The World of Alfred Hitchcock

[C.Bogle]

He probably was able to transfer the manual dexterity needed to dispatch the

widows to other tasks requiring those skills, like making newspaper hats. A

multi tasker ahead of his time. I noticed in Charlie's case what happens quite

often in crime movies-criminals who takes such pains to cover their tracks

that they end up raising more suspicions than they ever douse. If he hadn't gone

through such an elaborate scheme to hide the newspaper story, probably no one

would have made anything of it in the first place. But noooooo...

[misswonderly3]

The technical issues with this website get more bizarre every day. Yesterday I posted an answer to your comment and Uncle Charlie and his newspaper schtick. I thought it went through, because I saw it. Or thought I did . Now it's gone.

 

Anyway, yeah, you're right. If Uncle Charlie hadn't made such a fuss about that newspaper, Young Charlie wouldn't have started wondering about him. Well, yes she would have, but maybe not so early on.

 

Shadow of a Doubt is one of my very favourite Hitchcock films. Every member of the cast is perfect for their part.And Joseph Cotton playing a sinister character -it works!

 

By the way, I think I was mistaken about the newspaper thing -i believe it's a boat, not a hat.

 

I wonder if this time my post will "take"?

[DownGoesFrazier]

Can you name a couple other crime movies in which criminals arouse even more suspicion by trying to cover their tracks?

[johnm001]

> {quote:title=konway87 wrote:}{quote}

> SPOILERS

>

> The Trouble with Harry is a special film, because it has beautiful cinematography and first score for Hitchcock by Bernard Herrmann. Performances were fine especially from John Forsythe and Mildred Natwick. I don't know why some people say John Forsythe was miscast.

>

He is sheer perfection in the role. I can't imagine why anyone would consider him miscast?! I also can't imagine anyone else in the role..

[konway87]

SPOILERS

 

I believe Uncle Charlie made a barn with the newspaper. Uncle Charlie only started getting worried after Young Charlie reads "TS from BM", which was on the ring. I agree about John Forsythe. I can't imagine anybody else.

[C.Bogle]

Well, it's yesterday's news by now anyway. I do recall it was a little house or

barn, with a rectangle torn out for the door. Compared to the newspaper ladder

that Malcolm Merriweather made for Opie, it's not very impressive. The ring was

the tangible proof that eliminated the doubt. Uncle Charlie must not have been

thinking too clearly when he gave it to Charlie. Still, with a little ether and some

butter, he probably could have taken it off her finger without having to try to kill

her. Once he got rid of the ring, there was nothing left to incriminate him. Live

and learn.

 

He didn't help himself either with his speculations on the world as a sewer and

the fat cow like widows who deserved to be slaughtered like so many animals.

That sent up some red flags. Guess he just couldn't keep quiet.

 

I can't think right now of many instances of other criminals who worked so hard to

cover up their crimes that they ended up exposing themselves instead, but I'm sure

there are such types. I don't remember all the plot details, but maybe Laura and

Dial M for Murder had something along that line, if not as explicit as Shadow of a Doubt.

[DownGoesFrazier]

I guess Cotten couldn't keep quiet because he wasn't used to roles like that.

[misswonderly3]

I'm guessing Joseph Cotton really relished that horrible speech he made, if only because he was usually cast as either inherently decent or , at worst , weak ( The Third Man for instance?)

But rarely evil. So he probably was happy to have a speech he could sink his teeth into, so to speak.

(ha! another reference to vampires!)

 

Edited by: misswonderly on May 28, 2010 10:51 PM

[DownGoesFrazier]

He was pretty evil in THE MONEY TRAP.

[C.Bogle]

Oh when will they ever learn?

[C.Bogle]

That was a juicy speech and role for someone who was still pretty new to the movies,

and he did a splendid job with that role. I was really talking more about the character

as the one who couldn't keep his mouth shut. Uncle Charlie is one of those chatty

nutcases. Oh when will they ever learn?

[Bronxgirl48]

>> I think male violence toward woman is presented as more a fear of woman than a fantasy of man>>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, that's the underlying motivation.

 

> Do you equate femininity with game-playing?

>

> Both sexes. It's often a tug-of-war. But, yes, I do believe women are more inclined to play games than men. And I say this being a guy who plays games. Lisa Carol is playing games, and Francie is playing a serious game. Love their games.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Human beings love to play games.

[Bronxgirl48]

> {quote:title=MissGoddess wrote:}{quote}

> I do think Hitch's films are voyeuristic more than is implicit in every (average) film, but I never got any sensation of exploiting women via violent fantasies. Even FRENZY strikes me as a movie about sick, self-delusion and Hitch really made no attempt to make this person (Rusk) sympathetic. Quite the reverse, in fact. Most of Hitch's films depict tortured men, don't they? And yes, I too think women play games but it doesn't shame me to admit it. I could say a lot harsher things about women but I'm controlling myself for public consumption.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every time I watch THE WOMEN I'm ashamed of my sex but so many men I've known are major game players -- in fact, they oftentimes out-maneuver the females. (even dealing with my kitchen and plumbing contractors confirms this, lol) I think Hitchcock understood human nature very well -- the tortured man and the tortured woman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>

> I think Hitch meant that comment about women to relate to how the audience will feel a more visceral horror, and in the men, an added desire to protect, when they see a woman in distress on screen. Yet he still put his male characters in situations of distress more often than the females.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are the Hitchcock expert -- I need to see way more of his films!

 

Edited by: Bronxgirl48 on May 29, 2010 3:05 PM

[Bronxgirl48]

> {quote:title=MissGoddess wrote:}{quote}

> I really need to watch Under Capricorn again. I've held off because I haven't been in the mood to watch a movie on the computer, I'd rather see it on TV. I'll see about getting a hold of a copy. You and Konway have made me want to see it. I tend to like when Hitch wandered away from his "suspense" genre/style, so it may be I will like it more than I remember. I really have no recall of what the story is about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm really looking forward to your thoughts when you catch up with it again.

[rohanaka]

Hi there Miss G...

 

Boy, I sure have been missing out on some really great chats on here lately. I am TRYING to get myself caught up with my reading so every so often I peruse a page or two from the more interesting threads here... and this one has been catching my eye for sure. You folks have really covered a lot of interesting territory.

 

I don't want to interrupt anything ongoing.... but just wanted to drop a note and say.. I FINALLY (finally.. FINALLY!) got to watch The 39 Steps (found it on youtube a while back and just have NOT had any time to sit down and watch it) It was a lot of fun.

 

I don't know if you all have chatted this one up yet or not... so I won't go any further (as I do not want to take you off on a tangent from anything else you have going on or drag you through a chat you've already had) so for now will just check in and let you know I have NOT been "shiftless" in my moviewatching promises to you..ha. It took me a while, but I am glad to finally have gotten the chance to sit down and watch this one tonight... ha. It's been a while since I had the time to do that... I am starting to feel like myself again.. ha.

 

Thanks for lettng me pop in and say hi!! Chat on, folks! :-)

 

PS oh golly.. ha... I just read your opening post for this thread (after I had asked you about The Farmer's Wife earlier.. ha. DUH.. ha. That one is next on my youtube watch list.. I hope.

 

Edited by: rohanaka on May 30, 2010 1:31 AM

[MissGoddess]

Hi Ro,

I'll chat on The 39 Steps if you want. I can re-watch it this morning to brush up on it. Did you like it? Where would you rank it among Hitch's movies?

[JackFavell]

Ooooh. I love the Thirty-Nine Steps!

[konway87]

The 39 steps is an interesting film. Robert Donat's performance was great. I think the audience can relate much more to Robert Donat's character (Hannay) in this film than Cary Grant's character (Roger O. Thornhill) in North by Northwest. I think that's why I like the film a lot better than North by Northwest. Madeleine Carroll was fine in her role.

[johnm001]

I like *The 39 Steps*, as well; but you could count on less than one hand the number of films I like better than *North by Northwest*. To me it is film perfection.

[DownGoesFrazier]

THE 39 STEPS, NORTH BY NORTHWEST, and SABOTEUR have much in common.

[konway87]

I think Foreign Correspondent also has a lot in common with North by Northwest.

[misswonderly3]

The 39 Steps holds a special place in literature, specifically The Catcher in the Rye. It appears to be the only movie that Holden Caulfield likes. I remember the first time I read that book (a long time

ago) and how I was intrigued by Holden's description of it. It made me want to see it.

 

This is a film that takes you on a breathless whirl of an adventure and never lets go. I feel it is the first film that's indicative of what Hitchcock was capable of, the first really "Hitchcockian" Hitchcock film.

 

There are so many unforgettable scenes in it. Just a few:

Haney's stay at the Scottish farm house, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The pretty young wife of the ill-tempered farmer, and her assisting Haney to escape. (Didn't she give him her husband's coat?)

 

Of course, the famous "finger missing" moment. Haney trusts the man to whom he's explaining the spy ring plot, and says that he was told to look out for a man with a part of one of his fingers missing."Like this?" the man asks, holding up that very finger.

 

The impassioned speech Haney gives when everyone assumes he is the political candidate they expected. "I know what it's like to be hungry and alone and to have no one to turn to! "

 

The at once innocent and erotic scene when Donat and Madelein Carrol are alone in the guesthouse bedroom, but still handcuffed to one another. Donat wears an expression of both pleasure and assumed disinterest as Carroll slips off her stockings and his hand runs over her thigh (but he can't help it!)

 

These are some of my favourite moments from a great film. All the classic Hitch elements are there; the desperate attempt to escape the authorities long enough to relay a vital message, physical attraction combined with distrust, a "respectable" villain, and lots of elegant comedy and suspense.

[cujas]

I think the last scene in *39 Steps* may be Hitch's best.

[rohanaka]

Hi there Miss G!!! Yes.. I DID like The 39 Steps a lot! I am glad to hear you are up for a chat on it. I wasn't sure if it was a "previously gabbed" one on here or not, ha. I will be back maybe later tonight or tomorrow with more to say but for now will just say... oh that Robert Donat...ha, wowee!

[misswonderly3]

Is everyone invited to participate in this chat or is it a private club meeting?