In many ways an interesting film, well acted and photographed, but very atypical Hitchcock material - the courtroom drama particularly. (Compare for example how economically he treats the court case in Dial M For Murder). And as it was the last film he made for Selznick you sense it was a duty, a contractual requirement.
And I found out it was worse than that. Alma's revision of various scripts, plus the input of Scottish writer James McBride, and a final revision by Ben Hecht, were all thrown out as Selznick himself took it over, and reverted to much of the source novel, making it less cinematic and more wordy. He also rewrote every day and threw out much of Hitch's elegant camera work and British second unit. As McGilligan puts it, "he sabotaged his own film", and thanks to his endless interference, the film lost two million dollars.
Good cast comprises Valli (Alida Maria Laura von Altenburger, also Suspiria, The Spider's Stratagem, Senso), Gregory Peck, Ann Todd, Charles Laughton (who's a horrible sex pest and wife abuser), Charles Coburn, Joan Tetzel (good as his daughter), Ethel Barrymore, Louis Jourdan and Leo G. Carroll (John Williams appears in a non-speaking role).
Made with care. Notice changing light in jail scene between Peck and Valli, (surviving) elegant camera moves in court.
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| Joan Tetzel, also The File on Thelma Jordan |
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| What is it with Hitch and oversized lamps? |
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