In the picturesque, autumnal landscape of Highwater, Vermont, the tranquility of the countryside is abruptly shattered when a young boy discovers a corpse lying in the woods. The deceased is Harry Worp, a man whose presence in life was far less impactful than his sudden, inconvenient death. As the local inhabitants stumble upon the body, they each harbor a secret suspicion that they might be responsible for his demise. Captain Albert Wiles, a retired seaman, initially believes he accidentally shot Harry while hunting rabbits. Meanwhile, the elegant and composed Jennifer Rogers, Harry’s estranged wife, fears she killed him in self-defense after he attempted to assault her. Even the elderly spinster Miss Gravely, convinced she struck him with a frozen leg of lamb, joins the fray of guilt-ridden residents.The plot spirals into a darkly comedic dance of evasion and obsession. Instead of reporting the death to the authorities, the group decides that burying the body is the most pragmatic solution. However, their attempts to dispose of Harry are thwarted by repeated exhumations. Every time they lay him to rest, a new character discovers the body, forcing the group to dig him up and re-evaluate their predicament. Amidst this macabre cycle, the eccentric local artist Sam Marlowe becomes entangled in the chaos. Unlike the others, Sam remains unburdened by guilt, viewing the situation with a detached, artistic curiosity. He begins to form a genuine connection with Jennifer, offering her a sanctuary from her troubled past.As the
Deputy Sheriff snoops around, the tension rises, forcing the characters to confront the absurdity of their situation. Ultimately, it is revealed that Harry died of natural causes, specifically a heart attack, rendering their frantic cover-up entirely unnecessary. The realization brings a sense of liberation to the group. The burden of potential homicide lifts, leaving them to discard their anxieties along with the body. The film concludes with the residents finding peace in the realization that Harry’s death was merely a catalyst for their own
transformation. They emerge from the ordeal not as criminals, but as individuals who have finally shed the weight of their pasts, ready to embrace the quiet, idiosyncratic joys of their small-town lives.