MovieChat Forums > Spellbound (1945) Discussion > Which are Hitchcock greatest romances?

Which are Hitchcock greatest romances?

posted 15 years ago by bole79
5 replies | jump to latest

I found Spellbound sweet, Bergman starting out as a cold scientist, sure of mastering her mind and heart, and then one day proven wrong. Putting her career on the line. Determined to solve the mystery. Going to the end and beyond if necessary. (Funny moment at the end in front of the pointing gun, still putting all the faith in science.) Like she was -- spellbound in that day (or in a moment as Peck suggests) so the title could as well have her in mind. Or him for his condition. Or both of them as star-crossed lovers?

I remember Notorious, Rebecca and N-NW to be nicely romantic too. What else? Which one is the most interestingly romantic one?

[–] wolfefan 15 years ago

Interestingly romantic, I'm not sure. Oddly romantic maybe. You could look at Rear Window (Jimmy Stewart - Grace Kelly) or Vertigo (Jimmy Stewart - Kim Novak) or The Birds (Rod Taylor - Tippi Hedren) or Marnie (Sean Connery - Tippi Hedren) and others. Romance often seemed a necessary part of lots of his films, but it was only secondary at most and the romance was often troubled to say the least. Some ended well and some didn't. I haven't found one that I didn't really enjoy though.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TrippyTrellis 11 years ago

Hitchcock's most romantic film is "Notorious", one of the two or three most romantic movies of the '40s, followed by "Vertigo". In a distant third place I would put "Spellbound", thanks to Ingrid's incandescence, the unforgettable soundtrack and Hitchcock's camera work.

"Rebecca", in spite of Joan Fontaine's incredible performance, has never worked for me because Maxim de Winter is so dreadfully obnoxious from beginning to end.

[–] pt100 11 years ago

***Warning: possible spoilers for Vertigo and North by Northwest.***

I agree that Notorious is the most romantic of his films; although in a weird, twisted way, Vertigo could also be considered romantic, with James Stewart falling madly in love with Kim Novak (after all, who wouldn't?). There were also some really sexy flirting scenes between Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in North by Northwest, with the two characters eventually falling in love.

Notorious has one of the single most romantic moments in film history, courtesy of the censors, ironically. Censorship at the time forbid holding a mouth kiss for more than a couple of seconds or so. That is what led to the long, incredibly sensuous necking scene between Grant and Bergman where their lips scarcely touched.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]