Diabolique (1954)

Posted on September 19, 2014 by 4 Star Films

This French thriller begins at a small boarding school for boys. The principal is a difficult man who is married to a wealthy but frail teacher, and his mistress is another one of the teachers. Because he has been awful and abusive to both of the they befriend each other and devise a plan to kill him. They lure him away from school and eventually drown him in a bathtub. They go back to the school and dispose of the body in the murky pool. The deed is done and they are both apprehensive, especially the frail wife. When the pool is finally drained there is no body! This and other strange occurrences further frighten the wife and she becomes sickly. However, she could never expect what she saw one night that led her to die of fright. The twist at the end of the film is good. It is rumored that Hitchcock tried to get the rights to this story. He would just have to settle for making Psycho instead. What a shame.

4.5/5 Stars

The Best Films of Alfred Hitchcock

Posted on July 31, 2014 by 4 Star Films

1. Rear Window
2. North by Northwest
3. Psycho
4. Vertigo
5. Notorious
6. Strangers on a Train
7. Shadow of a Doubt
8. Rebecca
9. The Birds
10. The Lady Vanishes
11. The 39 Steps
12. To Catch a Thief
13. Dial M For Murder
14. Foreign Correspondent
15. Lifeboat
16. The Man Who Knew Too Much
17. The Wrong Man
18. Rope
19. Spellbound
20. Suspicion
21. Frenzy
22. The Lodger
23. Saboteur
24. Marnie
25. The Trouble with Harry
26. I Confess
27. Sabotage
28. Stage Fright
29. Blackmail
30. The Man Who Knew Too Much
31. Secret Agent
32. Yound and Innocent
33. Murder!

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) – Alfred Hitchcock

Posted on May 20, 2014 by 4 Star Films

Starring James Stewart and Doris Day with director Alfred Hitchcock, the film follows the couple as they travel to Morocco with their son. Through a series of strange circumstances, Stewart finds himself learning a deadly secret from a dying man he just met the previous night. Soon his son is kidnapped and Stewart along with Day find themselves traveling to England in pursuit. Frantically, they try following leads and by the time they come up with one, the culprits are already gone before the police arrive. Their search finds them at the Royal Albert Hall foiling a plot and then they go to the embassy. Desperately, they keep up the search for their boy and it finally pays off, maybe. With the wonderful direction of Hitchcock and the song Que Sera, Sera, this film is quite good.

4/5 Stars

North by Northwest (1959) – Alfred Hitchcock

Posted on November 26, 2013 by 4 Star Films

As the last collaboration between Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock, they came together to make the ultimate thriller in North by Northwest. Grant plays a common business man named Roger Thorndike who is framed as a killer in a very public place. All of the sudden he has become a fugitive on the run for a crime he never even committed. Along the way he meets a government agent (Eve Marie Sainte) while dodging the authorities. Trying to clear his name, Grant finds himself fleeing the actual killers. His adventures include a run-in with a crop dusting plane and eventually find him hanging for dear life. However, he comes out on top in the end and he slowly falls in love too (of course). From the beginning when you see the opening credits and hear the score, you gear up for adventure and that is exactly what you get. It follows the wonderful tradition of Hitchcock films and it does not fail to entertain. Besides great locations, a memorable score, and interesting camera work, the story is wonderful.

5/5 Stars

To Catch a Thief (1955) – Alfred Hitchcock

Posted on November 20, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, this film follows the life of a former cat burglar who is accused of thievery in France. An outbreak of thefts seem to point to John Robie and he seeks refuge with some old friends. He plans to clear his name by catching the real thief. He learns that a vacationing mother and daughter have the most expensive jewels and he strikes up a relationship. The daughter realizes what he is and goes on to tempt him to steal her valuables. When they actually go missing she suspects him. Trying to figure out what is going on Robie struggles with a possible burglar who falls to his death and he attends a ball with Francie who has pronounced her love for him. After a clever switch Robie waits for the real perpetrator only to be surprised. As a thriller and romance this is a fun film. The cinematography is excellent and Kelly’s wardrobe done by Edith Head is memorable. Cary Grant and Grace Kelly are certainly a memorable screen couple.

4/5 Stars

Notorious (1946) – Alfred Hitchcock

Posted on November 18, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Pairing Cary Grant with Ingrid Bergman along with Hitchcock directing, Notorious tells a story of spies in South America after World War II. Bergman is the daughter of a former Nazi so she is enlisted by a T.R. Devlin (Grant) to spy on other Nazis in South America. Pretty soon Bergman has been accepted and is married to one of the men (Claude Rains). Bitter and cold, Devlin shows no pity for her plight. However, during a party an important discovery is made that puts her in danger. To make matters worse, she is now sick and the others are suspicious. Showing his true loyalty, Devlin comes to her aid before she is harmed and brings her to safety.

To some extent we feel for Claude Rains who will be terminated if it ever comes out he married a spy and that pity is a credit to his portrayal. This film also seems to speak well of Grant as an actor since he plays so against type here. Hitchcock memorable used the key in the film to move the plot forward effectively. Aside from that a couple of sequences stand out to me. The first occurs when Grant enters a room and then we have the POV of Bergman’s heroine. She is lying in bed and drunk so as he gets closer he appears up side down in the frame. Then, there is the famous kissing sequence that all happens simultaneously while Grant is on the phone. The final one I recall is the tracking shot at the party that closes in on the key hidden in Bergman’s hand. Hitchcock practically shoves it in our faces so we know its importance. I think these moments reflect the great direction and showmanship of Hitch.

Partially for this reason Notorious is undoubtedly one of Hitchcock’s best films with a truly stellar cast of characters. If Casablanca was the beginning of the story then this seems to be the perfect sequel. You have a WWII related plot, Bergman, Rains and Cary Grant to stand in for Bogart after all. But that is a topic for another post in the future!

5/5 Stars

Suspicion (1941) – Alfred Hitchcock

Posted on November 13, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine with director Alfred Hitchcock, the film follows a young English woman who marries a charming man. However, he has gained notoriety for gambling and he also has a mysterious side. After telling his wife he is done gambling, he goes to find a job. Through a series of conversations however Fontaine’s character discovers her husband has been keeping things from her. Because of the tragic death of her husband’s good friend and other suspicious events, Fontaine begins to grow paranoid. She fears for her life as she is alone with her husband. In the final dramatic scene her situation takes a great twist. Although not Hitchcock’s best, in this film he does play with our minds as we too are constantly suspicious. Grant and Fontaine both give very commendable performances.

4/5 Stars

Dial M for Murder (1954) – Alfred Hitchcock

Posted on November 12, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, and Robert Cummings, this film tells the story of a married woman who has fallen for another man. However, her suspicious husband finds out and decides to have her murdered. Through a series of events he finds his murderer and sets everything up for the following evening. His plan goes awry and his wife lives so he must rush to cover up all his involvement. In the ensuing days Kelly’s character is accused of murder even though she was simply defending herself. She finds herself facing death and yet the clever police detective figures everything out. He realizes her innocence and traps Milland in his own plan. With the typical Hitchcock style and solid acting, this movie is full of many suspenseful moments and it became an early example of film making for 3D.

4/5 Stars

The Birds (1963) – Alfred Hitchcock

Posted on October 31, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, and Suzanne Pleshette, this film follows the journey of a rich woman who travels to Bodega Bay in order to visit a man who intrigues her. This love story is already odd to begin with and then add thousands of berserk birds to create far more chaos. Everything is innocent enough at first but Hedren gets attacked by a seagull. Everyone brushes it off but the next day at a birthday party a wave of birds attack. A couple of deaths and many injuries occur causing tumult all over the bay. The birds keep on attacking in cycles so the citizens must either try and flee or barricade themselves in their homes. Soon the threat of the birds seems overwhelming and Hedren and her new relations must fight to survive. Although this film ends with the family finally escaping in Hedren’s Ashton Martin Coup, the birds still sit there as ominously as ever. With the use of special effects and no score, this film sends shivers down the spine. However do not think it is just a horror flick. Much like Psycho it is also a very well made film.

4.5/5 Stars

The Wrong Man (1956) – Alfred Hitchcock

Posted on October 28, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Henry Fonda and Vera Miles, this film, based on a true story, is about an innocent man who is falsely accused of armed robbery. Manny is an unassuming musician who lives with his family in New York and barely scrapes by paying the bills. Unfortunately he closely resembles another man who held up a local insurance office. The police are called and then a few witnesses label Manny as the culprit. A coincidence on a writing sample seem to solidify his guilt and so he is jailed. Manny’s wife and family scrounge up the money for bail and a lawyer is found to represent him. Manny tries to prove he was on vacation during the incident but his three acquaintances are either dead or cannot be found. However, Manny has another alibi that his lawyer thinks may stand up in court. At the same time Rose begins to blame herself and her mental health deteriorates forcing Manny to put her in a sanitarium. His first appearance ends in a mistrial but Manny is still in despair. Finally good fortune strikes him when the real robber is finally caught. Manny is free but not without horrible consequences. I have to say Fonda is always so sympathetic in these type of roles and Miles has a good dramatic performance. Although it is lesser known, this film shows the diversity of Hitchcock. Here he essentially makes a documentary and it is just as powerful as many of his other great films in its own way.