In the film, Old Man Marley was subject to rumors. He was called “the South Bend Shovel Slayer”, and was said to have murdered his family back in 1958 by Kevin’s older brother Buzz. He was also said to have kept his victims in his garbage can full of salt, and that the salt was supposed to have turned the dead bodies into mummies.
When Kevin walks outside his house while saying he is not afraid anymore, he encounters Marley, and turns and runs back inside his house, afraid.
Later, Kevin goes to the drug store, gets a toothbrush and asks the clerk about whether or not it was approved by the American Dental Association. Marley then comes in while Kevin is checking his pockets to see if he had brought enough cash to buy the toothbrush. Kevin then looks up, sees Marley and backs away a little before running off while also accidentally taking the toothbrush with him (as he didn’t have time to buy the toothbrush).
When Kevin goes to church, he meets up with Marley again, and learns that he’s actually a nice guy, a Christian, a father and grandfather, and that his salting the sidewalks every night is a job. Kevin also discovers that Marley didn’t murder his family like Buzz claimed, but rather had a fight with them — more particularly, his son. Marley tells Kevin that he came to hear his granddaughter sing, and that he can’t come and hear her tonight. When Kevin asked if that meant he had plans, Marley corrected him in saying that he wasn’t welcome — not at the church (as he believes one is always welcome at church), but with his son.
According to Marley, years back, before Kevin and his family moved into the neighborhood, he and his son got into an argument for an unknown reason, and told each other they didn’t care to see each other anymore, causing them to become estranged from each other. Kevin asks Marley to call his son, and Marley says that he’s afraid to because he thinks that his son won’t talk to him. Kevin tells Marley that he used to be afraid of his basement until he turned on the lights, and that Marley should call his son, and whether or not the son talks to him, Marley will know and he won’t be afraid. Kevin tells Marley that he should also do it for his granddaughter, who probably misses him and the presents. Marley tells Kevin that he sent his granddaughter a check for Christmas, and Kevin tells him he wished his grandparents did that, but they usually send him clothes.
Later, when the Wet Bandits trap Kevin at the Murphys’ house, Marley sneaks in and saves him by knocking the burglars out with his shovel before taking Kevin back home.
At the end of the movie, Kevin walks over to the window, and sees that Marley has taken his advice and reunited with his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Marley sees Kevin and waves to him, grinning, as a sign of thanking him. Kevin waves back, also smiling. Then Marley turns and goes to his house with his family.
