming style interesting.
Next option, Alias Boston Blackie. Great amount of Christmas in this one and comedic cozy feels, but the murder happens too late.
I thought the perfect Christmas murder mystery movie must not exist. Then, I saw Cover Up on Tubi and gave it a try. And, finally, I’ve found one I can watch every holiday from now on, sandwiched between some of my other favorite non-mysteries like The Bishop’s Wife, Christmas In Connecticut, and Never Say Goodbye.
Cover Up begins with an insurance investigator, Sam Donovan (Dennis O’Keefe), departing a train and boarding a bus headed to a small midwestern town. While waiting in line, he flirts with a woman, Anita Weatherby (Barbara Britton). He assists her in managing the armful of gift wrapped presents she’s juggling and learns she’s going to the same town he is. Both are informed by the bus driver as they board that a local man named Roger Phillips has recently committed suicide.
We find out Sam’s been sent to the town by his company because Phillips’s insurance policy contained a double indemnity clause in the event that his death was murder. It doesn’t take long for Sam to suspect Phillips death wasn’t suicide at all and someone’s covering up the man’s murder. The problem is everyone he interviews in town insists the death was suicide, even Phillips niece who stands to inherit the extra money from the policy, and Phillips was hated by most of the citizens.
William Bendix (in a role very different from his portrayal of Chester A. Riley) shines as Sheriff Larry Best, the local LEO intent on giving O’Keefe’s insurance investigator a hard time. Best makes it clear to Sam that he isn’t happy an outsider’s in his town, poking a nose in where it doesn’t belong. He keeps his sentences short and his emotions in check as he meddles in Sam’s efforts to uncover the truth. It’s a subtle but strong performance which deepens as the story unfolds.
By far, my favorite character was Doro Merande as Hilda, the Weatherby housekeeper. She steals the show in almost every scene she’s in. To be honest, until I checked the cast list I thought I was watching Margaret Hamilton. Hilda’s looks and grumbling but lovable demeanor reminded me much of Hamilton. Her under-the-breath observations and subtle way of butting into conversations was charming and added much of the humor to the movie.
Let’s see then. We’ve got the coziness (a small town humming with joyous holiday celebration) and the murder mystery (Phillips’ death). That’s two marked off my checklist.
What about the must have holiday elements?
Pleasingly, Cover Up has much of this, too. The town Christmas tree lighting. The Weatherby’s decorating their own tree. Anita with her presents at the start of the movie. The Santa ringing a bell for donations on the corner. Toasty fires crackling in hearths while December winds wail outside. Townspeople dressed in heavy coats and donning mittens and scarves. Sam buying Anita a present at the jewelers. There’s no doubt what season we’re in. It’s a homespun Christmas all the way.
A lot of that is thanks to the movie’s star, Dennis O’Keefe. O’Keefe’s newly minted production company produced the movie and he co-wrote the script. When he arrived on set to begin shooting, O’Keefe discovered that the producer altered the script to move the setting from Christmas to springtime. O’Keefe felt so strongly about the Christmas backdrop that he refused to work until the script was changed back. He won out, the script was reinstated, and we have an excellent movie to watch because of it.
There you have it. A great Christmas cozy murder mystery that’s fun, well-acted, and perfect for this time of year. Had you heard of this one before?
Do you plan on watching it? Or is there another movie you think would hit all three things on my checklist? Let me know in the comments!