Hitchcock. He has a top 10 film, 10 films in the top 500 (the most) of all-time. Hitchcock is as good a candidate as any for the greatest artist of the 20th century (given cinema was one of the dominant art forms). I admire his craft as a technician, his filmography is second to none, and there is a consistency to his work that any non-auteur theory subscriber would have a hard time answering for. He’s clearly the artist. His archiveable career spanned over 45 years but the run he went on from 1958-1960 won’t be topped. He went Masterpiece, Masterpiece, Masterpiece with the 7th, 35th and 103rd best films of all-time in consecutive years.
Best film: Vertigo – #7 of all-time. The title sequence, the landscape shot of the golden gate bridge, the green-lit interior sequence, the 360-shot, the finale set-piece (and zoom-in, track-shot staircase shot). I actually enjoy the hell out of the loose noir in the 40-50 minute well-paced set up. It’s a meditation on obsession and Bernard Herrman’s score is simply one of best of all-time.
Total archiveable films: 31
top 100 films: 3 (Vertigo, Psycho, Rear Window)
top 500 films: 10 (Vertigo, Psycho, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Rope, Shadow of a Doubt, The Birds, The 39 Steps)
top 100 films of the decade: 16 (Blackmail, The 39 Steps, Murder!, The Lady Vanishes, Notorious, Rope, Shadow of a Doubt, Rebecca, Vertigo, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Strangers on a Train, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Psycho, The Birds, Marnie)
most overrated: The Birds at #176 of al-time on TSPDT. The Birds is a fantastic film but there are over 200 masterpieces in cinema’s rich history and I’m confident The Birds isn’t one of them so this is overrated. It’s #342 on my list. Also, anyone who tries to argue with you that Hitchcock’s 1930’s British period was his most artistically fertile…. is an idiotic—so do us all a favor and tell that person they’re incorrect.
most underrated: Rope at #832 on TSPDT and Hitchcock’s 13th best. I have it at #296 and at #7 for Hitchcock’s own top 10. You can’t tell the history of cinematography (Bordwell’s definition—not Out of Africa’s) without Rope nor can you discuss the great one-take films (Victoria, Russian Ark, Birdman—yeah sort of) or long-take scenes (Touch of Evil, Atonement, Children of Men, Nostalgia, Weekend, The Player, Hunger, Goodfellas, anything from De Palma) without it.
gem I want to spotlight: Blackmail. Britain’s first sound film is more than just a technological landmark- as I said in the review- it’s a damn fine film and worthy of the top 10 of the year with all the artistic ambitions Hitchcock packs into this man-hunt genre film. It’s not a top 10 film of his but you can tell here, even in the late 20’s, that we have a master in the making.
stylistic innovations/traits: Like many at the top of this all-time directors list there isn’t just one aesthetic that this auteur is dedicated to and known for. The 360-degree tracking shot in Vertigo is as good as it comes, the use of green lighting in the same film– sublime, the editing for the shower scene in Psycho. The set pieces he uses at the end of his films (North by Northwest, Strangers on a Train), long crane tracking shots in Notorious and Young & Innocent, perhaps the first freeze-frame in Champagne. The way he frames the tea cup in Notorious, Norman in isolation or about to attack in Psycho. Rear Window is a shot-reverse shot Kuleshov-effect treatise. Rope is a landmark is cinematography and camera movement. Thematically and narratively Hitchcock is the undisputed master of the suspense genre, a pop-artist master. He’s the key to film voyeurism, fetishism, there’s some surprising depth there when you look at his work on guilt/innocence/fate.
top 10
- Vertigo
- Psycho
- Rear Window
- North by Northwest
- Notorious
- Strangers on a Train
- Rope
- Shadow of a Doubt
- The Birds
- The 39 Steps
By year and grades
| 1927- The Lodger | R |
| 1929- Blackmail | HR |
| 1930- Murder! | HR |
| 1935- The Thirty-Nine Steps | MS |
| 1936- Sabotage | R |
| 1937- Young and Innocent | R |
| 1938- The Lady Vanishes | HR |
| 1939- Jamacia Inn | R |
| 1940- Foreign Correspondent | R |
| 1940- Rebecca | HR |
| 1941- Suspicion | R |
| 1942- Saboteur | |
| 1943- Shadow of a Doubt | MS |
| 1944- Lifeboat | R |
| 1945- Spellbound | R |
| 1946- Notorious | MP |
| 1948- Rope | MS |
| 1951- Strangers on Train | MS/MP |
| 1953- I Confess | R |
| 1954- Dial M For Murder | R |
| 1954- Rear Window | MP |
| 1955- To Catch a Thief | R |
| 1956- The Man Who Knew Too Much | |
| 1956- The Wrong Man | R |
| 1958- Vertigo | MP |
| 1959- North By Northwest | MP |
| 1960- Psycho | MP |
| 1963- The Birds | MS |
| 1964- Marnie | HR/MS |
| 1966- Torn Curtain | R |
| 1972- Frenzy | R |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
Another movie I managed to view recently was Strangers on a Train and as expected, it’s a brilliant movie both visually and narratively.
I really found the doubles motif to be the best motif in any Hitchcock movie, whether its that amazing opening with our two main characters on their way to the train, or how intersecting lines is seen a lot in the movie such as the train tracks at the start, the blinds marking Bruno and another’s faces, the ties Guy wears having similar line pattern, Bruno’s pinstripe suit, the lighter; there’s also two Hitchcocks in the film (a cameo and a supporting role; Alfred’s cameo also has him carrying what seems to be a double bass), the glasses showing a double reflection twice (one of Bruno strangling Miriam, the other showing the lighter on Barbara’s glasses), the list could go on.
For now I’ll say this is number 2 for Hitchcock’s filmography so far (could drop when I see Notorious and Vertigo and if they’re better) and another MP he has made.
@dom- love this- great share- you’d have to think this one would be better known if it starred James Stewart or Cary Grant
I’ll watch Trouble with Harry at some point but the others do not seem essential though I would not rule it out 100 percent. If I do I doubt it would be with notes as that is time consuming
None the less I think the 45 I watched got what I needed.
@James – Have you read Hitchcock / Truffaut?
@Harry – no, but I have the movie. I still need to watch it though. What about you?
@James – I want to pick the book up soon, it has the reputation of being of all the all time best film books.
@Harry and @James Trapp – the book is legendary and it is just fun to feel like you’re sitting down with the two great masters talking cinema. I don’t want to dissuade you from reading or blow the horn of my own site here- but I think you’ll be surprised at how much time is spent by these two (2) talking plot.
@Drake – I am assuming Hitchcock does not speak French. Do they both speak in English or do they have an interpreter?
@ James it should all be translated to English in the book format, when they spoke it real life it was with an interpreter I think
@James Trapp and @Harry – yes for the book it was all in english (i’m sure there’s a french version) and for the interview I think Harry is right here on the interpreter.
@Harry – François Truffaut actually directed a film in English; Fahrenheit 451 (1966). It is far from his best work but still solid
@James – yes and I remember him staring in Close Encounters of the Third Kind too and he spoke English there
Study Summary
For years I have wanted to do a full-on Hitchcock Study but always talked myself out of it due to the sheer volume of his works. But after constantly thinking about Hitchcock throughout my Brian De Palma Study I figured it was finally time to take on the challenge
Hitchcock loved the macabre and exploring the darker sides of human beings. So many of his films are set around murders and by extension murderers and other societal outcasts and deviants. He also loved exploring espionage and working contemporary international events into his film’s plots such as WW2 and the Cold War
Hitchcock loved intricate camera work and challenging himself with inventive and creative stylistics. There are so many standouts throughout his work: there are his crane shots in Young and Innocent (1937) and Notorious (1946); long dialogue free stretches in Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960); the POV shots in Rear Window (1954); long shots in Rope (1948). You have the beautiful photography and silhouette work in Rebecca (1940), the use of color including the red and green in Vertigo (1958) and red and yellow in Marnie (1964); amongst many other examples
He loved spectacular set pieces such as the Statue of Liberty in Saboteur (1942), the cornfield and then Mount Rushmore in North by Northwest (1959), the two carousel sequences in Strangers on a Train (1951), the windmill scene in Foreign Correspondent (1940), and Bates Motel from Psycho (1960)
Sir Alfred Hitchcock was a movie making machine, his volume his just staggering. Starting in 1934 Hitch made a film every single year until 1952, an 18-year run. And in a few of these years he made more than one. From 1953 to 1960 he made a film every year except for 1957. Thus, from 1934 to 1960 he made a film in all but two years and in some of those years made two films
I had a little over half of the films prior to the study, specifically I had previously viewed 24 of the 45 films of the study at least once prior. There were a few earlier works I could not find decent quality versions, but I was able to cover almost all of his available filmography. I was surprised by the volume of his British works as I watched 16 of them
What makes Hitchcock different from many of the other great directors I have covered in these studies is that Hitchcock improved in a rather steady manner. Not perfectly of course as he followed up Notorious with The Paradine Case to name one example but there is a clear progression and improvement over time. He peaked in the early 50s to early 60s
Here is the output from 1954 to 1963:
Dial M for Murder, MS/HR
Rear Window, MP
To Catch a Thief, MS
The Man Who Knew Too Much, HR
The Wrong Man, HR
Vertigo, MP
North by Northwest, MP
Psycho, MP
The Birds, MP/MS
Marnie, MS
This is a ridiculous run which includes 4 MP and a borderline MP with The Birds (1963). I have 3 of these films in my top 40 including a top 10 film
Prior to the Study my top 5:
# 1 Psycho
# 2 Rear Window
# 3 Vertigo
# 4 Notorious
# 5 North by Northwest
Post Study top 5:
# 1 Psycho
# 2 Vertigo
# 3 Notorious
# 4 Rear Window
# 5 North by Northwest
Hitchcock believed one of the essential aspects of a great thriller was in taking the audience from the focus of their lives and becoming absorbed into an entirely different world, the world of the film. This is part of why “wrong man” trope works so well, the protagonist who is usually an ordinary person finds themselves thrown into this new world they never thought about. This starts with the film The 39 Steps (1935) when the character Hannay finds himself placed in a completely new world where he has been marked for death for reasons, he gradually learns over the course of the film.
Psycho is Hitchcock’s best film for me. Obviously, Vertigo has a strong case and that seems to be the consensus. I certainly have no problem with this, but I am content with Psycho at the # 1 spot.
Psycho you have the incredible editing during the Shower Scene, the visual storytelling, the thumping score aligning the fears of the Marion Crane and the viewer, and much more as I wrote about above
One question I still cannot answer is which Hitchcock team up is better: Cary Grant/Hitchcock collaborations or Jimmy Stewarts/Hitchcock collaborations? They are both incredible collaborations and are the two most iconic actors he worked with
I really wish Grace Kelly had worked with Hitch more than 3 times. Tippi Hedren does solid work in The Birds (1963) but I would have preferred Grace Kelly. Doris Day is passable, but I probably would have liked Kelly in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) although I am not sure whether or not she could sing. Her chemistry with Cary Grant makes me wonder if she would have worked in North by Northwest (1959) though Eva Marie Saint does solid work there. Hitch worked with Ingrid Bergman 3 times including Notorious in which she gives the single best female performance in a Hitchcock film
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Here are my final grades and ranking
Grades and Ranking
# 1 Psycho (1960) – MP
# 2 Vertigo (1958) – MP
# 3 Notorious (1946) – MP
# 4 Rear Window (1954) – MP
# 5 North by Northwest (1959) – MP
# 6 Strangers on a Train (1951) – MP
# 7 Shadow of a Doubt (1943) – MP/MS
# 8 Rebecca (1940) – MP/MS
# 9 The Birds (1963) – MP/MS
# 10 The 39 Steps (1935) – MS
# 11 Rope (1948) – MS
# 12 Marnie (1964) – MS
# 13 To Catch a Thief (1955) – MS
# 14 Dial M for Murder (1954) – MS/HR
# 15 Lady Vanishes (1938) – MS/HR
# 16 Frenzy (1972) – MS/HR
# 17 The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) – HR
# 18 Foreign Correspondent (1940) – HR
# 19 The Wrong Man (1956) – HR
# 20 Murder! (1930) – HR
# 21 The Lodger (1927) – HR
# 22 Blackmail (1929) – HR
# 23 The Ring (1927) – HR
# 24 Suspicion (1941) – HR/R
# 25 Spellbound (1945) – HR/R
# 26 Torn Curtain (1966) – HR/R
# 27 Champagne (1928) – HR/R
# 28 Young and Innocent (1937) – HR/R
# 29 Sabotage (1936) – HR/R
# 30 Saboteur (1942) – R
# 31 Lifeboat (1944) – R
# 32 The Paradine Case (1947) – R
# 33 The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) – R
# 34 I Confess (1952) – R
# 35 Family Plot (1976) – R
# 36 Topaz (1969) – R
# 37 Stage Fright (1950) – R
# 38 The Secret Agent (1936) – R
# 39 Under Capricorn (1949) – R
# 40 Manxman (1928) – R
# 41 Number 17 (1932) – R (Fringe)
# 42 Downhill (1927) – R (Fringe)
# 43 Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941) – Not Recommended
# 44 Jamaica Inn (1939) – Not Recommended
# 45 The Skin Game (1931) – Not Recommended
@James Trapp-This is an extraordinary number of films you watched James. Did you not see The Trouble with Harry? It is more known than quite a few of these others. Any others you did not catch?
@Malith – yeah way longer than any other study. I actually just overlooked Harry, meant to view. The only others I believe
These four the transfer quality was not great plus the critic review made them seem not exactly essential: The Pleasure Garden, The Farmer’s Wife, Easy Virtue, and Juno and the Paycock
Mary (1931 film) – this is just a German language remake of Murder! (1930) so did not seem important
@James Trapp- Really impressive James! Wow.
@Drake – thanks, perhaps the best filmography of any director ever
@James Trapp- the consistency is astounding, right? Silent vs sound, color vs. b/w, England vs. America, across decades
@Drake – It truly is, you could add budgets to that list. During WW2 the War Production Board limited certain filmmaking expenses related to sets. He made Shadow of a Doubt on a substantially reduced budget largely by shooting on location. After Vertigo $2.4 Million and North by Northwest $4.3 Million he made Psycho on a budget of $800,000. He was so inventive and took on new challenges even if he returned to many of the same themes over and over. That is probably the thing that most stood out to me during this Study
@James Trapp -very good add- well said
Family Plot (1976)
Notes:
Green lit sphere ball title credits inside transitions to a young woman’s face inside this ball. This young woman is a psychic named Blanche Tyler (played by Barbara Harris)
3:27 70-year-old woman on red couch speaking with younger woman on chair in office
8:38 an elderly woman named Julie Rainbird (played by Cathleen Nesbitt) wants Blanche to find her niece that her recently deceased sister gave up for adoption as she had the child out of wedlock
10:47 George (played by Bruce Dern)
15:52 woman in large sunglasses, leather black gloves, holding a gun. I could not help but think of the murderer in De Palma’s Dressed to Kill (1980)
17:17 overhead shot as the group walks to a helicopter
21:28 tall blonde woman loses disguise and revealed to be Karen Black
22:56 hidden compartment in basement
25:57 attention to detail in this mise en scene
36:06 low angle shot of George standing over grave of Edward Shoebridge 1933-1950, Harry Shoebridge 1903-1950, Sadie Shoebridge 1905-1950
36:21 George shot from knees down in foreground of frame while grave digger sneaks up from background
37:43 sinister music plays as grave digger stands near George
41:21 Hitchcock cameo as silhouette image in the Office of Registrar of Births and Deaths
46:26 George shot in profile with a Sherlock Holmes cigar
55:00 Arthur Adamson (William Devane) and Fran (Karen Black)
1:01:53 overhead tracking shot into Church
1:02:58 symmetrical shot inside Church service
1:16:12 shaky camera as breaks
1:16:46 POV from George and Blanche inside the car
1:27:13 priests face blurred out with George in background of frame
1:27:30 high surveillance angle shot of funeral
1:39:00 Polanski peep hole shot with Blanche ringing doorbell with Adamson and Fran inside the house
1:43:05 low angle shot of Adamson and Fran as Blanche looks up upon witnessing dead body in garage
1:52:46 George walking up the stairs calling for Blanche
1:57:33 Blanche and George quickly get upper hand
Thoughts:
Hitchcock’s film was released 4 years before he passed away. Apparently, he did not know this would be his final film. It is not a terrible film to go out on although Frenzy (1972) would have been a much better swan song as it is not only a clearly superior film but also much more Hitchcockian
There is an incredible car sequence, it is not a car chase but rather sabotage as the breaks are compromised during a drive sequence on a high elevation mountain road. The shaky camera work and POV is legitimately terrifying even though it was supposed to be a spoof on chase sequences that had become popular in Hollywood films around that time
Hitchcock’s cameo is in silhouette as it is behind office curtains
The film has some nice birds eye view shots including one that occurs during a funeral. You also have a Polanski peep hole shot and a tracking shot creating a level of paranoia. None the less the film still has a lighter tone than the subject matter would suggest
Verdict: R
@James Trapp-Apparently the Rosemary’s Baby sequel from Natalie Erica James(Relic) is available on VOD in just 2 weeks.
@Malith – sounds great, I really hope Wong Kar Wai’s TV Show Blossoms Shanghai (2023) will get a US release at some point
Frenzy (1972)
Notes:
Starts with ariel shot of London
3:58 Hitchcock cameo as man in crowd
4:20 body spotted in local river
5:07 cut to Jon Finch’s character Richard Blaney standing in front of mirror, he is fired shortly after from his bartender job
8:03 high angle shot overlooking the street
8:48 Barry Foster as Bob Rusk makes first appearance as he converses with Blaney
11:33 mention of necktie murderer
13:50 two men casually discuss the murderers
21:30 ex-wife Brenda who runs a matchmaking service invites Richard to dinner
26:23 “Mr. Robinson” played by Jon Finch shows up to Brenda’s office
34:33 close ups used during violent sequence
35:07 extreme close up on eyes
37:35 camera held on exterior of building to 37:59 when scream is heard presumably seeing the body
41:03 quite a precise description Blaney is described by Brenda’s assistant after the murder is discovered
47:00 camera moves over newspaper showing necktie murder
58:45 chief inspector eating nice English breakfast
1:00:38 chief inspector talks shop with colleague
1:03:49 camera rapidly moves in on Babs face with a closeup shot held for several seconds before Babs steps to the side with the camera shooting close up on Bob’s face
1:05:51 low angle shot of Bob and Babs entering Bobs apartment and camera panning along walls and then a reverse tracking shot out of the apartment building and tilted upwards almost like a reverse crane shot
1:11:10 precision in composition, with objects in foreground separating characters at the dinner table
1:12:34 Bob moving body during night
1:15:20 Bob shown in close up as he steps toward camera followed by series of quick cuts showing a close up of a terrified woman and a necktie placed around her neck
1:21:46 extended sequence where Bob retrieved incriminating evidence from Babs dead body inside a garbage truck which starts moving when he gets in
1:29:37 two-shot of Blaney and Bobin corner of dark room
1:33:53 deep focus as Blaney is arrested with a crowd in the background of frame
1:35:40 court scene with windowed door in foreground and judge in background and Blaney in midground of the frame
1:36:32 Blaney found guilty and taken away
1:36:54 overhead shot of Laney in his cell
1:37:05 overhead shot of courtroom empty aside from one Inspector
1:49:43 camera moves from overhead shot to Blaney who escapes
1:55:29 bob caught red handed
Thoughts:
Hitchcock’s first British film in 22 years and this is clearly superior to Stage Fright (1950)
This is a throwback to Hitch’s early British work as it is set around a serial killer on the loose in London. Two real life British serial killers are mentioned in the film: John Christie and Jack the Ripper. The film’s antagonist Bob Rusk, who is played by Barry Foster, becomes known as the “Necktie Murderer”. Jon Finch plays the film’s down on his luck protagonist, Richard Blaney, who becomes the prime suspect after his ex-wife is discovered brutally murdered. This film brings back Hitch’s love for the macabre as just 5 minutes into the film you have a dead woman observed in the water and noticed by a crowd. And throughout the film you have characters gossiping in pubs about the motives of the murderer
The film starts with an ariel shot over London and much of the film has high angle shots and overhead shots which is consistent with the narrative as the film is not shown through the view of any one character. This is arguably Hitchcock’s most violent film. The murder scenes are intimate as Hitch uses close ups of characters faces and even extreme close ups a few times. The Murderer strangles his victims with neckties. It is also the first time Hitch uses nudity as the Murderer caresses the breast of one of his victims
Additionally, the film focuses on the Inspector and other investigators who are working on the case. There is a couple of dinner scenes with the head Inspector and his wife that go on longer than is necessary, but it is not a major issue
You also have the classic Hitchcock trait of the innocent man on the run although unlike some previous innocent men on the run, Blaney is presented as somewhat unsympathetic. Of course, this is partly why he becomes the prime suspect after his ex-wife is discovered murder
Some really impressive editing during the violent sequences using fast cuts and various camera angles along with close up shots of the victims horrified faces and an extreme close up of the eyes. There is a sequence where the film’s murderer attempts to recover an incriminating distinctive jeweled tie pin from the body of the victim which is in a moving garbage truck
Great camera movement starting just before 66 min mark with a low angle shot of Bob and Babs entering Bobs apartment and camera panning along walls and then a reverse tracking shot out of the apartment building and tilted upwards almost like a reverse crane shot
There is a great decision to go static for almost 30 seconds shortly after Brenda’s assistant enters the ground level entrance of the building where Brenda’s office is located as Hitch lets the audience’s imagination fill in the gruesome aftermath instead of showing it himself
The lead performances from Jon Finch and Barry Foster are really impressive especially Foster who gives one of the best male performances of any Hitchcock film outside of Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart
# 1 Anthony Perkins, Psycho
# 2 Joseph Cotten, Shadow of a Doubt
# 3 Robert Walker, Strangers on a Train
# 4 Barry Foster, Frenzy
# 5 John Dall, Rope
Psycho (1960) was such an incredible game changer for what was possible to show audiences on the silver screen. By the time Frenzy as released 12 years later, Hitch could go even further as showing violence and even nudity was fair game. Of course, as previously mentioned, sometimes allowing the audience to imagine is more impactful than showing violence. However, the point is that by 1972 Hitch had even more latitude
Verdict: MS/HR
@Drake-Feels like with this and Macbeth the year prior Jon Finch should have been a big star. I so love his brooding acting style. He also has a fine supporting role in Death on the Nile.
Topaz (1969)
Notes:
Thoughts:
Hitchcock with another spy film but it involves far more melodrama than I expected
Great cat and mouse surveillance sequence to start the film as a high level Soviet official defects to the West, this ends with a gorgeous shot of blue/purple painterly sky as plane flies into horizon
The film references real life international events, most notably the Cuban Missile Crisis
The film is quite plot heavy with many characters and moving parts. The film begins in the Soviet Union and moves to Copenhagen, Denmark then to the United States then Cuba then back to the United States and then to France. You have characters with a multitude of backgrounds and are left guessing motives of individual characters. The afore mentioned melodrama includes a couple of affairs involving lovers with different nationalities
It would not be a Hitchcock film without a MacGuffin and here you have the titular spy ring “Topaz”
The performances are solid but it is difficult to become engaged with the story which runs longer than any other Hitchcock film
Verdict: R
Torn Curtain (1966)
Notes:
The film opens on a ship full of physicists on the way to Copenhagen
3:28 Paul Newman as Professor Michael Armstrong on the boat with his fiancé and assistant Sarah Sherman, who is played by Julie Andrews
5:20 extreme close up on faces of Armstrong and Sarah in bed
6:19 cut to close up on bade “Pressor Michael Armstrong U.S. Interspace Committee” with shallow focus blurring out Sarah on the left side of the frame
7:44 close up on Armstrong’s handwriting on paper for radio telegram with a brief cut to a profile shot of Armstrong and back to close up of his hands writing
8:18 strange music choice for score
12:44 sinister vibe following Sarah picking up book for Armstrong
13:59 shallow focus from Sarah POV
19:21 title name drop as Sarah is surprised to learn Armstrong lied to her about his destination
20:56 extended dissolve
22:10 photo shoot as Armstrong steps out of airplane
25:42 Armstrong meets with high-ranking government official and is given security detail named Gromek, played by German actor Wolfgang Kieling
27:42 Sarah is now a part of this
29:17 Armstrong is defecting publicly
29:29 cut to shot of Armstrong in profile
30:35 Armstrong explains his motivations for defecting
31:17 Armstrong, Sarah, travel in car with 5 characters tightly packed into frame
33:43 Hitch using body positioning within frame to show literal and figurative divide between Armstrong and Sarah, hotel room uses muted colors consisting of browns and greens
36:48 red dress stands out as film dominated by browns, grays, and dark greens
37:07 surveillance angle shot of Armstrong exiting elevator
37:18 crane shot brings viewer to Gromek
38:32 excellent symmetrical composition
39:03 birds eye view shot of Newman in museum
39:44 beautiful shot of checkered floor with paintings in the quiet and empty museum
42:08 frame in frame before switching to wide angle shot of Newman in open field
48:35 beginning of brutal sequence involving Armstrong and the wife of a double agent teaming up to kill Gromek in self defense
49:04 low angle shot as she approaches with a knife
49:32 stand out editing in this stabbing sequence along with shaky camera and quick cuts capturing the frantic violence, this is followed by close up shots of Gromek’s face after repeatedly hit with shovel
57:10 composition with the four characters evenly spaced out as they toast and drinking cognac
57:43 LEIPZIG
1:04:30 Armstrong speaking in front of lecture hall with just 5 people sitting including a man with a cigar in his hand as the main professor
1:08:01 suspicious of Armstrong they request Sarah speak instead
1:22:00 long sequences with math problems on board
1:32:16 Pi is revealed to be a special organization
1:34:54 holographic numbers tracking the mileage
1:50:00 exiled Polish countess Kuczynska leads them to post office
1:53:24 the “farmer” returns
1:56:33 a series of subtle freeze frames each time the ballerina stops spinning and makes eye contract with Armstrong who she remembers from the plane ride in the opening of the film
1:57:50 nice use of camera tilt to reveal the Stasi guards present, presumably tipped off by the lead ballerina
Armstrong and Sarah sneak onto Ferry which travels across Baltic Sea to Sweden
Thoughts:
Hitchcock returns to one of his classic genres, a spy film that is complete with a mathematical MacGuffin
Apparently, Hitchcock did not want to work with Paul Newman or Julie Andrews but was forced by the studio due to their star power. I am a big fan of Newman’s work, but he does seems a bit out of his element here. Supposedly when Newman asked Hitchcock about his character’s backstory and motivation Hitch responded by saying “motivation is your salary”. And that is only the 2nd funniest line Hitchcock said to Paul Newman. The best is “His character” I thought to myself: ‘What does it matter about your character? It’s just going to be Paul Newman anyway”
There are some great moments even if this is a lesser Hitchcock film: There is a painterly image a little after the 33 min mark where Newman’s Armstrong and Sarah are inside a hotel with drab green/brown colors and faint sunlight as Hitch shoots this as a long shot with Antonioni like body positioning to communicate the disconnect between the characters. Just after 37 min mark Newman’s Armstrong exits elevator followed by an excellent crane shot which brings the viewer to Gromek, discreetly positioned to start surveillance on Armstrong into the Museum
Gromek’s death sequence is brutal and well edited, I was actually taken aback by this extended scene which uses a far less choreographed approach by putting the viewer in that room by using close ups and various camera angles. Hitchcock goes to the long shot more than usual
The score is minimal and quite mediocre, John Addison is no Bernard Herrmann whose final collaboration with Hitchcock was Marnie which is one of his best scores
The 2nd half is considerably weaker as most of the films best moments occur earlier although the ballet has some impressive moments
Verdict: HR/R
Marnie (1964)
Notes:
Opening credits use a storybook style as names are shown on individual white pages with tasteful red patterns on the perimeter, the pages are flipped through in a way that resembles swipe edits. The opening credits are accompanied by another magnificent Bernard Herrmann score
The film starts with a tracking shot of a woman whose face is not shown stealing from a company safe
3:35 humorous scene as Marnie’s boss files police report for embezzlement, while giving an extremely specific information regarding her height, weight, and exact body measurements
6:10 camera moves toward open suitcase as only hands are visible as they show piles of stolen cash
7:10 Marnie as played by Tippi Hedren, shows her face for the first time
9:27 Marnie at her happiest riding a horse as score kicks in
9:35 Marnie visits invalid mother in Baltimore
10:31 Marnie’s startled look is cut to shot of red flowers in her mother’s house and a flash of red lighting across the frame not all that different from Bergman’s Cries and Whispers
17:40 Marnie has emotional confrontation with her mother who Marnie believes does not love her
18:38 flash of red-light during Marnie’s dream
25:47 smooth camera movement as camera floats through office
27:11 red ink spills on her shirt leading to another flash of red lighting
28:04 surveillance angle shot and frame in frame showing the safe
32:44 blue and pink flashes of light during thunderstorm
33:16 extreme close up used for the first time with Sean Connery’s Mark Rutland comforting Marnie
35:53 telescope frame of man spying on Rutland and Marnie at a racetrack
37:03 man confronts Marnie claiming she once used another identity
38:24 flash of red triggers the score again
41:27 Mark Rutland brings Marnie to his family’s mansion
47:47 great splitting of frame with Marnie stealing from the safe while an office worker cleans the floor on the other side of the frame
55 min Rutland confronts Marnie about theft, and he questions her in the back of his car
1:03:00 Mark blackmails Marnie into marrying him
1:10:33 Mark and Marnie on Mark’s boat for their honeymoon that is not going how Mark expected
1:14:20 series of dissolves in montage of Mark’s recent memories between him and Marnie
1:16:24 disturbing sequence where Rutland forces himself on Marnie
1:17:27 extreme close up on Rutland’s eyes then back to a catatonic Marnie followed by camera moving to a window with the presumed sexual assault occurring off screen
1:18:40 deep focus on Mark in the background of the frame showing the considerable size of the boat
1:20:04 alternating back and forth close ups on faces of Mark and Marnie following Marnie’s failed suicide attempt in this intimate sequence
1:22:52 camera tilts up to 2nd story window as increasingly jealous Lil watches over Mark and Marnie
1:23:25 exposition via eavesdropping
1:24:15 Lil eavesdrops on Marnie’s conversation with her mother
1:25:25 canted angle shot of the exterior of the Rutland house with Marnie and Lil on diagonally opposite sides of the frame both looking out the window as Mark returns
1:25:53 Mark brings Marnie’s horse, Forio, to the house
1:29:02 overhead shot as Rutland enters home
1:31:34 red flashes during Marnie’s dream
1:38:25 overhead shot of house during formal party
1:39:07 camera moves toward front door as Strutt, the man from the opening scene who reports Marnie as a thief, steps into the house. Presumably the jealous Lil invited him
1:47:27 long shot of Lil on horse chasing after Marnie, mix of POV shots and medium close ups on Marnie used as well
1:52:25 overhead tracking shot of Marnie moving through house
1:54:12 POV shot of Marnie attempting to take money from Mark’s safe but finding herself unable
1:59:00 Mark takes Marnie to her mother’s house in an attempt to understand her history
The final 10 minutes reveal Marnie’s aversion to sexual advances from men and the color red
Thoughts:
Hitchcock with another classic, not a MP level but a great film none the less
This might be the closest thing Hitch has to a character study, there is not any real mystery to solve here aside from learning the underlying cause of Marnie’s trauma whenever she sees the color red and her. Hitchcock continues with some of his go to themes including obsession, sexual relations and power as it relates to gender dynamics, and of course Marnie is the ultimate example of the icy blonde
Aside from Psycho and Vertigo this might be my favorite Bernard Herrmann score in a Hitchcock film. It captures the enigmatic character that Marnie is as it oscillates between a state of excitability and subdued. The score seems to be more in tune with Marnie’s emotional state than tracking the narrative
The use of color in the mise en scene, particularly yellow and red. Yellow is used frequently and consistently throughout the film starting with a close up on Marnie’s yellow purse/handbag she carries the stolen money with. I have read different interpretations regarding the use of yellow. One theory I found interesting was that yellow symbolized danger and/or deceit. Mark Rutland wears a yellow robe just before the sexual assault. Lil, who is a potential romantic rival wears yellow in several scenes. The first time we see Marnie’s face is when she washes the black hair dye in the sink and looks up with her blonde hair. You also have the yellow pencils that are noticeable when Marnie discreetly watches the safe codes that she will later use to steal cash and other valuables
The color red is the other important color in the film. Red creates a triggering effect which puts Marnie into a state of psychological shock. A strong red tint fills the frame in a manner that is similar to Bergman’s Cries and Whispers (1972). Red is often associated with danger in films but also love and romance. Some of the psychological musings remind me of Spellbound (1945), in particular the triggering effect of red in Marnie compared to the parallel lines with the Gregory Peck character
This is arguably the darkest Hitchcock film or at least has some of the most singularly disturbing sequences. Jimmy Stewart’s character in Vertigo becomes a creep in the 2nd half of the film due to his mistreatment of Kim Novak’s character but Stewart never quite becomes the villain as his character becomes more pitiful than anything else, you are appalled at his behavior, but you feel bad for him to an extent. Connery’s character in this film goes to much darker places as he actually blackmails her into marriage and sexually assaults her after she repeatedly rejects his advances. The sexual assault sequence around the 77 min mark is particularly disturbing even for Hitchcock who uses an extreme close up on Rutland (Connery) followed by a shot of Marnie who looks like she is in a catatonic state after her many pleas fail
Hitchcock moves the camera as smoothly as ever with several impressive camera pans but also has some frantic movements as well. Around 114-minute mark is a great POV sequence where Marnie attempts to steal cash from the safe but finds herself unable to do so as camera moves in and out several times
Tippi Hedren is excellent here, playing the troubled title character with a haunted past. She is a complex character who is a thief and manipulative but also victimized and her thefts are driven by a compulsion. Sean Connery resembles Cary Grant for much of the film, playing a good looking and intelligent man with a roguish charm. However, in the honeymoon sequence on a boat, Connery’s Mark Rutland goes where no Cary Grant character has gone before (at least not one that I have seen) when Rutland commits a horrific act. It is a strong performance but 2nd best to Hedren
The film does have flaws, some of the sets are so obviously sets, in particular the ship on the water outside of her mother’s house in Baltimore. It is actually comical how fake it is. The dialogue is not memorable or sharp as some of his best works. Of course, these are minor issues, easily outweighed by the impressive cinematic elements
Verdict: MS
The Birds (1963)
Notes:
Opening credits in royal blue lettering over gray screen with images of black birds flying recklessly
Starts with Tippi Hedren as Melanie Daniels walking down the street
2:12 POV from Melanie of black birds spreading across the sky
2:21 Hitchcock cameo walking his two real life dogs, both Sealyham Terriers
4:04 Rod Taylor as Mitch Brenner, a handsome man who strikes up conversation with Melanie
6:40 Mitch reveals he knows Melanie, and he insults her, but this actually sparks an interest
7:47 camera moves in on Melanie’s face showing she is clearly interested, followed by an overhead shot as Melanie chases down Mitch and gets his license plate number
10:06 Malanie carries love birds in cage
11:15 shot of right side of interior of the car, birds shifting back and forth
11:30 high angle shot of coastline roads, long shots alternate with medium shots
11:56 cinematic painting
12:11 Melanie arrives in Bodega Bay
16:10 arrival at Annie Hayworth’s house results in minor tension as it’s clear that Annie knows Mitch
21:17 Melanie approaches the Brenner house on a boat with the bird cage
22:40 Melanie leaves bird cage for Mitch’s younger sister Cathy before exiting house for the boat
23:53 shot of Melanie spying on Mitch
24:25 binocular frame shot of Melanie from Mitch’s POV
25:31 bird swoops down on Melanie cutting her just as Mitch arrives to help her off the boat
26:45 POV shot upon entering the Diner in Bodega Bay
30 min Melanie invited to dinner by Mitch after she lies saying that
32:12 cutaway shot of flock of birds
35:47 nice blocking with characters in 3 depths of field
40:04 low angle shot of Mitch as Melanie becoming irate
40:53 haunting image of silhouette birds across the frame with a dark blue nighttime sky filling the rest of the frame
43 min Melanie learns about Mitch’s history from Annie who becomes friendlier with Melanie
47:55 high angle shot of children’s birthday party in background of frame with camera panning
47:43 bird flies into door
52:15 bird attack begins at birthday party
54:54 another attack as birds come down chimney and invade the Benner house right before dinner
1:00:20 Mitch’s mother enters her father’s house
1:00:42 insert on Mitch’s grandfather dead with his eyes pecked out
1:05:00 Melanie comforts Mitch’s mother as she lies in bed following her being in a state of shock
1:10:04 a single black bird enters the frame flying over Melanie and sitting on the playground equipment at the school
1:11:33 after a series of alternating shots between Melanie smoking a cigarette and the birds adding on to the playground there is now a wall of black birds on the equipment
1:13:48 frame filled to brim with birds attacking the running school children
1:15:33 rear window framing shots of birds
1:16:01 a series of shots of Melanie speaking on the phone at the local Diner where everyone is staring at her
1:16:38 an ornithologist just happens to be walking by Melanie
1:18:22 “it’s the end of the world” from man in Diner
1:20:00 an amusing discussion about man vs birds war
1:24:45 POV of man attacked at gas station
1:25:05 camera positioned near ground tracking the gasoline spreading
1:25:33 frame packed with diner customers
1:25:55 ariel shot of fire
1:26:08 the camera holds from an ariel view while birds invade the foreground and midground of the frame as if this was a war film showing military planes ready to attack the enemy
1:27:24 Melanie’s face takes up the entire left side of the frame while inside the glass phone booth with birds taking up the other half
1:28:32 silence inside diner with a couple of quick cuts of townspeople staring at Melanie followed by Melanie slapping one woman who calls her evil and screams in her face
1:30:07 series of tracking shots showing birds calmly sitting on fence
1:44:22 lights go out
1:44:55 camera floats through house capturing the worrying faces in low angle shots as the birds seemingly stop
1:52:14 a cinematic painting of the birds along the skyline
1:59:00 ends on an incredible cinematic painting
Thoughts:
Hitchcock’s 3rd and final adaptation of a Daphne du Maurier writing after The Jamaica Inn (1939) and Rebecca (1940)
My mom told me she used to hide behind my grandparent’s couch as a kid to watch along when they watched TV late at night when she was supposed to be in her bedroom, she specifically remembers watching The Birds and being horrified…and then seeing in years later as an adult and feeling embarrassed for ever being scared. I assume she meant she thought the actual portrayal of the birds was not very scary as an adult. I can see that but I have to say this is a thrilling film
Starts with another great opening credit sequence, not as iconic as Vertigo or terrifying as Psycho but great none the less with the royal blue lettering over gray screen with images of black birds flying through recklessly
This begins as a meet cute with Tippi Hedren’s Melanie Daniels and Rod Taylor’s Mitch Brenner inside a bird shop where it is revealed that Mitch knows Melanie due to a prank during her wild days. Melanie, whose wealthy father works for large newspaper, is clearly smitten and tracks Mitch down for a weekend in Bodega Bay with Mitch’s mother and younger sister
Hitchcock works again with costume designer Edith Head. Melanie’s elegant green suit stands out in Bodega Bay with most of the other characters wearing less flashy clothing largely consisting of shades of browns and grays. Of course, Tippi Hedren’s good looks help, but the clothing helps her stand out
The film is paced slowly but effectively with a number of foreshadowing sequences as early as 2 minutes into the film which I like as it makes the attacks still shocking but not as completely out of nowhere. The film aligns the audience and their fears with the characters as you have a classic Hitchcock scenario where a group of ordinary people find themselves in a extraordinary situation. The last 30 minutes is terrifying because Hitch puts you right alongside those characters
Even with the slower paced first half this is a film with tensions that built. Melanie and the schoolteacher Annie, who was previously involved with Mitch, have conversations that are friendly on the service but there is a tension present even though they end up becoming friends. There is a tension with Melanie and Mitch’s mother who fears a woman taking her son from her. And most interestingly is the tension during the Diner scenes where the townspeople start to argue and turn on each other and even blame Melanie for the bird attacks
This is Hitchcock’s Monster Movie, Hitchcock does not explain or attempt to resolve anything, this is the correct choice. The characters in the movie debate this in the diner scene but Hitchcock makes no attempt to explain. There are theories of course, including that the story is a parable for the Cold War as the birds as a sort of stand in for a nuclear war, an attack that can come at any time in which innocent people are rendered completely powerless. Jaws (1975) certainly seems like it could be inspired by The Birds. Even though sharks are naturally a more formidable animal than birds, both films have elements of a nature vs man
Tippi Hedren gives a fine performance, but I really would have loved this with Grace Kelly. Rod Taylor does fine work, by this point in his career Cary Grant might have been too old but a younger Cary Grant would have been excellent. Grant and Kelly have such great chemistry in To Catch a Thief (1955), makes me think this would have really worked. But again, these performances are solid so not a huge complaint
From about 84 to 89 minutes in the single best stretch cinematically with a variety of camera angles an all-out bird attack is captured. Melanie is trapped inside a phone booth for part of this with POV shots of the birds flying into the glass putting you in Melanie’s position. Around 86 min mark the camera holds from an ariel view while birds invade the foreground and midground of the frame as if this was a war film showing military planes ready to attack the enemy
There are several cinematic paintings including one during the drive Melanie makes along the coastline but none better the one at the very end of the film
Verdict: MP/MS
@James Trapp- well said again- particularly here: “This is Hitchcock’s Monster Movie, Hitchcock does not explain or attempt to resolve anything, this is the correct choice” and here “There are several cinematic paintings including one during the drive Melanie makes along the coastline but none better the one at the very end of the film”
@Drake – thanks, the fact that a film this great will be fighting for a top ten spot speaks volumes
Psycho (1960)
Notes:
Starts with intense screeching violins strings in the opening credits as white bars move vertically and then horizontally across the solid black screen
Begins with sweeping ariel shot of Phoenix, Arizona before camera moves intrusively into an apartment building where Janet Leigh as Marion Crane lies on a bed in a bra talking to her married boyfriend Sam who she has frequent lunch time liaisons with
7:01 Hitchcock cameo in background of frame outside office, camera pans to none other than Hitchcock’s real life daughter Pat Hitchcock as an office employee and colleague of Marion
9:36 Cassidy, a wealthy client, shamelessly hits on Marion despite being 40 years older
11:13 genius camera movement from a shot of Marion briefly looking in the direction of the $ 40,000 cash and turning around while camera lowers to a shot of envelope in the foreground of the frame and camera moves to suitcase as Marion is clearly working up the nerve to steal
13:05 voices in head of Marion showing her increasing guilt, fear, and paranoia
13:27 threatening score from opening starts up after Marion starts to wave upon seeing boss crossing the street by chance
14:46 close up on face of police officer wearing sunglasses after he wakes up Marion who was sleeping in her car. The back-and-forth shots use exclusively medium close ups for about one minute
16:44 score starts up again as she leaves with police in rearview mirror
20:35 “first time the customer high pressured the salesman”
25:44 close up on Marion’s face in close up with score bumping and Marion hears voices from other character’s adding to her paranoia
26:20 POV shot using blurry front windshield during rainstorm
26:51 high contrast lighting
28:46 Norman Bates makes appearance
32:32 low angle silhouette shot of the house overlooking the hotel strip as Marion overhears a loud female voice appearing to be the voice of Norman Bates’s mother
34:04 Norman Bates stands in front of Marion Crane with his reflection visible (somehow, I never noticed this until now)
35:14 Marion follows Norman into the office to eat dinner, stuffed birds all around office
37:15 “a boy’s best friend is his mother”
39:18 low angle shot of Norman with birds in the background of the frame
40:58 camera set up changes as is now at level with Norman’s face which is shown in a medium close up of Norman creating tension
42:34 “we all go a little mad sometimes” Norman Bates
44:08 Norman steps back into office casting shadow over his face as his darker instinct are about to take over leading to voyeurism as he watches Marion getting ready for a shower through a peep hole
44:45 close up on Norman’s eye from profile shot
47 min the famous shower sequence in which Marion is stabbed repeatedly by “Norma Bates” with a knife while taking a shower, a silhouette image is observable right before “Norma” opens the shower and begins attack
48:58 the shower drain is shot followed by a match cut to Marion’s lifeless eye and camera pulled back
49:43 camera tracks from Marion to newspaper with money to low angle shot of Bates House
58:40 Norman Bates driving Marion’s car into lake/swamp after cleaning up room
1:00:53 camera moving through hardware store followed by Marion’s sister played by Vera Miles
1:02:10 close up on Arbogast, a Private Investigator, looking for Marion
1:10:39 POV from Arbogast of the house with “Mother” as silhouette in window
1:11:40 Norman’s face is obscured more than Arbogast during their back and forth
1:13:30 Arbogast on phone updating Marion’s sister Lila
1:15:27 POV shots of stuffed birds as Arbogast checks the office
1:17:20 Arbogast enters Bates House which we see inside of it for the 1st time
1:17:38 overhead shot with “Mother” on right side of frame surprising Arbogast with a vicious knife attack/murder. A door opens a couple seconds before the ambush foreshadowing the attack
1:20:00 silhouette profile shot of Lila and Sam talking face to face
1:22:00 scene at local sheriff’s house serves plot but is also used to give some additional exposition on Norman Bates
1:25:18 dissolve from house of Sheriff to Norman holding phone
1:26:04 camera gliding over stair handle followed by an overhead shot used earlier in Arbogast’s murder, this also keeps the camera from revealing that “Mother” is not actually a live
1:27:37 Hitch loves to juxtapose, here a scene of Norman carrying “Mother” to the fruit cellar is followed by a scene of Sunday Church
1:30:31 Norman’s smile cracks me up, the epitome of his boyishness
1:35:40 subject tracking shot as Lila walks up to the house with alternative camera angles, allowing the tension to build
1:37:58 triple image of Lila via multiple mirror reflections
1:39:19 interesting sequence with Lila exploring the house and inside Norman’s room is a collection of items that include child toys but also Beethoven record showing the unusual personality of Norman
1:39:39 Lila looks into a book in Norman’s room and Hitch lingers on her face reacting to what she sees which is clearly something disturbing
1:41:27 the big reveal followed by Sam saving Lila
1:42:32 psychiatrist explains Norman Bates and all the relevant psychology
The film ends with the haunting image of Norman who is now “Mother” complete with internal dialogue and a dissolve from Norman to the skeleton of “Mother”
Thoughts:
This is pure, visceral Cinema at its finest, incredible visual storytelling with indelible images that are accompanied by a pulsating Bernard Herrmann score, masterful editing, and iconic performances
Hitchcock really switches up here; after making a series of high budget Technicolor films, he made a film that looks like a low budget exploitation film. Hitchcock subverts audience expectations throughout Psycho including his decision to kill Marion Crane not even halfway through the movie was something that had simply not been done before, especially in the way that she seems set up to be the movie’s protagonist
Hitchcock lets the camera tell the story starting with a brilliant opening in which a skyline shot of Phoenix is followed by the camera slowly panning and then entering the window of a hotel with Janet Leigh lying on a bed in a bra (controversial for that time) with her married boyfriend Sam. A little after the 11 min mark the camera moves from a shot of Marion briefly looking in the direction of the $ 40,000 cash and turning around while camera lowers to a shot of envelope in the foreground of the frame and camera moves to suitcase as Marion is clearly working up the nerve to steal. This is one example but there are numerous examples. Another standout occurs when Norman Bates cleans up “Mother’s” murder of Marion Crane including sinking the car. There are several long stretches with little to no dialogue
The Bates Motel is a remarkable set piece. The house on the steep hill overlooking the cabins looks like a castle from a horror film. It is particularly sinister at night towering over the cabins, especially with a silhouette “Mother” in the window. The isolated nature of the Bates Motel is standard operating procedure for Horror films, as it renders the helpless victims with nowhere to go. There are several cutaway shots to Bate’s House, but the inside is never shown until Arbogast enters, which ramps up the tension. Hitchcock sure loves using stairs with the incredible death of Arbogast
Like most great films, particularly horror/thrillers, the mood and atmosphere are just as important if not more important than the plot. Hitchcock was a master of manipulating human emotions. Bernard Herrmann delivers another impeccable score, it is thumping right from the opening credits, extremely unsettling. It starts up again immediately after Marion sees her boss crossing the street, she gives him a wave before her facial expression drastically changing, almost as if she just realized that she is in the process of stealing $40,000. The emotion that the audience instantly recognizes when the thumping score returns is an intense level of fear, paranoia, and guilt which aligns the audience with Marion’s perspective
Aside from the Bernard Herrmann score, another interesting audio choice was the voices repeated in Marion’s head as she drives away with the stolen cash. This serves to amplify the thumping score and increase the intense paranoia Marion is feeling. There is a detail that I really took notice of in my most recent viewing and that was this slightly sinister smile Marion gives shortly before arriving at Bates Motel. It occurs right after she hears the voice of Cassidy, who is the creepy wealthy client, talking about how Marion duped him. It’s nothing compared to the chilling smile of Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity (1944) upon listening to Walter Neff strangle her husband to death. But it is still registers
The police officer who wakes Marion up the following morning is shown in a medium close up, I like the way Hitch shoots this officer who is wearing large sunglasses almost leaning into Marion’s car. The large sunglasses are a brilliant choice as they make him come off more as a symbol of authority than a flesh and blood human being. The officer does nothing wrong and acts completely reasonable, but Hitchcock feared nothing more than being arrested for a crime he did not commit hence his many innocent man films. While Marion is guilty of a crime, she still comes off as sympathetic
The scene where Marion and Norman Bates talk in the office while Marion provides exposition but also gives a glimpse into the mindset of Norman. Unlike most Villains, Norman Bates comes across as likable, he is a little awkward but has a boyish earnestness that is compelling. He is technically the Villain but, in a way, “Mother” is the true Villain, and this creates a transfer sympathy from the victim to Norman Bates when he is forced to clean up after “Mother” attacks
The shower scene is considered one of the most famous and best edited scenes in film history. Hitch had to work within the confines of the times and could not actually show graphic stab wound or a naked woman. Shooting the scene required over 70 camera set ups, over 90 cuts. The fast cuts and numerous camera angles is extraordinary disorienting. Even after Marion is dead Hitch continues with quick cuts before slowly zooming out after an extreme close up of her lifeless eye, these cuts following her being dead allow the tension to continue for a few extra seconds as it delays the audience’s shock realization that the main character has just been killed off not even halfway through the film
The shower death is so famous that it overshadows the death of Arbogast, the Private Investigation, who is paid to track down Marion Crane. That murder scene inside the house upon Arbogast reaching the top of the stairs is unlike any murder scene. The camera angles stand out, an unsettling overhead shot is used followed by “Mother” rushing out and lunging with a knife at an unsuspecting Arbogast in the foreground of the frame at the moment Arbogast reaches the top of the stairs. The camera tracks Arbogast falling back in a strange manner almost like he’s levitating. True to his moniker as the Master of Suspense, Hitch always shows the audience the killer a little before the victims do. “Mother” becomes visible as a shadowy figure through the shower curtain a few seconds before Marion is aware, same with Arbogast although that one occurs much quicker so a bit closer to surprise than suspense
The black and white cinematography augments the use of shadow and glare. While cleaning up Marion’s death, most of Norman’s face is covered by shadow. The black and white also adds to the atmosphere, it is hard to imagine classic black and white films in color and this is no different
People bring up the psychiatrist scene as a criticism and I agree it overexplains although it makes sense someone would have to explain Norman Bates mindset to the police, investigators, etc. at this time. It is an incredibly minor issue that some people blow out of proportion. Plus, this sequence is made up for with the appropriately disturbing final shot in which the camera moves in on Norman Bates locked up in a cell with an incredibly unnerving smile and the dissolve to the skeletal remains of “Mother”
The story moves fluently from one scene to the next even after Marion Crane is murdered. Aside from the aforementioned psychiatrist I would not remove or alter a single scene. An absolute all timer
Verdict: MP
Additional Thoughts of Psycho
One of the reasons Psycho fascinates me is the way it has maintained its cultural relevancy. I don’t factor this into the grade, but it is still worth mentioning. Norman Bates is undoubtedly one of the greatest movie villains of all time. The American Film Institute (AFI) listed Norman Bates as the 2nd behind only Hannibal Lecter. After Alfred Hitchcock’s death in 1980 there were 3 sequels to Psycho with Norman Bates leaving a mental facility. And 53 years after the release of the original movie, a TV series, Bates Motel premiered. Bates Motel told the story of Norman Bates and his mother Norma Bates in a contemporary setting. The story is told over 5 seasons from 2013 to 2018 and focuses on the complex psychology in the relationship between the mother and son with strong Oedipal undertones. I have seen the TV show start to finish and would recommend for anyone who loved the film, as it does a great job of incorporating the film’s mythology while adding plenty of new elements to it
The split personality twist has been beaten to death in modern thriller and horror movies. There are literally dozens and dozens of these lame and frankly lazy plot maneuverings to the point of self-parody. The peak of this nonsense came when Secret Window (2004) and Hide and Seek (2005) were released not even a full year apart. Because of this it can be easy to overlook just how inventive Psycho’s use of this was at the time. In fact, Norman Bates subverts many of the expectations that audiences had of villains. Norman was an amiable character, you pitied him and his situation living with an overbearing and psychologically abusive mother. In fact, in a way “Mother” is the actual villain and Norman a victim
North by Northwest (1959)
Notes:
Starts with solid green screen followed by blue blues creating grid marks which later become lines on a NYC high rise apartment as the color turns into a blue/gray with cars including taxi cabs reflected off building. This is accompanied by an up-tempo Bernard Herrmann score
2:10 Hitchcock cameo as man who misses bus at end of opening credits
2:16 Cary Grant as Roger Thornhill, an ad executive in Manhattan walks along with his assistant
3:29 no lying in the world of advertisement only expedient exaggerations
5:32 Grant’s character snaps for attention right as a man calls for” George Kaplan” resulting in camera panning then moving in on two hench men take him away at gunpoint
8:56 Grant’s Thornhill is taken to a mansion located away from the city, and placed in a fancy study
9:58 James Mason character stands in front of light but in silouette3
11:18 overhead shot with Martin Landau as Leonard and James Mason as Vandamm confronting him with Vandamm believing him to be a man named George Kaplan
14:21 Roger is forced to drink followed by dissolve to nighttime where a drunk Roger is placed in a car moving toward a cliff where he miraculously saves his life but is arrested for DUI
21:40 court the next day Roger stands before a judge who sends detectives to bring Roger back to the mansion to determine if
24:04 of course all the liquor is missing when they return to the mansion the following day while Roger’s mother, Clara Thornhill, cracks jokes
29:01 camera zooms in on photo in Kaplan’s hotel room which includes Vandamm
35:01 shot of Thornhill walking into building which makes him look small by comparison
35:12 long shot of Thornhill in lobby of United Nations building
36:36 pan from Thornhill to the henchman from earlier
37:54 Lester Townsend falls to ground, shortly after he falls into Thornhill and knife is revealed in his back with Thornhill takes out and everyone around staring at him thinking Thornhill just murdered him and he even has photograph taken, all of sudden he’s wrong man on the run
38:24 great overhead shot next to United Nations building and Thornhill in foreground/midground appearing as barely a dot the camera is so high up making him seen minuscule by comparison
38:50 camera slowly brought back revealing 5 government officials in office building who reveal that George Kaplan does not actually exist
40:02 Kaplan revealed to be a decoy
41:25 dissolve to train station
41:47 Thornhill shot in medium close up in phone booth
44:27 Thornhill walks down a narrow hallway
44:44 Eva Marie Saint as Eve
45:00 Eve shot in profile standing outside Thornhill’s
47:00 Thornhill and Eve dine on a train
48:10 great back and forth banter
54:54 beautiful shot of the exterior of train during sunset
1:01:15 reverse tracking shot of Thornhill dressed as train employee, walking away from Train with Eve
1:02:37 surveillance angle shot of manhunt for Thornhill
1:03:37 tracking shot along phone booths going from Eve to one of the henchmen from earlier
1:06:16 long shot of a bus in the middle of a cornfield followed by Thornhill exiting it
1:07:35 series of shots of open fields including a POV shot of helicopter in the distance, as the tension builds toward famous Cropduster sequence
1:12:56 Thornhill sprinting from the Cropduster which is in background of frame as it moves in on Thornhill and starts firing shots
1:19:04 two-shot with Thornhill and Eve facing camera in different depths of field as Eve’s face remains hidden from Thornhill for a moment so he cannot see her reaction to what he tells her
1:20:48 another two-shot with different depths of field with a subtle tension present
1:25:45 Vandamm off camera except for his hand which is on the neck of Eve before camera pulls back revealing an auction with Vandamm and his henchmen along with Eve and a pan to Thornhill
1:35:34 Thornhill gets ride from police after sabotaging an auction
1:39:39 great dialogue “Now you listen to me, I’m an advertising man, not a red herring. I’ve got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives and several bartenders that depend upon me, and I don’t intend to disappoint them all by getting myself “slightly” killed.”
1:40:38 shot of Mount Rushmore, circular frame revealed to be POV shot from Thornhill’s POV as he looks through a coin operated binocular
1:45:27 Thornhill shot by Eve who runs after with Mount Rushmore in background of frame
1:46:26 Thornhill revealed to be alive
1:47:04 shot in woods with Thornhill and Eve on opposite sides of frame
1:57:24 frame in frame as Thornhill watches Eve through window
1:58:27 POV shot from Thornhill while sneaking into the house
2:01:09 Leonard shoots Vandamm with blanks used earlier when Eve shoots Thornhill
2:04:19 high angle shot with Thornhill watching Vandamm, Leonard, and Eve
2:05:17 camera focusing in on matches with the note for Eve who only now realizes she is in danger
2:08:19 tension builds as camera moves in on each face as Eve is walked to the plane
2:09:13 gunshot off screen followed by long shot of Thornhill escaping and picking up Eve in car leading to the epic Mount Rushmore finale
Thoughts:
This may be Hitchcock’s single most entertaining film, an escapist Masterpiece with everything one could ask for from a movie; incredible action, a narrative that never lets up for a second, powerhouse performance from Grant, romance, humor, and razor-sharp writing. Hitchcock takes little timing setting this one up as Grant’s character is kidnapped due to mistaken identity within the first 10 minutes. At 126 minutes this is Hitch’s longest film to date
Hitchcock goes back to his favorite trope, the innocent man on the run. Hitch has used variations of an innocent person falsely accused or suspected of a crime in many of these previous works. But the innocent man on the run trope is a little more specific as you have a person quite literally on the run while needing to prove his innocence of a crime he has not committed. This is used in the following: The 39 Steps, Young and Innocent, Foreign Correspondent, and Saboteur. The 39 Steps is the best of these, but Hitchcock puts this trope into super drive as this film is like The 39 Steps on steroids
Cary Grant’s Roger Thornhill is an advertising executive who is mistaken for a man named George Kaplan, the reveal of who Kaplan is and why he is wanted by the hired thugs who take him not even 10 minutes into the film is of course the classic Hitchcock MacGuffin as the particulars barely matter
The camera movements are swift, the sequence that starts the action occurs when Grant’s Roger Thornhill attempts to capture the attention of a man after someone is calling for “George Kaplan” and the camera pans and then moves in on a couple of henchmen who proceed to kidnap Thornhill. The camera is rarely static in this film
The Cropduster sequence is masterful as it slows the film down for the first time and allows the tension to build with a series of alternating POV shots from Thornhill of the surrounding area which is in the middle of nowhere and shots of Thornhill. There is no score in this sequence which lasts for a couple of minutes, the silence here is deafening until the Cropduster starts shooting at Thornhill. Hitchcock has always loved spectacular set pieces, but it is hard to top this and of course the Mount Rushmore finale. Hitchcock uses a variety of angles and shots including long shots
Hitchcock uses overhead shots and longshots a number of times to show Thornhill’s apparent powerless including a great shot of Thornhill appearing as practically a dot on the screen upon exiting the United Nations Building right after he is photographed holding a knife that he has taken from the back of Townsend who is stabbed in the back off camera. Thornhill is also shown walking next to a large building to emphasize powerlessness against greater forces
Cary Grant is perfect here, he has the whole package with comedic timing, fast word play, and sexual chemistry with Eva Marie Saint who is also great. James Mason is perfectly cast as the suave Villain who appears early in the film and makes his return later on
The snappy dialogue is excellent “Now you listen to me, I’m an advertising man, not a red herring. I’ve got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives and several bartenders that depend upon me, and I don’t intend to disappoint them all by getting myself “slightly” killed.” Grant and Eva Marie Saint have great chemistry, and the sexual innuendos are similar to Grant and Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief. Marie Saint does solid work
Bernard Herrmann with another masterful score that flows in tempo with the film’s action start to finish. The high suspense and dangerous moments are when the score is at its best
In a way this can be viewed as Hitchcock’s greatest pure craft, a film without real subject matter. It is not much of an exaggeration to call this one long chase sequence, a rollercoaster ride really. And this is meant as a great compliment. The ultimate escapist film
Verdict: MP
Vertigo (1958)
Notes:
Starts with an incredible title sequence from the legendary Saul Bass which consists of psychedelic imagery accompanied with Bernard Herrmann’s fantastic score. You have a close up of Kim Novak’s face to extreme close up of her eyes which become red followed by spiral images in several colors including purple, blue, and green and go into the eye and then out
3:49 the film goes into a chase sequence using a dark blue San Francisco included Jimmy Stewart’s character John “Scottie” Fergusen
4:22 Scottie looking down results in a dolly zoom
4:42 the police officer trying to help Scottie falls to his death trying to save Scottie
5 min the film segues into a scene inside the apartment of Scottie’s friend and former girlfriend Midge who talks about Scottie’s future
11:06 high angle shot from Scottie’s POV inside Midge’s office
12 min Gavin Ester, a wealthy former classmate of Scotties invites him over
13:30 Gavin moves in background in frame in elevated position over Scottie as he tells Scottie that his wife claims to be haunted by someone dead
17:08 camera smoothly pans across Ernie’s Restaurant, a real restaurant in San Francisco that closed in 1995. The camera goes from a pan to moving in on Madeleine who is wearing an intensely green dress
17:51 frame within a frame that captures Madeleine resembling a painting
18:08 Madeleine framed in profile shot from Scottie’s POV
21:06 Madeleine at flower shop, vibrant frame filled with flowers
21:30 voyeurism with Scottie watching through small opening in door
25:23 church bells audible upon shot of the grave of Carla Valdez
26:02 POV from Scottie watching Madolyn who is staring at a painting of Carlota, a woman with similar hair to Marolyn and who has a ruby necklace
27:25 deep focus with this triangle composition inside museum
38:08 dissolve from Carlota photograph to profile shot of Madeleine from Ernie’s earlier
39:30 Scottie reports to Gavin who explains that Madeleine does not know about Carlota Valdez
40:20 another surveillance sequence with score becoming increasingly foreboding
42:52 cinematic painting of Madeleine standing under the Golden Gate Bride just before jump into Bay
44 min Scottie in green shirt followed by a slow pan to Madeleine lying in bed
50:32 green/red theme continued with clothing
58:25 dissolve to Scottie and Madeleine at the sequoia tree
1:05:18 score crescendo as Scottie and Madeleine kiss for the 1st time
1:07:13 Midge wearing a red shirt rather than yellow or beige as she did earlier
1:07:49 Midge reveals painting to be the Carla painting with Midge’s face on it in a two-shot with the real Midge of the left and painting on the right
1:09:25 Madeleine shows up to Scottie’s apartment
1:12:11 camera focuses on Madeleine riding along in passenger seat
1:13:45 camera focuses on transfixed Madeleine’s face as Scottie continues to push her to remember
1:14:32 two-shot with focus on Madeleine’s concerned face as she and Scottie kiss
1:16:25 Scottie begins chase which includes a couple uses of dolly zoom
1:17:03 Madeleine falling to her death through Scottie’s POV
1:17:58 high angle shot of Church roof with Scottie visible in a long shot on right foreground of frame
1:20:08 court proceeds to forgive Scottie and Gavin forgives Scottie and tells him he’s leaving town for good, probably going to Europe
1:24:04 incredible dream sequence begins with flashes of blue and purple lights over Scottie’s face leading to psychedelic imagery and including a green and purple version of Scottie’s face, red flashes, a ruby red jewel on Carlota, and other bizarre imagery
1:29:13 ariel shot of San Franciso
1:29:43 low angle shot of Scottie
1:30:14 Scottie sees Madeleine’s green car and starts revisiting places from earlier
1:33:54 Scottie sees woman who looks like Madeleine and visits her in hotel room
1:38:23 Judy slowly turns and faces the camera with a petrified look followed by a flashback to Madeleine running up the steps before jumping to her death only the big reveal shows Gavin Ester throw a woman dressed identically to Madeleine off the building
1:40:20 Judy reveals herself to be the woman playing “Madeleine” in an elaborate plot for Gavin Ester to get away with murdering his wife by making it look like a suicide with Scottie as the witness
1:42:28 Scottie and Judy on a dinner date at Ernie’s Restaurant
1:44:39 silhouette profile shot of Judy with green lit hotel room
1:55:36 camera moves in on Scottie who has transfixed stare followed by a shot of Judy walking out of green lighting dressed as Madeleine leading to kiss and 360 camera movements with score intensifying
1:58:38 Scottie’s shocked face followed by a camera moving in on the ruby necklace followed by a flashback and zoom out on shot from museum painting earlier in the film
1:59:34 Scottie with a serious expression as he drives Judy in the car
2:00:24 “one final thing I have to do and I’ll be free of the past”
2:02:24 Scottie confronts Judy who is revealed to be Madeleine
2:03:37 dolly zoom
Thoughts:
Vertigo (1958) has become widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time; the publication They Shoot Pictures Don’t They, currently ranks it at # 2 behind only Citizen Kane (1941), American Film Institute (AFI) ranks it at # 9, Sight and Sound ranks it at # 2
Vertigo’s acclaim is well deserved as it excels in numerous ways, the psychedelic opening credits, the use of red and green, the ravishing use of technicolor, Bernard Herrmann’s spellbinding score, the innovative dolly zoom, the incredible dream sequence, and Jimmy Stewart’s committed performance. The plot is of course absolutely ludicrous, but this should not get in the way of its acclaim or prevent someone from enjoying it
Hitchcock working with the legendary Saul Bass starts with in my opinion the greatest title sequence of all time. Not only are the images staggering from an aesthetic perspective but are thematically attune with this story of obsession and a psychological breakdown
Midge (played by Barbara Bel Geddes) is used as a contrast with Madeleine. She is a former love interest of Scottie who still has feelings for him though they are now more close friends than lovers. They meet up and talk in a casual manner about what is going on in their life’s. Hitch uses color to demonstrate contrast as Midge’s office is largely beige and browns including Midge wearing a yellow shirt the first time she appears. Compare this when Scottie sees Madeleine for the first time it is in Ernie’s Restaurant where her beautiful green dress contrasts with the red interiors. Madeleine is shown in a profile shot and another shot where Hitch uses a frame in frame. Madeleine is thus introduced to Scottie in such theatrical fashion that seems more attune to a fantasy than reality
Hitchcock was known as amongst the most controlling of directors and in particular harsh on his lead actresses. Ebert’s review of Vertigo emphasizes this element of Hitchcock’s life with the plot of Vertigo and how Scottie’s wounded heart is devastated by the realization that he has fallen in love with a woman who does not really exist, so he tries to recreate her by controlling how she looks and talks and acts. Jimmy Stewart goes even darker than Rope (1948) and Rear Window (1954) as he becomes increasingly controlling in the 2nd half of the film to the point where he is thoroughly unlikable. However, he never quite becomes the Villain as his character is more pitiable than feared. Gavin Elster (played by Tom Helmore) is the film’s Villain, and he is marvelous in the few minutes he has on screen
Vertigo is a gorgeous film; the painterly image of Madeleine under the Golden Gate Bridge, Madeleine at the flowers shop, Madeleine at the Museum looking at the Carlotta Valdes painting, the Mission San Juan Bautista, the giant sequoia forest, the green lit hotel shot, the interiors of Ernie’s Restaurant.
Green and red are used throughout the film but green especially. Consider Madeleine’s car, Madeleine’s green dress contrasted with the red interiors of Ernie’s, the shirt worn by Scottie and rescuing Madeleine, and the green lit hotel sequence. During the incredible dream sequence with psychedelic imagery including Scottie’s face green and purple. Green is used during the hotel sequence when Judy finally goes through all of Scottie’s demands and looks exactly like Madeleine, there is a green glow in addition to the green curtains behind Scottie
Vertigo has long sequences with little dialogue, in particular when Scottie is following Madeleine all over San Francisco and beyond. Similar to Rear Window Hitch uses POV shots to put the story through the perspective of Stewart’s character. Bernard Herrmann’s contributions have to be emphasized as well, especially during many of these dialogue free scenes. The score is so effective is controlling the film’s changing atmosphere
My one and only complaint is the at times clumsy dialogue/exposition. Psycho (1960) is one of the most revered films of all time as well, but the psychiatrist scene is panned for over explaining to the audience. It is a fair criticism but hardly matters given how great every other second of the film is. But Vertigo actually has a scene that is far more egregious, it is when Judy/Madeleine writes the letter to Scottie that lays out the plot, “you were the victim, I was the tool, and you were the victim of Gavin Ester’s plan to murder his wife, he chose me to play the part because I looked like her…” Apparently, Hitchcock was torn between whether or not he should reveal the truth to the audience before Scottie learns it. That Hitchcock confirms Judy is Madeleine to the audience before Scottie figures it out is not the criticism but rather the way it is spoon fed
Aside from the minor issues with expository dialogue this is a staggering Masterpiece that is a worthy contender for Greatest Film of All time. This film contains some of the greatest artistic heights of any film I have viewed from Hitchcock or anyone else
Verdict: MP (top 20 all time film)
Great review – Vertigo has more cinematic paintings than maybe any other film. I will say I thoroughly disagree with your criticism of the clumsy exposition, which through its very oddness contributes beauitfuly to the unique mood of the film. Strip Vertigo of its odd storytelling and absurd plot, and the movie (at least narratively) would be greatly impoverished.
My apologies if you posted this elsewhere, but do you have a top 10 or 20 somewhere? I would love to see it.
@K – thanks, regarding the clumsy dialogue I get what you are saying and agree to an extent as I note in the top of the review. “The plot is of course absolutely ludicrous, but this should not get in the way of its acclaim or prevent someone from enjoying it”. I accept the ridiculous plot, I just thought the point was made to the audience that Judy was actually Madeleine without her having to start reciting the plot. It is a really small complaint, I was just trying to be thorough.
@K – I am working on a revised top 100, there will be some significant changes. Here is the top 40 for my original list. I’ll post the revised list on the top 1000 films page soon
1 The Godfather
2 Raging Bull
3 Seven Samurai
4 Goodfellas
5 There Will Be Blood
6 Citizen Kane
7 The Godfather II
8 Psycho
9 Chinatown
10 Aguirre, the Wrath of God
11 Barry Lyndon
12 High and Low
13 2001: A Space Odyssey
14 The Good the Bad and the Ugly
15 The Third Man
16 Taxi Driver
17 Apocalypse Now
18 Jules and Jim
19 Zodiac
20 Rear Window
21 Double Indemnity
22 Lawrence of Arabia
23 The 400 Blows
24 Vertigo
25 Pulp Fiction
26 Chungking Express
27 Days of Heaven
28 Touch of Evil
29 Notorious
30 In the Mood for Love
31 Magnicient Ambersens
32 The Shining
33 Bicycle Thieves
34 Blade Runner
35 Stalker
36 Breathless
37 Rashomon
38 8 1/2
39 Old Boy
40 Persona
I have Apocalypse Now and 2001: A Space Odyssey as the top two. I’m surprised you are quite low on these two.
@Malith – They are both higher on revised list
I saw Apocalypse Now a while ago in the middle of the day on a small screen. I feel like I can’t really evaluate it until I see it again at night (hopefully in theaters!). The Shining’s visual achievement is very underrated – maybe the style slides into the mood so totally that many of the stylistic high points are overlooked. I might make a case for it on the Kubrick page.
I’m waiting to make a top 10 till I watch Tokyo Story. You don’t have The Searchers anywhere in your list. Will it be in the revised list?
@K – Yeah I had The Searchers at 46 on original list, it will move up
The Wrong Man (1956)
Notes:
Opens with Alfred Hitchcock standing in the middle of a street at night in silhouette and an elongated shadow prior to opening credits and introducing the movie by name
3:12 Henry Fonda as a musician named Manny Balestrero playing at the Stork Club, which was a real-life New York City club from 1929 to 1965
6:50 Manny’s wife Rose is played by Vera Miles
13:20 bars resembling prison in foreground in this shot with a woman close to the foreground and Manny in the background waiting
19:50 police staking out Manny’s house ask him to come to the precinct
20:14 Manny looks left and sees police officer’s face in profile then looks other way and same shot
27 min low thumping noise as Manny walks up and down a series of liquor stores
31:02 camera switches to high angle shot after police interrogation
42:50 Manny inside prison cell, stripped shadows surrounding
43:16 a series of POV shots inside the prison cell creates a claustrophobic atmosphere
47:42 interesting composition with Manny positioned standing in doorway as sort of odd man out
48:14 Manny on stage questioned by judge off screen has a sort of Kafkaesque vibe
52:17 Manny shot in medium close up at the back of the jail bus
54:42 nice camera movement in this shot upon Manny’s cell slammed shut the camera moves in and through the small rectangular window
55:09 extreme close up on Manny’s eyes framed in the small rectangular window followed by the camera which is pulled back
1:06:10 Manny and Rose attempt to track down people to verify Manny’s alibi
1:15:53 Manny concerned with Rose who has become depressed and has a mental breakdown
1:18:34 disturbing sequence as Rose hits Manny over the head with a brush followed by a shot of Manny’s face on a cracked mirror followed by back-and-forth close ups on Manny and Rose, the editing in this sequence is a standout
1:20:10 Rose at doctor’s office in the foreground under a lamp with the doctor lingering in the background in dimly lit part of the room
1:36:13 to 1:36:36 best shot of the film as you have Henry Fonda praying in a close up on his face and a slow dissolve while a man who looks similar to Fonda’s character and wearing similar clothes walks on a sidewalk and gradually approaches the foreground of the frame. This man is revealed to be the real perpetrator as he holds up a store but is detained and arrested
1:40:37 Manny briefly comes face to face with the true perpetrator who cowardly looks away
1:41:31 Manny visits Rose to tell her the good news
Thoughts:
Hitchcock with yet another story about an innocent man being persecuted but this is told quite differently, almost in documentary fashion but that is not to say it does not have Hitchcock’s stylistic trademarks
Returning to black and white was the right choice, after To Catch a Thief and The Man Who Knew Too Much, both films with exotic settings and with a plethora of saturated primary colors, this film is set in the gritty streets of Queens. The bleakness is just not possible in the same way with color. The prison scenes were filmed on location, a NY prison in Queens
Henry Fonda’s Manny plays the role passively by design. He rarely shows emotion and does not really question the police much, he just tries to appease them thinking that it will end soon but it does not, everything is based on mistaken identity
There is great noir lighting with shadows, high contrast images, and silhouette work. There are a number of shots where Fonda takes up most of the frame showing him close to walls or doors creating a claustrophobic environment; this is especially true when he is put in his prison cell and the back of a police van.
The best shot of the film occurs in the final 10 minutes as you have Henry Fonda praying in a close up on his face followed by a slow dissolve match cut; a man who looks similar to Fonda’s character and wearing similar clothes walks on a sidewalk and gradually approaches the foreground of the frame. This man is revealed to be the real perpetrator as he holds up a store but is detained and arrested
Verdict: HR
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Notes:
Starts with a shot of Jimmy Stewart’s character Dr. Ben McKenna on a family vacation in French Morrocco on the back of a bus with his wife Josephine “Jo” Conway McKenna, a singer (played by real life singer Doris Day), and their young son
After a conversation on the bus that Dr. McKenna has with a Frenchman named Louis Bernard who was asking personal questions, Jo becomes suspicious of strangers
12:48 Hitchcock’s camera floating through hotel room showing the singing Doris Day
15:46 Jo becoming increasingly suspicious of Louis Bernard
16:02 Jo opens the door to POV shot of man in a shadow before flicker of light shows his face, this is followed by a great composition with 3 depths of field: Jo in the foreground, Dr. McKenna behind in a different depth, and Louis Bernard in the deep background of the frame
16:58 shot of Louis isolated in the frame with his back to the camera as he speaks French into the phone slightly hunched over demonstrating the secretive nature of the phone call and this character in general
17:50 detailed mise en scene of restaurant
23:46 another stare from Louis Bernard whose continued presence feels increasingly sinister
28:48 a great chase sequence involving the authorities starts at a local marketplace and ends with the man running being revealed to be Louis Bernard
30:34 extreme close up on Stewart’s face as he listens to the dying Bernard’s final words
36:00 Dr. McKenna and Jo are interviewed by an Inspector
37:33 shot of man sitting in a chair with his back to the camera calling McKenna
38:22 close up two-shot with Stewart becoming increasingly agitated, he is repeatedly shown gripping a phone book with his left hand
50:40 Jo and Dr. McKenna fly to London to find their kidnapped son
51:15 a woman shown in a crowd several times is in a phone booth talking with the audience not privy to the audio
54:24 moves to an overhead shot of the villains calling the McKenna’s at the police station
58:23 back and forth shots with Dr. McKenna speaking on the phone and shots of Jo and a group of her friends that he is not met previously
1:01:13 the solitude is notable in a film where every other sequence so far has been packed with people
1:02:25 insert canted angle shot of a sign for Taxidermy Business
1:08:30 dissolve to Jo leaving her friends to her walking down the same empty street has her husband
1:11:30 the McKenna’s son Hank shown locked in a room in the Chappel
1:13:13 the villain’s layout their assassination plan
1:20:32 series of quick cuts on 3 of the villain’s subtle communication upon Jo leaving the Chapel
1:23:08 shaky camera POV shot effective in showing Stewart’s emotional burst upon hearing his son
1:23:25 distorted POV as Stewart is knocked out
1:27:12 Dr. McKenna wakes up after police leave the Chapel
1:29:21 Dr. McKenna climbs at rope to the top of the Chapel which rings the bell
1:32:23 high angle shot of the packed arena of Royal Albert Hall, showing off its considerable size
1:40:10 the assassin slowly cocks his gun
1:41:04 the gun is shown slowly moving on screen with the assassin off screen behind a red drape
1:44:32 detailed mise en scene in office
1:52:32 brilliant tracking shot of negative space where the sound, not an image, is being tracked so you see the journey from Doris Day’s voice to catching the attention and recognition of her son who eventually starts to whistle back
1:57:47 Drayton in the shadows in this shot demonstrating his villainous nature
1:59:27 Drayton knocked down the stairs catching the attention of everyone in the room
Thoughts:
Hitchcock remakes his 1934 film of the same name. Hitchcock himself said the original was the work of an amateur and this was the work of a professional. Hitchcock was definitely correct on this. While this film does not really show anything new from Hitchcock and while aspects of it have been done better in other Hitchcock films, it none the less is well made and features some great set pieces
The scene of Louis Bernard dying with a knife in his back while warning Dr. McKenna is reminiscent of the scene in Hitch’s The 39 Steps (1935) where the mysterious woman warns Hannay of the spy ring
Around the 83 min mark there is a great shaky camera POV shot, which is effective in showing Stewart’s emotional burst upon hearing his son, and shortly after there is a distorted POV as Stewart is knocked out
The Villains construct an absurdly elaborate political assassination, it’s amusing the way Stewart’s characters makes a number of comments about only wanting his son back and not caring about international spy conspiracies or something to that effect. It is humorous to me because it was almost like Stewart’s character was self-aware of being a character in a Hitchcock film
The film has a grand climax, its an impressive set piece, using Doris Day’s singing as a crucial plot element is amusing. Not that Day’s performance hurt the film but I would have loved to see Grace Kelly here provided she could sing which I don’t know
A little after the 112 min mark there is a brilliant tracking shot of negative space where the sound, not an image, is being tracked so you see the journey from Doris Day’s voice to catching the attention and recognition of her son who eventually starts to whistle back
Verdict: HR
You’re closing in on Vertigo!
@K – yep, it is next up. This particular stretch is insane
To Catch a Thief (1955)
Notes:
Set in the French Riviera, the film starts with a screaming woman before a cut to an empty jewelry box
2:07 green/blue tinted shot of black cat walking on a roof top
4:36 Cary Grant as John Robie aka “the cat” a famous cat burglar
5:47 triangle composition as a couple of investigators confront John Robie
6:55 brilliant sequence of Robie faking out Investigators before making his escape shown via ariel shots
9:39 Hitchcock cameo as bus passenger
11:54 Robie proclaims innocence with an old friend, we learn Robie was a part of the French Resistance against the Nazis in WW2
17:23 Brigitte Auber as Danielle Foussard, the daughter of Robie’s French Resistance friend. She and Robie escape on a speed boat
23:07 beautiful flower market in Nice, France
24:08 John Williams, who played the ace detective in Dial M for Murder, plays an insurance man H. H. Hughson using the same snappy dialogue
28:32 “you’re frankly dishonest?” great dialogue between Grant and Williams about ethics
32:38 Grace Kelly as France Steven is introduced with her face away from the camera as she dines at an expensive restaurant with her mother wealthy mother Jessie and Hughson who is talking business
34:14 France goes to the casino with her mother and Hughston
43:51 shot of beach on the French Rivera with the foreground filled with identical green and white beach umbrellas, this is followed with a whip pan to Danielle in a swimsuit watching Robie with Frances
44:52 Danielle lying atop a buoy of the upper half of the frame
46:55 some great sexual innuendo as Danielle instantly is threatened by France’s beauty “why do you want to buy an old car when you can get a new one cheaper? It will run better and last longer”
47 min snappy dialogue as Danielle and Frances trade insults at one another in the water
50:20 Frances invites Robie for a picnic lunch
56:50 great long shot of Frances and Robie driving over a bridge while on the run
58:08 rapid camera movements as Frances drives recklessly on a dangerous road, this is juxtaposed with shots of Robie controlling his hands as he tries to maintain a calm presence but clearly is nervous
1:00:50 beautiful shot ariel shot overlooking the Rivera
1:02:04 more sexual innuendo “you want a wing or a breast”
1:06:38 the most beautiful sequence of the film with emerald light and dark blue sky visible through the open windows
1:08:15 fireworks in back center of frame
1:10:46 throughout the sequence Hitch cuts back and forth between France and Robie
1:11:22 silhouette image of Frances standing in a doorway accusing Robie of stealing her jewelry with Robie claiming that he is innocent
1:12:40 Frances mother’s hilarious response to Robie confessing that he is actually a famous jewel thief nicknamed what a wonderful surprise”
1:15:40 green lighting of Robie searching the roof
1:20:25 subtle waves over the dead body that fell off the roof which is revealed to be Foussard, the daughter of Danielle, and Robie’s old friend
1:26:00 Danielle makes a scene at the funeral blaming Robie for her father’s death
1:29:30 beautiful montage at a Masquerade ball shot in an array of camera angles
1:38:44 Robie face shot close up followed by a slow zoom out revealing Robbie to be hiding on the roof surrounded by emerald green lighting
1:40:13 Robie POV shot watching the real perpetrator who has been impersonating his particular modus operandi (MO)
1:41:21 chase sequence as silhouette figures followed by Robie revealing the impersonator to be Danielle
1:41:38 high angle with camera behind Robie and witnesses appearing just a second after Danielle escaping
1:43:23 Danielle hanging onto roof resembling the opening of Vertigo
Thoughts:
Hitchcock and Cary Grant’s 3rd film together
This film is lighter in tone than many of Hitchcock’s previous works, which might be one of the reasons why it does not get talked about with the same level of reverence as it deserves. It is not amongst his very best work but has plenty of praiseworthy elements
Hitchcock’s use of color is spectacular at times. The film starts off with an emerald and black nighttime shot including a black cat walking on a rooftop. The film has some gorgeous images with frequent use of blue and green in mise en scene. None better than the hotel firework scene symbolizing the intense romantic feelings of the lead characters
The saturated primary colors and bright blue skies are quite a different look than most of Hitch’s other films, he also shot on location for much of the film rather than sets. There are scenes at flower gardens, casinos, beaches, high end hotels and restaurants, and roads overlooking the Rivera. Even the nighttime shots are extremely beautiful. There is some great costume work with Grace Kelly’s clothing and the Masquerade Ball scene and beautiful jewelry of course
Some great and non-subtle sexual innuendo as Danielle instantly is threatened by France’s beauty “why do you want to buy an old car when you can get a new one cheaper? It will run better and last longer”. There is some great snappy dialogue as Danielle and Frances trade insults at one another in the water as they both are attracted to John Robie
Admittingly the plot is thin, and the story never reaches the high stakes of Hitch’s best works. Still, the gorgeous cinematography and use of color along with the razor-sharp writing and acting and of course the splendid performances and chemistry between Cary Grant and Grace Kelly making it a worthy film
Verdict: MS/HR
Rear Window (1954)
Notes:
Starts with the camera floating through the courtyard setting up film’s single location
3:29 camera pans over Jimmy Stewart’s LB Jeffries aka Jeff in a wheelchair with a signed cast on his leg followed by the camera moving over a broken camera, magazine covers, and framed photographs. This sequence efficiently and effectively gives all the basic exposition you need
4:50 pattern of shots on Stewart followed by POV shots
6:16 apartment building windows create frame in frames
8:38 Thelma Ritter as Stella makes her appearance as you hear her voice as she is primary source of comedic relief. She serves as nurse for Jeff
11:46 Hitch love his sexual innuendo
16:17 Grace Kelly’s Lisa Fremont is introduced in a close up POV that has a dreamlike quality
18:32 Lisa brings “21” to the apartment so to speak, as a waiter from the restaurant is revealed waiting outside (apparently this is a real Restaurant that was closed down in 2020 during COVID)
20:56 Lisa tries to convince Jeff to give up his career or at least to stop traveling all over the world
25 min Raymond Burr as Lars Thordwald
26:21 Hitchcock cameo as a piano tuner
31:56 a single scream is heard by Jeff who falls asleep shortly after
32:05 Jeff wakes up
32:52 Jeff watches Thorwald leave his apartment unit
33:12 Jeff see’s Thorwald leaving the apartment courtyard onto the street
33:33 Jeff see’s Thorwald returning into his apartment unit
34:12 Jeff see’s Thorwald leaving again his apartment unit
33:24 Jeff see’s Thorwald leaving the apartment courtyard onto the street
35:42 Jeff See’s Thorwald enter his apartment unit
36:23 Thorwald leaves his apartment unit, but this time Jeff does not observe as he is shown sleeping
46:37 Thorwald returning to apartment only now Lisa is in the apartment and disturbed by Jeff’s obsession
49:24 there is a dramatic camera movement away from Jeff and in on Lisa’s face as she is for the first time as intrigued as Jeff by Thorwald
54 min Wendell Corey as Jeff’s friend Tom, an NYPD Detective, who is skeptical of Jeff’s theory
56:28 Tom returns and dismisses Jeff’s concerns stating Mrs. Thorwald was observed alive
1:03:01 Jeff using large camera increases his range of vision
1:06:22 Lisa Kelly returns in a stunning green outfit with white gloves
1:08:58 Jeff and Lisa are now both in on this mission of exposing Thorwald
1:13:54 “we think Thorwald’s guilty” says Lisa upon meeting Tom for the first time
1:22:05 “shows over for tonight” as Lisa places curtains down which is another way Hitch reminds the metaphor of Jeff’s voyeurism and watching a movie
1:23:00 scream leads to everyone opening curtains as the dog has been strangled to death
1:23:34 low angle shot of the upset owners of the murdered dog; these sequence uses angles that are not from Jeff’s POV
1:28:04 Hitch goes to an overhead shot for the 1st time in the film as Jeff writes a note to Thorwald with Lisa and Thelma next to him, the camera moves in on the letter
1:31:31 Thelma and Lisa converse and for the first time Lisa is now the one taking the risks
1:33:37 Thorwald’s voice is heard for the 1st time which breaks the sort of imaginary wall between the audience and the world Jeff has been watching
1:39:19 composition detailing multiple relevant actions as Lisa is in Thorwald’s apartment on the right side inside the frame in frame with Ms. Lonely Hearts is shown directly below and Thorwald on the left side of the frame in frame
1:39:35 Thorwald enters his own apartment shown in the center of the frame via a reflection on the window
1:39:44 Medium close up on Jeff and Thelma watching as Lisa is now part of Jeff’s voyeurism world
1:40:25 Jeff in close up as he watches helplessly as Thorwald attacks Lisa
1:42:02 camera moves in on Lisa pointing to the her left ring finger behind her back resulting in Thorwald shown staring back at Jeff for the 1st time in the film
1:45:06 the silent phone call is followed by the camera slowly moving in on Jimmy Stewart’s face
1:47:28 light over Thorwald’s eyes
1:48:20 Jimmy Stewart famously uses the camera as a weapon to delay Thorwald who approaches leading to the final confrontation
Thoughts:
This might be Hitchcock’s single most beloved film; it has mystery, suspense, romance, humor, and is not as dark as Psycho or Vertigo which are probably a little more revered by Cinephiles. Rear Window might have a bit more mass appeal and does not have a tragic ending
After watching this film, I watched a documentary included in the Blu Ray 4K edition and apparently Hitchcock was concerned when the film industry went from silent to sound because he thought it would result in a deemphasis on images. It is amazing how cinematic he was able to make this film which is set within a single apartment complex and has the protagonist confined to a single room in a wheelchair
Hitchcock bookends the film with the camera floating through the courtyard. The opening is incredibly effective and efficient in setting up the story. Stewart’s character is introduced with a pan over his cast which includes his name followed by a broken camera, magazines, and framed photographs that visually provides us all the key exposition that is needed to start the film
Hitchcock is so masterful using POV shots throughout his filmography, but I have not seen it more formally effective than in this film which creates almost a movie within the movie through Jimmy Stewart’s characters POV. A crucial sequence occurs from the 32 min mark to about 37 min mark, this is a remarkable stretch pure cinema as Hitchcock tracks Thorwald’s movements from Jeff’s POV but after the final shot of Thorwald leaving his apartment building the camera pans showing Jeff is asleep and for the first time we the audience have information that Jeff is not privy to which is literally the recipe for suspense
Thelma Ritter is perfect, serving as comedic relief as she has many of the best lines. Beyond her humor and exposition, she also breaks up a couple of the long POV stretches. Wendell Corey as Jeff’s detective buddy that he served in WW2 with also provides some comedic moments as the two of them have a great rapport
Grace Kelly does solid work in Dial M for Murder (1954) which was released the same year, but she is given more to do here and gives an excellent performance as the gorgeous high society girl Lisa Fremont. Some people question the plausibility of a woman as beautiful as Grace Kelly getting hung up on a middle-aged Photographer. Obviously, Jimmy Stewart does not have the same type of charm and dashing good looks of Cary Grant as Stewart was more of an everyman. However, this is part of what makes their relationship interesting. Stewart’s character Jeff even acknowledges this during a conversation with Stella pointing out that she’s “too perfect” as she is not only gorgeous but intelligent and highly likable. Even the way she is introduced with a POV close up from Stewart’s perspective has a dreamlike quality to it. But Jeff is also wrong about her in assuming that the socialite does not have an adventurous side to her as he becomes just as invested in exposing Thorwald. I love the way Lisa says “we think Thorwald’s guilty” upon meeting Tom for the first time as Lisa joining Jeff’s mission to expose Thorwald serves as the sign that they are now a true couple
I have said before Hitchcock loved what today is referred to as “true crime”. This entire film is practically true crime for its time as Jeff obsesses over the life of a stranger coming up with various theories about how a stranger to him, Lars Thorwald, murdered his wife
This film’s subject matter feels relevant even today with so many people putting practically their entire lives on social media, creating a different type of voyeurism
Hitchcock uses more cuts as the film progresses and tension increases, and the voyeurism starts to be replaced by action that is especially thrilling given all the building up to the moment. Stewart’s anxiety and helplessness when Lisa is caught in Thorwald’s apartment by Thorwald himself is palpable
The final confrontation between Jeff and Thorwald has 107 minutes building up to it and it is incredible. The room is dark and only Thorwald’s eyes are visible giving a particular sinister feeling as he threateningly approaches with Jimmy Stewart famously using the camera as a weapon to delay the approaching Thorwald, this sequence uses an extreme contrast of flashes of light and darkness
While I placed Rear Window (1954) slightly ahead when I did my top 100 list, going into this study, I felt that Notorious (1946) may be the superior film; but after this latest rewatch I’m not so sure. Will be a tough decision when I do the final ranking
Verdict: MP