I've just re-watched it and am pleased at how often there are laugh-out-loud moments. It's very Hitchcockian in its humor too - I can imagine his delight in planning it. Some of my favorites of his are the ones that don't fall into his standard 'innocent man wrongly accused' format. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a riot as well. Hitchcock was good with comedy.
"I'll book you. I'll book you on something. I'll find something in the book to book you on."
I agree about Hitchcock's talent with humour. He's particularly good at black/macabre humour.
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I agree with all the above posters. The humor in this film is priceless and definitely carries Hitchcock's signature.
In fact, I loved watching Mildred Natwick so much in this film that I ordered a copy of a brief series she had starred in opposite Helen Hayes called THE SNOOP SISTERS.
For a wonderful comic performance by Mildred Natwick please watch "Barefoot In The Park". And she could also break your heart - try to find a copy of "The Enchanted Cottage" - the '40's version with Robert Young. A truly great actress with a huge range.
shareBetter than I expected. The comedy is subtle, and the entire cast plays it perfectly. This movie is completely original and I can't wait to see it again.
I agree. I started watching it as part of a Hitch season on British TV back in the mid 80s and it was the only one I gave up on. Didn't do it for me at all. Watched it last night, maybe 30 years later (gulp...) and loved it! The script is packed with nice little moments and juicy inuendo (for the era) the locations are glorious and the acting is so perfectly pitched, Edmund Gwen in particular is so subtle. I don't know why I didn't enjoy it first time around but it's not the only film for which thats been the case.
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