REVIEWED
"Even if he is a bit queer he's a gentleman" - The landlady (Mary Ault) obviously in caption text
I'm sure even Mr. Novello had a wry grin when he first read that. I originally rewatched this to add to my scavenger hunt 14 list as my unseen Hitchcock pick, but decided to go with the documentary 'Night Will Fall' because it features footage he shot from a Belsen concentration camp.
Ever the sly dog and showman, Hitch skillfully builds suspense then pulls the rug from under the audience in the final minutes. It features a nervy bath scene reminiscent of the shower one he shot years later for Psycho. Ever the perverse foot fetishist, he even self indulgently includes a close-up of virtuous Daisys twinkling toes.
Style wise its clearly influenced by one of Hitchcocks other passions German expressionist cinema. I wouldn't class it among his best features, but its definitely his most impressive silent era ones, and probably best till Lady Vanishes, that came 11 years later.
No comments:
Post a Comment