This is one of Hitchcock's lesser known movies, probably because his Rebecca, released the same year received so much attention. Nonetheless, it is a well-crafted movie.
The script is very witty, not surprising considering that one of its writers was Robert Benchley, who has a humorous supporting role himself. Another great supporting role is George Sanders' 'ffoliot'. After seeing All About Eve, and Rebecca, I thought of Sanders as Hollywood's conniving imp. This movie turned my views 180 degrees. Where would Joel McCrea and Laraine Day be without Sanders' heroics? His performance is terrific.
This paragraph contains a spoiler! (You may want to skip this paragraph if you haven't seen the film.) Terrific as ever, is Hitchcock's direction. The murder and subsequent umbrella and windmill scenes are marvelously photographed. The suspense carries through to the end. The climax on an airplane is astonishing. As soon as the ship opens fire, the suspense will be thick enough to cut with a knife. When the plane hit the water, I could not believe how much I was anticipating the outcome. The ending was very patriotic but it seemed very appropriate.
Some of the film's special effects may seem dated - some exteriors look like models, and in one scene, there is obviously a dummy in use, but by the end, these are forgotten. The climax is breathtaking. It was filmed in a way that only Hitchcock could film.
A very well-made movie by the master of the cinema. A must-see!
The script is very witty, not surprising considering that one of its writers was Robert Benchley, who has a humorous supporting role himself. Another great supporting role is George Sanders' 'ffoliot'. After seeing All About Eve, and Rebecca, I thought of Sanders as Hollywood's conniving imp. This movie turned my views 180 degrees. Where would Joel McCrea and Laraine Day be without Sanders' heroics? His performance is terrific.
This paragraph contains a spoiler! (You may want to skip this paragraph if you haven't seen the film.) Terrific as ever, is Hitchcock's direction. The murder and subsequent umbrella and windmill scenes are marvelously photographed. The suspense carries through to the end. The climax on an airplane is astonishing. As soon as the ship opens fire, the suspense will be thick enough to cut with a knife. When the plane hit the water, I could not believe how much I was anticipating the outcome. The ending was very patriotic but it seemed very appropriate.
Some of the film's special effects may seem dated - some exteriors look like models, and in one scene, there is obviously a dummy in use, but by the end, these are forgotten. The climax is breathtaking. It was filmed in a way that only Hitchcock could film.
A very well-made movie by the master of the cinema. A must-see!