3/10/18 Early Hitchcock double bill

Post date: Apr 15, 2018 2:24:34 PM

The Man Who Knew Too Much(1934)

Hitchcock made the Man who knew too much twice. The earlier version offers the viewer a great look at Hitchcock using techniques he learned from silent movies. One of the things that made Hitchcock a great director is the economical way he can tells a story. Not much can be cut out. In this movie, there are a number of times, the story is told without dialog but the audience knows what is going on. Bear in mind that the audience at the time was less knowledgeable about cinema than today. The movie has one of my favorite scenes of all time. It is total silent and consists of about eight shot. It was a scene to threaten the mother about not going to the police. In the era where every villain talks way too much, I always find this refreshing.

Secret Agent(1936)

The Secret Agent is a minor Hitchcock from the era. It stars Peter Lorre who was also in "The Man Who Knew Too Much". Hitchcock himself described the problem with the movie; the main character was too reluctant. I think it was a problem with casting. The two main actors, John Gielgud and Madeline Carroll offer little range in their parts. Gieldgud's character is so reluctant at first, the viewer wonders how he was picked for the assignment. Later on, he refuses to quit but he still goes about the assignment in a half hearted way. Carroll's character is initially into the assignment but gets turned off after the murder. This nice reverse of roles is way under written and way under played. Another piece that is under written and under played is the set up of the two main characters playing man and wife. When they first meet, the two characters seems to want to make fun of pretend husband and wife. Indeed, the Robert Young characters who flirts with the woman who he thinks is married is suppose to play off of that. Unfortunately, all the actors in the main roles did not have any comedic range to pull it off. The result is a movie that feels unrealized.