Please Murder Me

Please Murder Me
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Peter Godfrey
Produced by	Donald Hyde
Screenplay by	Donald Hyde Al C. Ward
Story by	David T. Chantler Ewald André Dupont
Starring	Angela Lansbury Raymond Burr
Music by	Albert Glasser
Cinematography	Alan Stensvold
Edited by	Kenneth G. Crane
Distributed by	Distributors Corporation of America
Release date	March 1956 (USA)
Running time	78 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Please Murder Me is a 1956 American film noir film directed by Peter Godfrey, and starring Angela Lansbury and Raymond Burr.

The film is in the public domain and is available for free download at the Internet Archive.

Defense lawyer Craig Carlson (Raymond Burr) buys a pistol at a pawn shop and travels to his office, where he deposits the gun in a desk drawer with a file folder, then begins to dictate into a tape recorder. Directing his message to District Attorney Ray Willis (John Dehner), he reveals that he anticipates being murdered within an hour, and begins to tell his story in extended flashbacks.

The memories begin with him explaining to his war buddy and best friend Joe Leeds (Dick Foran) that he is having an affair with Leeds' wife Myra (Angela Lansbury), who wants a divorce. Joe asks Craig to give him a little time to think the matter over. Days later at his own office, Joe finishes writing a letter and gives it to his business partner Lou Kazarian to mail. Joe phones Myra telling her he will be home soon to discuss something. There, he confronts Myra in their bedroom, where a door is closed and a gunshot is heard. Police investigate Joe's death. Myra explains that Joe became irate and threatened her physically, forcing her to shoot him in self-defense. Craig is also on the scene, having arrived before the police and acting as Myra's lawyer.

In the ensuing trial, DA Willis allows the police to present their evidence that a physical struggle did not occur as she'd said. Willis notes that Myra was not employed when she first met Joe, a successful businessman with a good amount of life insurance. In her defense, Craig attributes Myra's inconsistencies regarding the night in question as post-traumatic hysteria. In his closing argument, Craig claims the money motive in Willis' case is not valid because Myra was in love with another man — a revelation that could inspire Joe to cause Myra premeditated harm. Craig then reveals that he himself is Myra's lover.

The jury finds Myra not guilty. She and Craig throw a party to celebrate with friends. When Lou arrives, he reveals privately to Craig that he had forgotten to mail Joe's letter, which was addressed to Craig. Joe discloses in the letter that Myra did indeed marry him for his money, but that she was actually in love with an artist, not with Craig. Joe had decided to ask her to stay married, in part to save Craig from her. Craig then remembers Myra mentioning that an "old friend", an artist named Carl Holt, had visited her in jail during the trial.