What can I say – I am in awe of Alfred Hitchcock. In adapting Patrick Hamilton’s play for the screen, Hitchcock experimented with the unbroken shot look. Due to the technological constraints of his time, he was not able to film the entire film in one long shot, but used six shots that look like one long shot. I’m sure Hitchcock would have been impressed with films like TIMECODE and THE RUSSIAN ARK.
The film opens with Brandon Shaw (John Dall, SPARTACUS) and Phillip Morgan (Farley Granger, THEY LIVE BY NIGHT) strangling to death David Kentley (Dick Hogan). The murder was done just to do it. Brandon is a cold intellectual, who believes that a person of superior intelligence isn’t held back by the traditional moral constraints. Phillip is a nervous young man who follows Brandon as a way to fit in. In a twisted play on Brandon’s sick game, he throws a party to follow the murder with David’s body in a trunk in the middle of the room. Brandon invites David’s father (Cedric Hardwicke, 1937’s KING SOLOMON’S MINE), who brings his visiting sister Mrs. Atwater (Constance Collier, REBECCA), their school friend Kenneth Lawrence (Douglas Dick, 1951’s THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE), Kenneth’s ex and David’s current girlfriend Janet (Joan Chandler, HUMORESQUE) and former dorm supervisor and intellectual Rupert Cadell (James Stewart, REAR WINDOW).
The foundation of the film’s success is the intelligent dialogue and characters. The levels of the character’s relationships add to the tension of the tale. Actor Hume Cronyn (COCOON) adapted the play. Because the play takes place in one apartment, the film risks becoming stagy. However, Hitchcock plans his camera moves precisely and effortlessly. The camera seems to be in the most dramatic position at the right moment every time. There’s a great part where a conversation about the missing David is happening off camera while the maid Mrs. Wilson (Edith Evanson, MARNIE) cleans up the dinner that is riveting and all it is is a long shot of a woman cleaning up.
The film’s only flaw is that four of the six transitions to new reels of film are less smooth than the others. However, it is a tribute to Hitchcock’s skill that he could make a single location play as an entirely captivating and visually impressive piece of cinema. Hitchcock is so good it’s scary. Aiding him are wonderful performances from the entire cast, especially Stewart who plays the mischievous detective of the story. The film is just another must see from a master filmmaker.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
