Reviews (82)

Fireworks!
What was the greatest kiss ever committed to the silver screen? For me it comes from the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, To Catch a Thief. Grace Kelly tempts Cary Grant, a reformed jewel thief by the name of John Robie, with her diamond necklace, to a backdrop of fireworks over the French Riviera. Finally, having had just about enough of her tomfoolery, he says, "You know as well as I do, this necklace is imitation." To which, the stunning Kelly responds, "Well I'm not..."

That is movie magic and so is this wonderful, light-hearted and thrilling romp across the south of France as everyone goes in search of the identity of a new jewel thief reeking havoc throughout hotels on the French Riviera.

Lush cinematography, beautiful costumes, breathtaking vistas, and delightful performances by Kelly, Grant, and Jessie Royce Landis make this an extremely enjoyable film outing.

Cat on a Hot French Roof
Suspense takes a back seat to romance as former cat burglar Grant turns detective to track down the culprit behind a recent string of jewel robberies, becoming involved with beautiful heiress Kelly during the course of his investigation. Proof that lesser Hitchcock is still far above average, with Grant at his most suave and debonair; Kelly at her most ravishing; an engaging comedic turn by Jessie Royce Landis as Kelly's down-to-earth mother; and some sparkling (and suggestive) dialogue by John Michael Hayes. Add in some truly beautiful costumes by Edith Head and breathtaking, Oscar-winning color cinematography by Robert Burks ... and what's not to like? Even though the mystery is a bit slight, you won't be bored!

The DVD offers a wonderful video transfer with crisp, clear sound and a brightly color-balanced, anamorphic widescreen picture. There are three unique mini-documentaries about the making of the movie, featuring Hitchcock's daughter and granddaughter; a documentary about costumer Edith Head (which is being included on many Paramount 2002 DVD releases which feature Head's work); the Original Theatrical Trailer; and a truly grand assortment of vintage production stills and posters from around the world. All in all a quite nice package that's definitely worth a look.

With Class and Grace
To Catch A Thief marks a departure for director Alfred Hitchcock. Here, he sheds the moniker as The Master Of Suspense, going more for romance and comedy--rather than any of his well known plot twists or thrills. The film may not be the best of his career, but thanks to a strong leading man and a radiant leading lady the movie still works.

John Robie, (Cary Grant) is a reformed cat burglar, out to prove himself innocent of a recent crime spree. As he tries to capture the thief who's terrifying the French Riviera, he attracts the attention of the lovely Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly), a wealthy and spoiled American traveling the Riviera with her widowed mother (Jessie Royce Landis). However, things do not begin on a romantic note. Robie is more interested in clearing his name than in pursuing the beautiful American, but the two will not go their separate ways so easily. When Mrs. Stevens has her jewels stolen, the snubbed Frances puts the police on Robie's trail. Now the dashing Robie will have to win the confidence and assistance of Frances if he is to ever set things right.

Grant and Kelly light up the screen together, with an entrancing chemistry that sparkles, especially in the impromptu ad-libbed dialogue of the picnic scene. A series of elaborate set pieces combined with the spectacularc Riviera scenery make the film an enduring piece of American cinema. Hitchcock lets his leads pick up for any of the film's lack of excitement, that traditionally peppers the director's films. I have always had a "crush" on the late Grace Kelly, and this film just helps to solidify those feelings.

The DVD contains three well produced making of featurettes. "Writing and Casting," "The Making of To Catch a Thief," and "Alfred Hitchcock and To Catch a Thief", will give you a well rounded look at the film. But things would have worked out even better if these were edited together as one larger whole. Long time Hitchcock collaborator, costumer Edith Head, is highlighted in a fourth featurette, that also tops off the disc's bonus material.

To Catch A Thief is recommended for any Hitchcock fan..

A Hitchcock romantic mystery
Cary Grant and Grace Kelly are funny and witty and they keep you involved in the story. Not what I expected from Alfred Hitchcock, but it was a great movie none the less.

So-so Hitchcock jewel caper
As a connoisseur of Hitchcock's work, To Catch a Thief was merely adequate. Lacking any real suspense, the movie was held together by the excellent cinematography offered by the picturesque French Rivera locale.

Cary Grant was at his suave and debonair best as John Robie, a retired cat burgular who is suspected when a rash of jewel thefts plagues the swanky Riviera. Realizing, he must apprehend the actual thief, whose m.o. parallels his own, he plots a scheme.

Grace Kelly, whose acting ability does not rival her beauty, plays a perfectly typecasted role for her. As a spoiled, bored, rich socialite Frances Stevens, she and her wealthy but earthy mother, played exceptionally well by Jessie Royce Landis are vacationing. The elder Mrs. Stevens has a valuable collection of jewelery that Grant theorizes would make excellent bait.

Hitchcocks creates a predictable plot, with the usual love affair. There is however, little in the way of mystery or tension or even chemistry between Kelly and Grant to make this flick anything more than mediocre. Edith Head provides a high point with her fantastic wardrobes created for the costume ball scene. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

A lesser known Hitchock that can surprise.......
I love "Rear Window" and "To Catch A Thief," which are two of the three movies that Grace Kelly and Alfred Hitchock collaborated on. But I had always heard "Dial M For Murder," the first of the three Grace starred in for the director, was a dissapointing film, so it took a long time for me to get around to watch it. I finally rented it a few months ago, and WOW! I find it's a great film, and I loved it! Grace was beautiful as always, and Ray Milland did an excellent job as the "villain" of the film. The plot was engrossing, and did I mention Grace Kelly was beautiful? But be warned, "Murder" is a psychological mystery, and a dialogue movie. It has little action, other than the murder attempt itself. So if you are looking for a typical twisty, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat Hitchock suspense film, its probably best that you look for "Vertigo," "Rear Window" or "North by Northwest" instead. But give "Dial M For Murder" a chance, and be ready to enjoy a great film, definitely deserving of a five star rating!

Superior Hitchcock with an enchanting Grace Kelly
This is a fine example of the kind of mystery that little old ladies from Pasadena (or Russell Square) adore. Perhaps Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) starring Cary Grant might be comparable in its genteel and bloodless ability to glue us to the screen.

This is certainly one of Hitchcock's best, but most of the credit must go to a devilishly clever play written by Frederick Knott from which he adapted the screenplay. (He also wrote the play upon which Wait Until Dark (1967) starring Audrey Hepburn was based.) Hitchcock does a good job in not tinkering unnecessarily with the material. He also has the exquisitely beautiful Grace Kelly to play the part of Margot Wendice.

Ray Milland plays, with a kind of high-toned Brit panache, her diabolical husband, Tony Wendice, a one-time tennis star who married mostly for security. John Williams is the prim and proper Chief Inspector Hubbard. He lends to the part a bit of Sherlock Holmesian flair. One especially liked his taking a moment to comb his mustache after the case is solved. Robert Cummings, unfortunately plays Margot's American boyfriend as inventively as a sawhorse. For those of you who might have blinked, Hitchcock makes his traditional appearance in the photo on the wall from Tony Wendice's undergraduate days.

The fulcrum of the plot is the latchkey. It is the clue that (literally) unlocks the mystery. There is a modernized redoing of this movie called A Perfect Murder (1998) starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow in which a similar business with latchkeys is employed. I am not very good with clues so it was only after seeing that movie and Dial M for Murder for the second time that I finally understood what happened. Follow the latchkey!

Of course I was too distracted by Grace Kelly to fully appreciate such intricacies. I found myself struck with the ironic notion that anyone, even a cuckolded husband, might want to kill Grace Kelly or that a jury might find her guilty of anything! She remains in my psyche America's fairytale princess who quit Hollywood at the height of her popularity after only five years and eleven movies to become a real princess by marrying Prince Rainier of Monaco. Something was lost there, and something was gained. She was in essence the original Jackie Kennedy Onassis. I think, however, that the old saw about the man who marries for money, earning it, might apply to American princesses as well.

At any rate, Grace Kelly's cool and sublime bearing was on fine display here. Hitchcock cloths her in discreet nightgowns and fitted (but certainly not clinging) dresses that show off her delicate figure and her exquisite arms and hint coyly at her subtle sexuality. She was 25-years-old, stunningly beautiful, and in full confidence of her ability as an actress. She had just finished starring opposite James Stewart in another splendid Hitchcock one-room mystery, Rear Window (1954), and was about to make The Country Girl (1954) with Bing Crosby for which she would win an Oscar for Best Actress.

So see this for Grace Kelly who makes Gwyneth Paltrow (whom I adore) look downright gawky, and for Ray Milland whose urbane scheming seems a layer or two of hell removed from Michael Douglas's evil manipulations.

By the way, the "original theatrical trailer" preceding these Warner Brothers Classic videos is what we used to call the "Coming Attractions"--that is, clips directly from the movie and a promo. You might want to fast forward to the movie itself.

At Last!!!
I have been one of the many people who have sent in, demanding that this DVD be released and now it is! This is a great Hitchcock thriller and most of his films are on DVD, so why not this one. At Last!!!

Hitchcock Timeout
According to the director himself and no less an authority than Grace Kelly, Alfred Hitchcock directed this filmed stage play purely to kill time while readying his next picture "Rear Window." He was completely disinterested in the plot - (and no wonder) - a stupid theatrical concoction about misplaced keys and a bungled murder scheme. He found time however to fall in love with Kelly and tried to wardrobize her, something he would put in the movie "Vertigo" five years later. "Dial M" is watchable primarily because of the suave performances of Ray Milland and John Williams.

Interesting movie!
This is a great Alfred Hitchcock movie. It's one that is even better the second time you see it.

Now, about the DVD, does anyone know what the difference is between this one, and the other "Dial M for Murder" DVD that isn't released yet?? I was confused by that...

Please respond if you can help! ... Read more

Description

Cary Grant teams with director Alfred Hitchcock for the fourth and final time in this superlative espionage caper judged on of the American Film Institute's Top-100 American Films and spruced up with a new digital transfer and remixed Dolby Digital Stereo.He plays a Manhattan advertising executive plunged into a realm of spy (James Mason) and counterspy (Eva Marie Saint) and variously abducted, framed for murder, chased and in another signature set piece, crop-dusted.He also holds on for dear life from the facial features of the Presidents on Mount Rushmore (backlot sets were used).But don't expect the Master of Suspense to leave star or audience hanging. ... Read more

Reviews (224)

Hitchcock and Grant: An Unbeatable Combination
"North by Northwest" (1959) was the fourth and final collaboration between director Alfred Hitchcock and actor Cary Grant -- and it's easily the best. Both men were at their artistic zenith when they made this superb comic thriller, which screenwriter Ernest Lehman promised would be "the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures." Lehman's script incorporates some brilliant setpieces that the Master of Suspense was unable to work into his previous films, such as the famous crop-dusting chase and the surreal Mount Rushmore climax. However, the highlight remains the Chicago auction sequence. Grant's screwball humor and dark charm make him the ideal Hitchcock leading man -- complemented by excellent performances from Eva Marie Saint, James Mason and Martin Landau. "North by Northwest" was Hitchcock's sole effort for MGM and he makes the most of the studio gloss. It's a top-notch production in terms of set design and matte work. In fact, author Ian Fleming considered "North by Northwest" to be the stylistic prototype for the James Bond series and wanted Hitchcock to direct the first 007 production (he turned down the offer). To fully appreciate this classic film, it should be seen in the letterbox format that Hitchcock intended. One of the all-time greats.

I'M AN ADVERTISING MAN, NOT A RED HERRING...
I won't bore you with the summary as I'm sure who ever is on this page has seen other reviews with the synopsis of North by Northwest. In my opinion, this and Psycho represent Alfred Hithcock at his apex and definitely NBNW is one of the greatest films of all time (it's in the AFI Top 100 Movies of all time). Sure maybe there are errors in it but no movie is perfect, nonetheless it comes close to perfection. It moves along, solid storyline, legendary actors and actresses (the always debonair Cary Grant; the beautiful Eva Marie Saint; the cool, calm, evil that James Mason exudes and the dark, sinister presence of Martin Landau) performing their parts to perfection. Hitchcock didn't need to use special effects, loud explosions or graphic violence to keep the viewers entertained. The characters and the storyline keep the viewers glued to the screen and the underlying espionage story was appropriate given the era of the Cold War. This was the template for future action/adventure/spy thrillers and I am even tempted to say that this could be a 1959 version of The Fugitive, ordinary man accused of a crime he didn't commit and has to exonerate himself! You forget this movie is over 2 hours long the way it moves briskly along. A perfect melange of comedy, action and suspense. See it if you haven't and buy it if you can, you WILL NOT regret it. A timeless classic!

HIS BEST CHASER...
It seems 2 me that Hitchcock sort of stole many elements from his pre-chaser-films and said: "Good-eeeeevening..... You think you have seen my best efforts, but I must unfortunately dissappoint you.....!"

Indeed this is a neurotic and clastraphobic chaser and suspenser - maybe the BEST EVER - thanks 2 the talents of Ernest Lehman, Hitchcock himself, his crew and the entire cast. There are numerous highlights from this film; I prefer NOT 2 single out any of them in favour of others. This film belongs IN EVERY HOME:-)

I LOVE this movie!
This movie is not only Hitchcock's best (just a tad behind 'Vertigo', in my opinion), but is one of the best movies ever made. Movies rarely have it all (story, acting, visuals, music, wit, action, suspense, 'hipness', and sexiness), but this movie has it all in spades.

Some of my favorite things about this movie:

1. Eva Marie Saint - Stunning...absolutely stunning. Everybody always thinks about Grace Kelly or Kim Novak in association with Hitchcock, but, for my money, Eva Marie Saint is the most drop-dead gorgeous of any leading lady.

2. The settings - The United Nations interior scenes are mouth wateringly rich. It really makes you want to go back in time to when everything 'modern' was new and exciting. We take so much for granted these days. The Cropduster scene is exciting and vastly more inventive than action movies being made today. Van Damm's House is the epitome of the promise that modern organic architecture once held. The scenes at Van Damm's house are even more amazing when you consider that the exterior settings are entirely fabricated, in a pre-CGI effects sort of way. They are more convincing than CGI scenes of today. Amazing.

This is one movie I never get tired of. Buy it and you won't be sorry.

One of the Greatest Thrillers of All Time
This is arguably Cary Grants best film. Couple that with a terrific cast, dynamite story, immortal one-liners, some great scenes in actual locations, and classic Hitchcock editing and you have a shoe-in on any "best of all time list". This movie was made in 1958 and although it was current in it's day, it now is just as current as a period film set in 1958, keeping in mind of the political climate and cold war attitudes of the time. The costumes are very natural, having been bought in actual New York stores, and the set designs are beautifully designed. The set decoration is also first rate.

This DVD is a superb transfer. The color looks perfectly natural, the sound is full, low noise stereo and the widescreen is anamorphic. There is hardly any flaw in the print. Amazing. The menu is also animated to match the Saul Bass opening title and is wonderful. The "making of" film (30 minutes long) is superb and hosted by beautiful leading lady "Eve Marie Saint".

Finally, the score by Bernard Hermann adds to the high tension of the action. The orchestration and performance on this film is one of the very best of all time. I can't recommend this film enough for action, solid story and terrific action besides just being completely entertaining. ... Read more

Reviews (216)

Go girl! Hitch's feminist fable.
Although Hitchcock listed this as one of his 2 favorite films, I had once viewed it as "closet drama" because of the limited set, conventional bad guy, passive good guy. The voyeuristic angle was interesting, even provocative to a point, but insufficient to save the movie from its sense of claustrophobic one-dimensionality.

That was before I viewed the film through the eyes of Grace Kelly. In one respect, the critical, pivotal moment in the movie is not when Kelly puts herself at risk in Raymond Burr's apartment, nor is it the film's climax with James Stewart fending off the murderer with his camera's flash bulbs. Rather, it's the moment when Hitchcock's camera (not Stewart's) shows Kelly's eyes suddenly open wide and come alive when she, too, becomes interested in the scenes being played out on the other side of the court yard.

At this point, within the first half of the film, Kelley drops her high society, fashion-model airs and her constant mothering of Stewart. She now spectates with greater curiosity and imagination than Stewart, and even though she questions these "rear window ethics" and characterizes her behavior as "ghoulish," it's clear she has become a major player, fully participating in the game of voyeurism, scopophilia, and fetishism that is normally assigned only to men who fail to emerge from an obsessively narcissistic and hedonistic childhood.

For the past 20 years feminist academics have been applying "male gaze theory" to just about every film in sight, and invariably to the discredit of the male. He is the subject; she's the object; he's the one who sees; she's the one who is seen; he owns the gaze in all of his power, pleasure, and guilt; she can only helplessly follow the gaze, experiencing a kind of masochistic pleasure at best.

In "Rear Window" Hitchcock, frequently depicted by feminist critics as a mother-obsessed misogynist, turns gaze theory on its head. Grace Kelly demonstrates that a woman can get as much pleasure from looking as do men--an irony of collossal proportions when we consider that as a high fashion model her role, if not job, is to be looked at and photographed.

But Hitchcock's film manages to liberate its central heroine's vision while preserving the "institutions" of marriage, motherhood, and femininity. What is the object of Kelly's pursuit while playing the game at its most intense moment? A wedding ring, which she flashes before the probing telescopic lens of Stewart. And at the end of the film, the camera makes clear that, pending his recovery from double castration (both legs are now broken), he will no longer go off on adventures without Kelly at his side. But then, of course, Hitch has his final little joke when, once Stewart goes to sleep, Kelly (now wearing pants) puts away her mountain-climbing magazine and replaces it with a high fashion title. Still, a radical film for Hitchcock and, for that matter, most other filmmakers.

The DVD makes it all the more possible to read the visual dynamics of the film, permitting razor sharp stills of the principals' faces and eyes, disclosing the act of seeing to a degree never before possible.

Checking Out a Murder with Hitchcock
A daredevil confined to a wheelchair is the concept of Alfred Hitchcock's comedy-mystery "Rear Window", a man of action so bored with his confinement that he begins spying on the neighbors he can see across his Greenwich Village courtyard: the frustrated composer,the "interpretative dancer", the newlyweds, the desperately lonely spinster ... and the bickering couple. The wife suddenly disappears. Has she been murdered? L.B. Jeffries thinks so, and he convinces his fiancée Lisa (Grace Kelly) and the insurance company nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) who visits him every day. (Jeffries, a professional photographer, has been temporarily disabled in an accident.) This set-up is perfect for Hitchcock, who loved tense situations in close quarters ("Life Boat", "Rope"), and who was in top form when he directed this masterpiece of entertainment in 1954. (There was a made-for-TV remake a few years back; according to... reviewers, it's pretty awful.) James Stewart was one of Hollywood's most popular personalities, but he was often mis-cast. He was pushing fifty when he played the 25-year old Lindbergh in"The Spirit of St Louis". Similarly, in "Rear Window" he's too mature for the lead. The part just weeps for William Holden. Stewart even takes his shirt off in a couple of scenes, revealing a pale, thin physique. The idea that Grace Kelly would travel all the way down from the East Sixties to Greenwich Village to spend the evening with him is a little ... well,unbelievable. Miss Kelly is almost as seductive here as she was in her next Hitchcock "To Catch a Thief".The Master was obviously infatuated -- but, then, who wasn't? She also had a droll sense of humor: the way she pronounces "weird" is priceless. Thelma Ritter and Wendell Corey give witty support. Raymond Burr, just a couple of years away from playing the most famous of fictional lawyers, is quite creepy as the killer Thorwald. The sound track is a mixed marvel of car traffic, distant voices, and snatches of music; it sounds great with stereophonic ear phones. About the only real complaint in John Michael Hayes' screenplay that the pragmatic might bring up: Doesn't Jeffries ever LOCK his door?

Trapped in a Sound Stage
I don't think this is Hitch's best film. It is highly ranked by film rating services, sometimes higher than Vertigo, but I can't agree. There's something claustrophobic about what is essentially a movie set. We are stuck in that lofty room with the big glass windows. Jimmy Stewart peers across a courtyard and observes New Yorkers in their habitat. When I was in elementary school we used to have projects called diorama's where we would take a shoebox and decorate it like a stage. Each apartment in Hitch's diorama showcases a mostly silent vignette, the gorgeous dancer and her boyfriends, the lonely-heart middle-age lady, the sex crazed newlyweds, and the guy who kills his wife. Stewart can watch all the fun, but with a broken leg, he can't leave the apartment to do anything about it. Hence, the suspense centers on Stewarts inability to maneuver when his girlfriend, fashion gal, Grace Kelly breaks into the killers apartment to find clues. We see the killer coming down the hall and Jimmy can't warn her from his perch. Stewart and Kelly are interesting as a couple with opposite interests. She's high fashion-society chick and he's a rough-it, world-traveling photographer. These differences never really resolve and Stewart appears maybe 15-20 years older than young marriage-scheming Grace. This is really a stage play with stage play lighting and a who-dun-it plot. Great suspense, yes, but not as good as Vertigo by a mile.

The Perfect Alfred Hitchcock Movie
North By Northwest and Vertigo are spectacular cinematic achievements but, for me, Rear Window is the one Hitchcock movie everyone must see. It is as perfect as a Hitchcock movie can be. One of the greatest American movies ever made. Not one false note. It is the movie I would show to someone who hasn't seen a Hitchcock movie but wonders what they're all about and why he's so revered. The tremendous psychological drama and cat and mouse suspense are perfectly tuned. Stewart turns in a brillantly nuanced performance as a morally dubious peeping tom. The film is about him, of course. Not about an unseen murder or a pieced together amateur murder investigation. Listen to the dialogue and observe the interactions between Stewart and his guests. Subtext and more subtext. Just perfect.

If you prefer souffle over meat or casserolle
5 stars as a piece of cinematic craft. 1 star as substance. another hitchcock exercise of excellent pacing, subtle humor and
droll commentary on the folly of human behavior, heavy on dramatic artifice, as are most of hitchcok's films. ... Read more

Description

In Notorious, a brilliant allegeory of love and betrayal, Hitchcock fuses two of his favorite elements: suspense and romance.A beautiful woman with a tainted past (Ingrid Bergman) is enlisted by American agent Devlin (Cary Grant) to spy on a ring of Nazis in post-war Rio.Her espionage work becomes life-threatening after she marries the most debonair of the Nazi ring, Alex (Claude Rains).Only Devlin can rescue her, but to do so he must face his role in her desperate situation and acknowledge that he's loved her all along.Stunning performances, Ben Hecht's excellent script, and Hitchcock's direction at its best make Notorious a perfect film. ... Read more

Reviews (103)

beautifully restored film with lots of dvd bonus features
It doesn't get much better than this -- a Hitchcock film starring Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant and Claude Raines! What a treat it is to see all of this talent -- behind, and in front of, the camera. The story of a star-crossed romance set against the backdrop of post-WWII Miami and Rio, the film has a great script and terrific acting. The direction is awesome; Hitchcock did some wonderful camera work here -- innovative tracking and crane shots that are a delight to see.

This Criterion Collection DVD edition is more expensive but I think it's worth it -- a lot of time and effort have been taken to restore the film and the soundtrack, and it really looks and sounds great. Also, the many bonus features are excellent: excerpts from 'The Song of the Dragon', a two-part Saturday Evening Post short story on which the film was based; fascinating production correspondence by David O. Selznick, Ingrid Bergman, J. Edgar Hoover and the head of the Production Code Administration (censors); rear projection and production stills, including wonderful shots of the scaffolding used to get that breathtaking crane shot from a stairtop balcony right down to the key in Bergman's hand; script excerpts from deleted scenes and alternative endings; a music and sound effects only track; trailers; the complete 1948 Lux radio Theatre version of the story, starring Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten; terrific voiceover narration with film scholar Marian Keene discussing artistic choices and film historian Rudy Behlmer discussing technique; and a touching story about the fate of the Unica key -- the one used in the film. Language and subtitles are English only.

This is a wonderful package for one of Hitchcock's best films. Highly recommended.

Beautifully Restored Film Classic
This review refers to the Criterion Collection DVD of Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious".....

The master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, gives us another edge of your seat thriller. He combines, mystery,romance, and the evil's of Nazism in this chilling story.It takes place shortly after WWII. Alicia(Ingrid Bergman) is a woman with a past. Her father has just been convicted of spying. American agent Devlin(Cary Grant), enlists Alicia to infiltrate a Nazi spy ring.After her father's conviction, Alicia can prove her own patriotism by cooperating in this manner. She finds herself right in the thick of things and her own life in danger after she goes as far as to marry Alex(Claude Rains), one of the very powerful, rich and dangerous ring leaders of the group. Alex is on to her and tries to methodically get rid of his beautiful wife.Can the handsome "Dev" rescue the woman he has come to love so much before tragedy strikes.?

You'll delight to find Hitch's trademarks all through the film. The camera angles are definitive,the trademark staircase scene, the passion between Grant and Bergman electrifying,Claude Rains is terrifying, and the story a rollercoaster of suspense filled moments. There isn't a more perfect film I can think of.

Looking for Hitch: A little over an hour in you can have a little drink with him.(Not too much though, the Champagne needs to last the night at this party).

I am always happy to report on a great restoration of a classic film. This one made in 1946 is a beautiful, crisp, clean transfer to this DVD. The Black and White images are sharp and you will notice the attention that was made to every detail during the filming. The tears streaming down Ingrid's face look like drops of crystal. It's amazing. The sound is in Dolby Dig Mono and is very good. There are lots of "extras" on this edition. Among them is some great commentary from Marian Keane(she is a film scholar and talks alot about camera angles and other pertinent facts to the film) which you can listen to during the film if you choose, You can isolate that wonderful soundtrack,there is correspondce between Selznick and others connected to the film,TWO booklets, one about Hitch's Notorious and other films and another listing Criterions releases. And there is much more(see tech info for complete list).There are also subtitles which may be helpful to hearing impaired viewers.

You do get your money's worth on this one. However, if you are not as interested in the extras and are just looking to view this fabulous classic, there is another edition by Anchor Bay which costs much less. Although I have not viewed this particular Anchor Bay Release I do have many others by them and have always been more than happy with their treatment of the transfer.

Kick back with Cary, Ingrid and Hitch for a day of suspense and romance..........Laurie

Criterion Disappoints.
This is the first Criterion DVD that I've ever owned. I must say, I was pretty surprised by the price, but promises of extra treatment over standard editions of this movie convinced me to go the extra mile and pay twice as much. Notorious is, perhaps, my favorite movie with Cary Grant. Bergman's performance is excellent, to say the least (I think I'm in love with her now). The way that she passionately kisses Mr. Grant excites like no movies can. The look in her eyes makes her seem as though she is truly in love with him; which is exceptional for "acting". Grant's response seem almost insensitive, rejecting her for her "ways". It's very convincing work. The connection between the two characters amazes me, and the movie seems way ahead of its time. Claude Raines plays an overlooked (but perhaps the most important) performance that amazes me as well. Its definately a movie for all fans of classics to own. There's no doubt, in my mind, that this is deserving of 5 stars. It's probably one of my favorite classic films.

I have no regrets with buying this movie, but I feel very let-down by Criterion. Their attempts do not justify the jacked-up cost. The extras, at best, are pretty disappointing. The RKO radio broadcast (which is the best inclusion) is fairly sub-par in comparison to the film, especially since it was cut short to fit into 60 minutes. The "deleted scenes" and extras are merely text descriptions in most cases. All of this is material that has been in the Internet fan sites for years. As for the quality of the film; I'm neither impressed nor disappointed. The crispness of the film is certainly excpetional, but it almost feels a bit unnatural for such an old film. The "graininess" that many complain of is visable on a high-res TV or monitor (I watched on my standard TV and my PC as well), but it seems to be inherent in the film master itself. Dust particles and artifacts are pretty typical on older movies. Not bad, but not breathtaking. I'm happy with the video and audio quality.

Overall, it's a 5-star movie, but Criterion's effort is a 3 or 4 star attempt for the severe price-inflation. Unless you really must have this version, I can't see why the Anchor Bay release wouldn't be a suitable alternative. The picture quality is different, but each is nice in its own way. I will probably own both (in addition to possible future releases).

Neglected Classic
When I say neglected, I mean in comparison to other Hitchcock films. When people talk about Hitchcock, rarely does this film get mentioned. I think it stands alongside Sir Alfred's best work. Right up there w/ Rear Window, Vertigo and North By Northwest. Spectacular performances by Grant (a CIA g-man doing his job), Bergman ( a woman trapped by her past), Rains (a craven, cowardly, weak mama's boy) and Konstantin (an Austrian actress in her final film role playing the evil and sceming mother). Very realistic, conflicted and not particularly sympthetic characters. Hitchcock displays a perfect knack for creeping dread and a perfect final touch.

Shows How Much Love Hurts
I've always liked Notorious, but, until recently, it hasn't been one of my absolute favorite Hitchcock films. However, recently I've gained an appreciation for Alfred Hitchcock's more personal films. Lighter, more humorous films like The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, North By Northwest, Psycho (Hitch called this a black comedy), The Birds and Frenzy, to name a few, are masterpieces and rank among my favorite films of all time. But the films I have gained much more appreciation for in the past few years are those like Shadow of a Doubt, Vertigo and Notorious. Shadow of a Doubt showed that monsters can live among us, even in the most innocuous of settings and may even be someone we care about. Vertigo showed obsessive love taken to the extreme with deadly consequences. And Notorious shows just how hard it can be for someone to express love for another.

Like in many of Hitchcock's films, the central point of the story is masked by a plotline of suspense and intrigue. In this case, Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) must marry Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains), an ex-Nazi in exile in Brazil, in order to infiltrate his organization. With the help of U.S. agent Devlin (Cary Grant), she finds out that Sebastian is stockpiling uranium (the MacGuffin). On the surface, it's a straightforward espionage tale.

However, the film, at its very core, is a tale of frustrated love. Specifically, Devlin can't bring himself to express what he feels for Alicia and must watch helplessly while she marries Sebastian. Devlin knows that he would jeopardize the entire mission if he tells Alicia he loves her and this repression begins to eat him up inside. Even at the beginning of the film when Alicia has fallen deeply in love with Devlin and tell him so, he can't bring himself to return that love, even though he feels just as she does. Cary Grant, usually charming, plays one of his darkest roles brilliantly. He shows his longing for Alicia in every expression on his face. Ingrid Bergman, likewise, shows the frustration of having to marry a man she despises while pining for the affections of the man she truly loves -- a man she thinks doesn't love her. The emotions onscreen are sometimes so raw its almost painful to watch. When Devlin finally tells Alicia how he really feels about her at the climax of the film, the scene ranks as one of the most emotional in screen history.

The movies often make it seem so easy to find true love. In Notorious, however, Alfred Hitchcock shows how painful and just how difficult it is to just say, "I love you" to someone you care about. Everyone has had situations where they were too afraid to tell someone they cared about that they loved him/her and have wondered what would have happened had they done so. It's agonizing to think that you may have missed your chance for happiness with someone who loves you as much as you love them. Alfred Hitchcock brilliantly recognizes those feelings in Notorious -- that's what makes this one of his best. ... Read more

Reviews (200)

One of the best classic horror films of all time.
My opinion of this movie, The Birds, is that it is a masterpiece of it's own time. This was a great piece of classic horror; Alfred Hitchcock did a fantastic job. The special effects were very believeable, especially for coming from the early sixties. I still haven't figured out how they got all of those birds to attack, or if half of them were fake. Also, Hitchcock did a great job of showing blood and gore when it was qppropriate, like when Jessica Tandy as Lydia Brenner finds Lonny Chapman as Deke Carter with his eyes pecked out. The movie did, however, lack music so this made it kind of drag along. Music would have paced the movie, and also added suspense and other effects. Tippi Hedren as Melanie Daniels was a bad actress. She showed no real emotion and always seemed to be worried about her appearance instead of her acting. I really noticed this in the bedroom scene, when she was being attacked, and she didn't even scream. Rod Taylor, who played the role of Mitch Brenner, was a great actor. He seemed real and Believable. He showed emotion in every scene, and his overall performance was pleasant. Jessica Tandy is great in all the films she is in, and this one was no exception. As Lydia Brenner, she did a great job of acting rude and mean to Melanie Daniels through out the whole movie. I was, however, very annoyed with the young actress that played Cathy Brenner. She was a horrible actress with over-elaborate emotional breakouts, and when she cried after she was attacked, it was so annoying, I thought my ears were bleeding. The ending to the film was very bland. There should have been more closure to the whole situation instead of just making you wonder what happened to them. The Birds is nothing like modern day horror films. It takes a more believeable line to horror than most modern day films. Modern horror consists mostly of the supernatural or total carnage. Although I would still put The Birds into a category with any modern day horror flicks, I still believe that it is definitely classic horror.

A nightmare comes to life - thanks to Hitchcock!
Although Alfred Hitchcock is widely regarded as the greatest director of suspense and "thriller" movies in Hollywood's long history, in his direction of "The Birds" (1963), he outdoes himself. Even more than "Psycho", which started the modern "slice-and-dice" genre of horror movies, "The Birds" is a truly disturbing and surreal experience - a nightmare which comes to life on film. In my opinion "The Birds" is unlike any other Hitchcock film - it actually comes closer to movies such as "The Sixth Sense" or even "The Matrix" in the way it takes the "real world" we are all familiar and comfortable with and turns it into something that will cause you to lose sleep at night. The film's plot is deceptively simple: Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), a rich and rather spoiled young woman, meets Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor), a handsome and rather mysterious man, in a pet store in San Francisco. She is intrigued enough to follow him to his home in Bodega Bay, a charming but isolated small fishing town on the northern California coast. There she meets the local schoolteacher, Annie Hayworth (Suzanne Pleshette), who once had a brief affair with Mitch. Annie takes an immediate dislike to Melanie and her interest in Annie's old boyfriend. Eventually Melanie meets Mitch's mother (Jessica Tandy), a high-strung and suspicious woman who leans upon her son for emotional support and stability. However, this soap-opera style plotline is simply the background for the REAL story in the movie: as the film progresses the birds in Bodega Bay and the surrounding countryside begin to act strangely - they suddenly attack humans for no apparent reason, and start gathering in large and ominous groups on power lines and rooftops. Eventually the birds become murderous - they kill a local farmer by crashing through his bedroom window and hacking out his eyes. Then they attack the schoolchildren and the townspeople in yet another of Hitchcock's famous film sequences. As the frightened and baffled townsfolk are hemmed into their homes and stores like "birds in a cage", they blame Melanie for bringing this terror into their once-peaceful little town. The film's famous climax occurs at the home of Mitch and his mother, as a massive flock of birds attacks the home at night and tries to get inside to kill our heroes. To make this film even more disturbing and bizzare, Hitchcock decided not to have a musical score, and there is no music whatsoever - only the terrifying screeching of the birds as they attack. What makes this film work is how Hitchcock deftly takes "everyday", normal things - such as sitting on a park bench and smoking a cigarette, and turns it into something bizarre, surreal, and truly frightening. Although some critics have refused to label this film as one of Hitchcock's best, it does rank as one of the scariest thrillers of all time. Beware of "The Birds"! (But you'll love the movie).

Beware THE BIRDS!!!
The Birds is one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films. Perhaps that has a lot to do with the beautiful Tippi Hedren, who shines in everything she does. The gorgeous scenery, adorable costumes, and lavish colors also add to the surreal atmosphere, which quickly gets disrupted by a flock of killer birds. Like many firsts Hitchcock introduced with his films, this is the first "nature run amock" film, just like Psycho was the first "slasher" film. This Psycho follow-up was yet another ground-breaking addition to the horror genre and further revealed the master director's darker obsessions.

Like Hitchcock's fabulous Rebecca and mediocre Jamaica Inn, this is based on a story by the extremely talented Daphne Du Maurier, but Hitchcock was left with the task of fleshing out the short story into a feature film. He did one hell of a job. Hitchcock and screenwriter Evan Hunter borrowed only the title and basic conceit of Daphne du Maurier's 1952 short story, "The Birds." Du Maurier's tale, conventional and utterly humorless, is a Cold War parable that uses the unexplained bird attacks as an apocalyptic metaphor for nature thrown out of balance by technology and warfare. It's told from the perspective of Nat Hocken, a disabled war veteran and farmhand living in a cottage with his family in the British Isles.

The film version is set in Bodega Bay and follows bored, spoiled socialite Melanie Daniels (Hedren) as she romantically pursues dashing lawyer Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor). Tension soon develops among Melanie, schoolteacher Annie Hayworth, Mitch's former flame (Suzanne Pleshette), and Mitch's domineering mother (Jessica Tandy). The emotional interplay is interrupted (and reflected) by the sudden and unexplained attack of thousands of birds on the area.

Hailed as one of Hitchcock's masterpieces by some and despised by others, THE BIRDS is certainly among the director's more complex and fascinating works. Volumes have been written about the film, with each writer picking it apart scene by scene in order to prove his or her particular critical theory--mostly of the psychoanalytic variety. Be that as it may, even those who grow impatient with the slow build-up or occasional dramatic lapses cannot deny the terrifying power of many of the film's haunting images: the bird point-of-view shot of Bodega Bay, the birds slowly gathering on the playground monkey bars, the attack on the children's birthday party, Melanie trapped in the attic, and the final ambiguous shot of the defeated humans leaving Bodega Bay while the thousands of triumphant birds gathered on the ground watch them go.

Eerie, scary, and suspenseful, this is a great film and classic Hitchcock, which highlights his genius. There is no sound track to cue the audience in as to when to be scared. And what other filmmaker could take the simple sound of wings fluttering in a house and turn it into the sheer sound of terror?

Hitchcook can make anything scary.
Hitchcook can make anything scary, and this movie is profff, I don't no how fake birds can be scary but they are, in this film anyway.

It all starts with an opener that's more like 2 people trying to play a joke on eatchother, and ends with a tailhanger ending, paked with scares and creeps this is a must see.

Tense thriller is a winner
This eerie Hitchcock thriller doesn't have a shower scene but is has its fair share of suspense, dread and anticipation as to when the birds will attack. Filmed in color and without the accompaniment of music, the movie builds steadily towards tense and dangerous moments when hundreds of blackbirds swoop down on the human populace and scratch, peck and claw them to shreds without rhyme or reason. Even a lone seagull gets in its licks on Melanie Daniels who has followed Mitch Brenner to Bodega Bay to close in on the handsome fellow. The film has several attacks in which adults and school children are ravaged, and the air assaults are frightening to watch. The dangerous birds' unexplained sheer destructive force is displayed in the attack in a bedroom where the unfortunate Ms. Daniels is trapped, and their determination to destroy every human in their path is awful to behold. The movie's special effects are first-rate, and the gloomy, overcast skies of the Northern California coast add to the depressed mood of the film. The characters all seemed detached and distant from each other and although Ms. Daniels tries very hard to connect with Mr. Brenner, the romance angle is never developed. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

The Merry Widow Murderer strikes again
Hitchcock loved to subvert what others took for granted. Set in the Northern California town of Santa Rosa, Shadow of a Doubt is most subversive about the very normal, tranquil qualities of small town life. Like all of Hitchcock's most convincing and powerful thrillers, the mystery is revealed right away. Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotton)is on the run from the police. He's endearing, charming and a serial killer nicknamed The Merry Widow Murderer. With the police hot on his trail he turns to the only place he can--home.

Uncle Charlie visits with his sister and her family in a sleepy small town. Uncle Charlie gets the chance to visit with his namesake and favorite niece nicknamed Young Charlie (Teresa Wright). They have a grand old name visiting until the past comes haunting. Young Charlie begins to suspect that Uncle Charlie is the Merry Window Murderer. What's worse, he realizes that she knows. Suddenly, he must find a way to murder his favorite niece and escape without suspicion.

Shadow is one of Hitchcock's earliest films where his favorite themes finally come together in a great collabortive effort with Thornton Wilder (Our Town). Wilder's early drafts (Hitchcock's wife and frequent collaborator Alma Reville did extensive rewrites along with Sally Benson and, of course, Hitchcock himself, as always, uncredited). Like many of the releases from Universal in the Alfred Hitchcock Collection, Shadow comes back with some interesting extras.

The documentary which includes interviews with Teresa Wright, Hume Cronyn, Robert Boyle, Pat Hitchcock O'Connell and director Peter Bogdanovich, isn't the usual slapdash affair. There's some interesting insights and observations about the film (if you'd like real insight into the film, I'd suggest the recent Hitchcock biography).

Joseph Cotton, Teresa Wright and the rest of this stunning cast capture the atmosphere (or least Hollywood's version of it with a bit more realism courtesy of Wilder and Hitchcock)of life in a small town during the 40's. It's one of Hitchcock's early American masterpieces (along with the wonderful Notorious).

The transfer looks pretty good overall. There are some minor issues with edge enhancement but the overall look of the film is very clean considering the age of the negative. It's a pity that so many Hitchcock films are spread over so many studios. Shadow would work well in a boxed set with Strangers on a Train and even Rear Window.

Charlie, think. How much do you know about your uncle?
Having just watched Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943) last night for the first time, I was surprised at how good it was, and why I've never seen it before. I mean, I am a fan of Hitchcock, and I've seen many of his movies, but to have heard so little of this particular film seems puzzling to me, as it's an excellent film, and worthy of a lot more recognition than it seems to have gotten. Either that or I just need to get out of my cookie jar more often...

Anyway, the film, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by Thornton Wilder, stars a wonderful cast including Teresa Wright, who appeared with Gary Cooper the previous year in The Pride of the Yankees (1942), Joseph Cotten (Citizen Kane, The Third Man), and Henry Travers (High Sierra, Mrs. Miniver, It's a Wonderful Life). Also making an appearance is Hume Cronyn making his film debut in a supporting role as a mousy neighbor.

The story involves a family in a small California town, and the impending arrival of a relative, Charlie (Cotten), from back east. Most anticipatory is younger Charlie (Wright), named after her uncle, as she feels a deep, almost telepathic connection to this man she hasn't seen in quite awhile. Now, before Charlie's departure for California, we get a general sense of unease, as it seems Charlie is involved in something of a sinister nature. Upon arriving in California, the visit seems to be going well, as the family welcomes him with open arms, but soon we learn that trouble has followed Charlie in the form of two rather shady individuals who present themselves with a certain amount of deception, which is elaborated on later. The older Charlie's behavior begins to change subtly, perceptible only to the younger Charlie and us, the audience. As various bits of information are disseminated, the younger Charlie's begins to realize that her uncle may harbor a terrible secret that could tear apart the very fabric of her family. As her uncle's slick veneer is slowly peeled away, she eventually learns the truth, with the older Charlie realizing that the relative safety he sought in coming to stay with his sister and her family is in jeopardy. What lengths will he go to to protect himself from his past?

The film starts out very slowly, but it's obviously deliberate, as the sense of dread within the viewer is cultivated in meticulous fashion. This seems a common tactic with Hitchcock, but I did get the feeling it was more drawn out here than in most of his other films. The pacing felt very similar to Rebecca, another Hitchcock film, which was released in 1940, but while that film had a much more grandiose feel to it, this film keeps things fairly simple, which really works well. There is a good amount of leaving the viewer in the dark within the first hour or so of the film, but when the secrets of the character is revealed, the plot points prior to this fall into place nicely, making sense of these once less meaningful elements. Teresa Wright's character is wonderful as the perceptive and intelligent niece forced to make a very difficult decision between her family and her uncle, trying to deal with the consequences of whatever path she chooses. Cotten is the real standout performance in the film, presenting a very likeable character, with a highly polished exterior, but an exterior you learn is barely hiding a very ugly and, ultimately, dangerous core. He figuratively becomes the fox in the hen house, as his sinister nature encroaches upon this quiet, unassuming community. As I said before, the pacing is pretty slow, picking up moderately within the last 30 minutes (it has a running time of 108 minutes) to a very suitable and satisfying ending, one that provides a nice jolt during an already tense scene.

The print provided by Universal for this release looks very good, despite a few hardly noticeable signs of age and wear. Special features include a featurette on the making of the film, detailing why Hitchcock considered this to be one of his favorite movies he made, production notes, drawings and photographs, recommendations (to other Hitchcock films), and a theatrical trailer for the film. All in all, and excellent, if underrated, Hitchcock classic.

Cookieman108

What a Film!!!
It is sad that Santa Rosa, Ca. doesn't look like this today,but this film almost foretells the waiting, looming changes that we were about to face in our land, both to our lifestyle and our environment. Never more relevant than now.Hitchcock captured the essence of a wonderful and, now, nostalgic time in America as no one else, before or after.

5 star movie ...
While the film itself is absolutely brilliant, 'Shadow of a Doubt' loses a star for being a disappointing DVD. Considering this film was always hailed as being Hitchcock's favorite, I'm really surprised that Universal didn't roll out the red carpet when it came to the disc's bonus features.

I completely expected to see the same TLC that made the 'Rear Window', 'Vertigo', and 'Psycho' DVDs such an education to watch. Instead Universal didn't even seem to think 'Shadow of a Doubt' warranted a simple wide-screen format.

I loved the film and will always think of it as one of my favorites among Hitch's works. I can't help but to be disappointed that it seemed to fall to the way-side when it came to the attention I felt it should have commanded in its reproduction and formatting though.

I'll Go With the Masses on This One
No question about it: this one of Hitchcock's best, and it ought to be a lot better known.

There's some truth in the contention that much of Hitchcock's work is based on flimsy plotting, gimmickry, and attractive stick figures racing from one scene to the next just a step ahead of sense or logic. This is easily seen even in much-admired films like "North by Northwest".

But "Shadow of a Doubt" (along with "Vertigo" and the first half of "Psycho") gives the lie to the claim that this was all there was to Hitchcock. This is a film in which every turn of the narrative is governed by the development of character, as a girl matures from giddy teenager to strong (and even deadly) young woman while grappling with the knowledge that her beloved uncle is a serial killer.

The acting is uniformly outstanding. Cotten is in full lounge-lizard mode here--nobody ever enunciated a perfectly-balanced sentence with more venom. Hume Cronyn plays a neighborhood geek almost--but not quite--to the point of parody. But it's Teresa Wright who takes the prize here. Wright was a pleasant but unremarkable presence in a number of films, but in "Doubt" she really shows what she was capable of. Consider the expression on her face as she descends the stairs in the climactic scene, and how easy it would have been to overplay it.

Perhaps it was the influence of Wilder (though his biographers state that he actually didn't really do much work on the picture), but "Shadow of a Doubt" is one film in which the master outdid himself, stepping beyond the limits of entertainment into something approaching art. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

From its cleverly choreographed opening sequence to its heart-stopping climax on a rampant carousel, this 1951 Hitchcock classic readily earns its reputation as one of the director's finest examples of timeless cinematic suspense. It's not just a ripping-good thriller but a film student's delight and a perversely enjoyable battle of wits between tennis pro Guy (Farley Granger) and his mysterious, sycophantic admirer, Bruno (Robert Walker), who proposes a "criss-cross" scheme of traded murders. Bruno agrees to kill Guy's unfaithful wife, in return for which Guy will (or so it seems) kill Bruno's spiteful father. With an emphasis on narrative and visual strategy, Hitchcock controls the escalating tension with a master's flair for cinematic design, and the plot (coscripted by Raymond Chandler) is so tightly constructed that you'll be white-knuckled even after multiple viewings. Strangers on a Train remains one of Hitchcock's crowning achievements and a suspenseful classic that never loses its capacity to thrill and delight. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (230)

Hitchcock's Masterful Tale of Neurosis and Obsession
Vertigo brilliantly and hypnotically displays many of Hitchcock's famous themes: the ordinary man caught up in a world of intrigue beyond his control (Scotty), the icy, mysterious blonde (Madeline), the smothering maternal figure (Midge), the obsession with the past, and the blurring of the line between illusion and reality. All of the aforementioned elements are enhanced by Bernard Hermann's passionate, romantic music, and combine to make this film one of Hitchcock's most complex, most richly rewarding films.

In "Vertigo," the characters and the viewing audience rarely know what is real and what is illusion. Many of the scenes in the film have a hazy, dreamlike quality: Madeline disappears behind and re-emerges from the Sequoia trees; Madeline steps out of the hazy, hotel light after her transformation as if she is a ghost reappearing from the past. Hitchcock brilliantly uses light, shadow and music to create a dizzingly uncertain atmosphere, forcing the audience to question what is really happening in the scene.

Scotty's obsession with the past and his desire to transform the charater "Judy" into his former love "Madeline" brings up an intriguing question. To what lengths will people go to change themselves to please the one they love? How much of their identities are they willing to give up for love? Madeline poignantly says to Scotty after he has asked her to change one thing after another about herself, "If I let you change me, then will you love me?"

"Vertigo" is a brilliant director working out his neurosis and obsessions through cinema. Luckily for the audience, the director is Hitchcock, and the film he has created is a fascinating, haunting masterpiece.

Absolutely the best film Hitchcock ever made
Everybody's got a favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie. Mine is VERTIGO. Everything about this movie is more than perfect. The performances from Kim Novak, James Stewart and Barbara Bel Geddes- beyond Oscar quality. The film is a masterpiece. There are multiple themes that are repeated throughout the movie, which make it subject to many repeated viewings. I've seen it many times, and I could see it all the time. Every time I see it, I find out something new. When you see John "Scottie" Fergeson going over the top, you'll have a hard time believing that it's Jimmy Stewart up on screen. Kim Novak is a beautiful, shimmering brilliance in her two- actually THREE roles (Madeline, Carlotta Valdes, Judy). And I found it hard not to sympathize with Barbara Bel Gedde's Midge. Alfred Hitchcock's meticulous direction pays off more than ever. The ending delievered such an emotional, psychological shock that I couldn't stop thinking about it. My advice to you: stop reading, go out and see VERTIGO. You won't regret it.

The very first shot is the best.
I watched Vertigo for the first time when I was about 12 years old - I remember I couldn't sleep well afterwards. I guess I was a little too young at the time to fully appreciate its scope. Watched it now again in its restored form on DVD.

In my opinion the best moment in the movie is the very first shot of the woman's mouth and face and her eyes - the look in her eyes - all in black and white - and then the introduction of colour - the spirals etc., and the ingeneous score. The score is incredible. Very efficient. It really gives the whole thing a dreamlike quality.

Generally, I don't like dark haunting movies too much. And Vertigo is haunting.
Most of the other Hitchcock movies have a kind of upbeat humour - an optimistic atmosphere. Take Psycho, for example. Yes, people get killed - but in a strange, almost perverse way the movie is almost funny. And, of course, there is a satisfying conclusion, a happy end. Not so in Vertigo.

Note that Hitchcock returned in subsequent movies - North by Northwest, Frenzy, Family Plot ...to his characteristic dark humour. That's why I think that Vertigo - while it deals with themes also present in his other movies - is something of an exception : there is no happy end and there is no relief for the audience.

Most of Hitchcock's movies deal with horrible things - like murder, the innocent being wrongfully accused and hunted by society, malice and intrigue,.. - but he always balances this with this typical British dark humour which in a way protects the audience and helps it to digest the on-screen violence. So this dark humour, this distancing of the audience, fulfills a very important function. For instance, after the shower scene in Psycho, we witness Norman Bates clean up the bathroom.
The same kind of dark humour - not quite as dark - can be found in some of the James Bond movies. Its always about helping the audience to accept what has just happened.

In Vertigo, this dark humour is missing and this accounts for its dark haunting quality.

Again, I am not much of a fan of obssesive love and all that - and probably neither
are most other people - and certainly Vertigo is not as much fun to watch as, say North by Northwest, but the score and the use of colours in it alone are worthy of our attention.

Darkest Hitchcock
"Vertigo" is a disturbing tour de force. You would probably have to roll forward to David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Drive" is find comparable weirdness. Is it Hitchcock's best? That's a tough question. Personally, I think "Notorious" is a better film, because the story fits easier into expectations of what a story should be, while at the same time being very edgey in matters of men and women, sex and love, and intrigue that blurs the lines. Everything about "Notorious" is balanced. But "Vertigo" takes chances few directors are willing to attempt, and that has to be recognized - especially when it involves a director with the abilities and genius of a Hitchcock. With that in mind, "Vertigo" is the important film, necessary if you want to fully understand Hitchcock.

"Vertigo" is about obsession. Ex-detective John Ferguson (Jimmy Stewart) is following the wife of an old friend, who fears his wife is losing her mind. It's a deadly scam, but you know that. The real story is Ferguson's descent. Stewart is excellent and increasingly strange as the movie progresses. Novak also works, but in a way she strikes the viewer as a deliberately coarser version of the Hitchcock "blondes." I don't pretend to be a Hitchcock specialist, but I've been spending this summer going through the major Hitchcock films, and I've noticed a few things that have me wondering over Hitchcock's creative arc in general. Blondes, yep. But look at the role of mothers. "Strangers on a Train" has psycho killer Walker's mother as a babying influence, and "Vertigo" has former Stewart girlfriend, played by Barbara Bel Geddes, visiting Stewart/Ferguson, and telling him "mother" is there for him. And check out the Nazi mother to mama's boy Claude Rains in "Notorious." The capper is of course the "mother" of Norman Bates in that movie explosion called "Psycho." What was it with Hitchcock and mothers? Also note that the swirl imagery of "Vertigo" reappears in the swirling drain of "Psycho."

"Vertigo" is a much more free-floating effort, and deserves all the praise. Narrative structure is allowed to slacken, and interior pathologies allowed to take priority, all amazing terrain for a director to explore - and to be allowed to explore by the dollar driven studios. The logic of the "story" is in fact is so suspended, that the fact that there is a murder and a murderer become secondary - they are merely triggers. Oh, Stewart/Ferguson eventually remembers he's a cop, but the difference in "Vertigo," which sets it apart from even "Psycho," is that it doesn't matter and darkness falls. And with it a final madness?

NOT his best! Why is everyone raving about this movie??
It's good, not great. The storyline is just too basic. Nothing really grabbed my attention. As far as the directing aspect of it, it may be one of his best. But also this may be his most boring film. It was a flop at the box-office. I'd like to know why it's considered his masterpiece. Am I missing something? This movie has little intrigue in comparison to his other films.

"North By Northwest" was by far his best.
"Rear Window" was great.
"The Birds" was very exciting to watch and was a great feat in film-making for its time with all those birds.
"Lifeboat" was good too.
"Psycho" would have been much better if I saw it for the first time without knowing what was going to happen.
"Dial M For Murder" has a great storyline with intrigue.

But as for "Vertigo", ehh.... not as good in comparison. It will be very good if it is your first Hitchcock movie to watch. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

JOAN FONTAINE'S OSCAR -WINNING ROLE
"Suspicion" is a intriguing film and one of Hitchcock's best;it's beautifully made and perfectly played. The role of Lina McLaidlaw is not too unlike Fontaine's character in 1940's "Rebecca". Johnny Aysgarth (Grant) is the lovable scoundrel Fontaine marries,only later to become horribly suspicious of him for various reasons. In the last reel,director Hitchcock builds on every clue, every plot turn; in the final confession scene, he is dependent upon Grant's skills as an actor;the infuriating moral ending is expected but nevertheless, "Suspicion" remains a highly satisfying diversion.

Let's hope the DVD is truly a "Special Edition".
"Suspicion" is a wonderful suspense ride for Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine. In his interview with Francois Truffaut many years later, director Alfred Hitchcock talked in detail about this film. He had a small flashlight put in the ominous glass of milk that Grant carries up the stairs to Fontaine, as she is having doubts about her play-boy husband. I can only hope that if the films original ending still exists, as it apparently was filmed, it is included on the upcoming DVD. Even if the footage is gone, perhaps story boards exist. The movie originally had Cary Grant actually plotting to off his wife. Fontaine is last seen writing a letter to her mother confessing her fears that her days are numbered. She gives Grant the letter to post when he brings her the "glowing" glass of milk. The last scene had a much relieved Grant, Fontaine having been dispatched, whistling as he mails the letter that will convict him. The music swelled to a judges gavel and the credits ran. Instead, we got a very happy, but very contrived and not terribly convincing ending. The studios did not want Grant, their matinee idol, playing a heavy. Hitchcock still made a wonderful film and hopefully the DVD release will pay homage to his original vision.

Stop Complaining! Just Watch the Movie!
"Suspicion" is one more classic Alfred Hitchcock film. Like many, it too is filmed in murky but beautiful black and white. The key character is Cary Grant, who worked with the great director so often. Grant plays the role of a lying, scheming, swindling, cheating and thoroughly unlikable fellow. He marries a young but wealthy ingenue, Joan Fontaine. He is patently and without remorse after her inheritance. Fontaine quickly realizes the type of jerk she has married. She even starts to suspect that Grant is out to kill her! The plot further thickens when Grant's buddy, actor Nigel Bruce, dies suddenly on a business trip with Grant. We wait for one of those English detectives that Hitchcock casts so well to haul Grant off to jail. And then? Then there is that famous car ride that ends the movie so abruptly and has given other reviewers fits. It is all too true that "Suspicion" ends quickly with no clear-cut resolution. We are left with no clue if the couple divorced, lived happily ever after or if Grant finally got tossed in a British cooler. The abrupt and unresolved ending is similar to "Notorious". This reviewer has no problems with murky endings. Why not appreciate them "as is"? Some interesting sidebars: 1)"Suspicion" was filmed with an entirely British cast on a Hollywood lot, nowhere close to the English seashore.2) Grant was said to be furious at the Director because Hitchcock allegedly was very patient with Fontaine but hassled him during production. 3) Ms Fontaine won a 1941
Best Actress Oscar for her role, making her the ONLY actor/actress to be so recognized for a Hithcock film. The recommendation from this reviewer is to enjoy "Suspicion" for what it is-an above average suspense film with perhaps a hole or two in it. Viewers should ignore the fact that Grant and Hitchcock have done better work elsewhere. They might also ignore the fact that RKO Pictures changed the "original" ending. That scarcely makes Hollywood history. Why not just calm down and watch the movie? "Suspicion" should stand alone on its' own merits.

A Suspicion that this Could Have Been More Memorable
There are no directors better than Alfred Hitchcock in setting a mood of menace or a string of clues that point to some truly climactic ending. In SUSPICION, Hitchcock presents a view of good guy Cary Crant as a leering, lying, cad who may be guilty of even worse criminal behavior.

Grant is Johnnie, who opens as the Cary Grant his fans have always known: suave, handsome, dashing. Joan Fontaine is Lina, a rather bookish frump who nevertheless catches Johnnie's eye. Early on, Johnnie's interest in Lina is at least partly based on her family fortune. When the audience sees Grant going against type by playing the caddish Johnnie, they can see that behind the smiling eyes and suave grin lay a twist that no one would have believed. Director Hitchcock slowly builds up the character of Johnnie by innuendo. At each step of the way, Lina hears and sees the implied charges, but she always tries to find a rational answer that does not point toward what the audience sees as the inevitable truth. Nigel Bruce as Beaky, a childhood chum of Johnnie's, supplies the same innocent charm that he displayed earlier as Dr. Watson in the Sherlock Holmes series. Here as Beaky, Bruce reinforces the twin nature of Johnnie: that is one must accept his negative side if one is to as readily accept his positive. With each revelation, first from Beaky, then from Johnnie's employer (Leo G. Carroll), the mounting evidence accrues to convince Lina that her husband is guilty of a series of crimes ranging from theft, to deception, to murder. The famous scene in which Johnnie brings Lina a glass of glowing milk indelibly etches in the audience's collective mind the conviction that Johnnie is indeed the creep that he appears to be.

Unfortunately, Hitchcock could not allow the reputation of Cary Grant to be tarnished by ending the movie on the affirmation of a guilt that he had spent the better part of two hours so carefully constructing. The turn about of the closing scene leaves the viewer gasping in disbelief. Even if that viewer accepts the glib explanation of Johnnie of his true motivation, then this acceptance still leaves him as the same cad he was at the start of the film. Still, Joan Fontaine as Lina managed to snare an Oscar for best actress. SUSPICION is the kind of quality film that except for the last minute manages to engage the viewer in a race against time during which one woman must balance her feelings against mounting suspicions against a man whose charm is source both of her love and her deepest fears.

Slight thriller with star power
Cary Grant (Johnnie Aysgarth) was 37 when this was released and perhaps at the pinnacle of his sexual charm (but not at the pinnacle of his career by a long shot); and Joan Fontaine (Lina Aysgarth--not "Linda," as the video jacket mistakenly has it), 24, was fresh from her very fine performance in Rebecca (1940) alongside Laurence Olivier, also directed by Alfred Hitchcock, for which he garnered his only Best Picture Oscar. I don't think this film is nearly as good. It is saved from being something close to annoying at times only by the star power of the leads and a fine supporting cast, especially Nigel Bruce (best known perhaps as Dr. Watson in a number of Sherlock Holmes films) as Cary Grant's friend "Beaky."

The problem with the film lies partly with the casting of Cary Grant, although not in his performance as such. He was seen as such a valuable property by the studio that the proper ending of the film was considered inappropriate and so it was changed. Along the way we see a lot of mixed foreshadowing so it is impossible to tell whether his character is that of a loving husband who is a bit of a rogue or a cold-blooded murderer who married Lina for her inheritance and intends to kill her. We can see how the latter possibility might not work so well since she was only getting a subsistence allowance from the will of her father who disapproved of the marriage. And there are all those dark scowls that Grant manufactures, somewhat awkwardly I must say, to keep us in doubt. What is apparent is that Hitchcock had one ending in mind and then had to change it and wasn't able to redo some of the earlier scenes that worked better with the old ending.

At any rate, Joan Fontaine is very good, lovely, graceful and focused. With this performance she went one up on her older sister Olivia de Havilland by winning the Best Actress Oscar. And it is a bit of a spicy treat to see Cary Grant as something of a heavy, at least part of the time. For most of us, who have seen him in many films, his character has always been sterling.

I must also note that some of the production seems a bit unnatural. Grant wears his suit and tie all buttoned up even when visiting Fontaine in their bedroom (carrying the infamous glass of milk, which I understand was backlighted with a bulb inside the glass to make it almost glow). Fontaine's Lina appears mousey and bookish at the beginning (it is suggested that she was in danger of being an old maid!) but later develops a more sophisticated style. And I don't think Hitchcock or Grant really gave her enough cause for the sort of fear she experienced. The final scene with its quick about-face was not entirely convincing or conclusive either.

Contemporary audiences might wince at the plodding direction by Hitchcock. They might even wonder why he decided to make a movie from such a familiar and lightly plotted tale not far removed psychologically from a romance novel. But Hitchcock always erred on the side of giving the mass audience what he thought they wanted. What they wanted here was Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine together romantically with some mystery and doubt along the way. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Good film, less suspenseful than dramatic
There is great tension in this film, but the suspense is less frightening than we see in some of Hitchcock's other films.

What's really great about this film is the directorial art, in visuals and timing and setups -- and the acting is fabulous. How often did we get to see Stewart really flex his dramatic muscles in so complex and potentially somewhat dark and hard character? Song or no song, Doris Day does a fine job of acting through Que Sera-Sera, and it is artfully placed and used within the film for dramatic effect. Personally, I feel and understand her predicament, even though I don't find myself as involved with the characters as I do in Rear Window. That, however, may just be me, since Rear Window is my favorite Hitchcock film -- and I find it easier to identify with Grace Kelly's character than I do with this one.

Overall, a fabulous film, worth watching. If you get past the clothes and cars, you'd never know when it was made -- personally, I don't care!

Hitchcock Sleeper Classic now on WIDESCREEN DVD!!!!
The 1956 Widescreen Color "The Man Who Knew Too Much" is a remake of Hitch's 1934 Standard Screen Black & White British version. (Hitch didn't come to the United States until 1939). As he stated, "the 1934 version was directed by an amateur and the 1956 version by a professional."

This was to be the second of 5 brilliant films made from 1954 - 1960. (the others are; Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959) & Psycho (1960)). This was Hitchcock at his best, in fact these last 4 were voted to AFI's (American Film Institute's) top 100 films in the last 100 years (1998). So you can see why "The Man Who Knew Too Much" was overlooked. A definite sleeper classic!!!

Summary: James Stewart, wife Doris Day and son are on a vacation in Morocco. They are accidently swept up in an assassination plot to occur in London. The assassin group kidnaps their son as insurance of their silence and hold him hostage. Doris Days rare dramatic role is outstanding and her singing the Oscar winning song, ("Que Sera, Sera") high light this brilliant spy thriller. Jimmy Stewarts natural acting ability (Hitchcocks favorite male actor) pulls off being Doris Days husband.

The Anamorphic Widescreen Color presentation is excellent. The "Making of - with Patricia Hitchocks (Hitch's daughter) comments is very interesting & informative.

Que Sera Sera

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Format: Color
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: August 3, 1999

Cast:

James Stewart ... Dr. Ben McKenna
Doris Day ... Jo McKenna
Brenda De Banzie ... Lucy Drayton
Bernard Miles ... Edward Drayton
Ralph Truman ... Buchanan
Daniel Gélin ... Louis Bernard
Mogens Wieth ... Ambassador
Alan Mowbray ... Val Parnell
Hillary Brooke ... Jan Peterson
Christopher Olsen ... Hank McKenna
Reggie Nalder ... The assassin
Richard Wattis ... Assistant manager
Noel Willman ... Woburn
Alix Talton ... Helen Parnell
Yves Brainville ... Police inspector
Carolyn Jones ... Cindy Fontaine
Harry Fine ... Edington
Alex Frazer ... Man
Wolf Frees ... Aide to the foreign Prime Minister
Milton Frome ... Guard
Leo Gordon ... Chauffer
Walter Gotell ... Guard
Frank Atkinson ... Taxidermist
Bernard Herrmann ... Himself (conductor)
Alfred Hitchcock ... Man in Morocco marketplace
George Howe ... Ambrose Chappell Sr

Harold Kasket ... Butler
Barry Keegan ... Patterson
Lou Krugman ... Arab
Lloyd Lamble ... General manager of Albert Hall
Donald Lawton ... Desk clerk
Mayne Lynton ... Taxidermist
John Barrard ... Taxidermist
Edward Manouk ... French waiter
Richard Marner ... Aide to the foreign Prime Minister
John Marshall ... Butler
Lewis Martin ... Detective
Louis Mercier ... French policeman
Ralph Neff ... Henchman
Leslie Newport ... Inspector at Albert Hall
John O'Malley ... Uniformed attendant
Liddell Peddieson ... Taxidermist
Arthur Ridley ... Ticket collector
Patrick Aherne ... Handyman
Eric Snowden ... Special Branch officer
Alexi Bobrinskoy ... Foreign Prime Minister
Guy Verney ... Footman
Anthony Warde ... French policewoman
Patrick Whyte ... Special Branch officer
Peter Williams ... Police sergeant
Richard Wordsworth ... Ambrose Chappell Jr
Allen Zeidman ... Assistant manager
Clifford Buckton ... Sir Kenneth Clarke
Peter Camlin ... Headwaiter
Abdelhaq Chraibi ... Arab
Gladys Holland ... Bernard's girlfriend
Barbara Howitt ... Soloist in Albert Hall sequence
Enid Lindsey ... Lady Clarke
Janet Macfarlane ... Lady in audience
Betty Bascomb ... Edna
Elsa Palmer ... Cook
Mahin S. Shahrivar ... Arab woman
Alma Taylor ... Box office woman
Janet Bruce ... Box office woman
Naida Buckingham ... Lady in audience
Barbara Burke ... Assassin's girlfriend
Pauline Farr ... Ambassador's wife
Bess Flowers ... Woman in Hotel Lobby

On vacation in Marrakech, Morocco, Dr. Ben McKenna (James Stewart), his wife Jo (Doris Day) and their son Hank (Chrisop