I just watched it too. Also, never heard of it before. It didn't disappoint, definitely Hitchcock like in so many ways.
shareMe three--LOL I also just watched it for the first time and had never heard of it before. I, too, am a Hitchcock fan; and Robert Osborne and his guest programmer, James Curtis, intrigued me with the comment that the film had touches of Hitchcock in it. Since I really liked Joan Fontaine in both "REBECCA" and "SUSPICION," I thought I would check this out. I also like Herbert Marshall (as in Hitchcock's "FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT") so I figured I couldn't go wrong with both of them as co-stars.
I really enjoyed it, too. Where has TCM kept this film hidden? Robert Osborne commented that he really likes it, and I am a regular TCM viewer. Well, better late than never.
I recommend it.
I knew about this film having purchased a rather poor copy on DVD, but good enough to really enjoy it. The copy played last night on TCM was quite good, though, and you could really see what a quality film this is. Did Ms. Fontaine ever give a bad performance? I have not seen one yet, and here she's as effective and beautiful as ever.
share(May contain spoilers.)
This film definitely has some Hitchcockian elements, such a cool blonde, a man wrongfully accused, mirrors, a build up of suspense, and falling from high places (shades of "Vertigo.")
Loved Fontaines last scene.....her character was so out of the normal for her career-I didn't expect it.Think that's one of the reasons the film is so good-can't wait for it to air again..or find it on DVD.
shareWarning spoilers, blah, blah, blah.
TCM aired it last month and I DVR'd it and just now got around to watching it. It was featured by a man who wrote a book on the producer of this film, William Cameron Menzies. Anyway, Robert Osborne said that Menzies said he wanted this film (though it seems like the other man seemed to correct him saying that it was another film but I'm not certain now; geez, senior moment here) to "Out Hitchcock, Hitchcock."
Well, it was good, yes, but it didn't out Hitchcock, Hitchcock. lol! For one thing, the purse in the clock was rather silly. Still, it did contain a lot of Hitchcock's favorite actors that he used in several films, besides Joan Fontaine.
1. Herbert Marshall starred also in Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent (1940) (a personal favorite of mine) and Murder! (1930).
2. Cedric Hardwicke also starred in one of Hitchcock's best and most known work, Rope (1948), as well as in one that also starred Fontaine, Suspicion (1941).
3. Lucile Watson had been in Hitchcock's cute Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941).
4. Una O'Connor also starred in Hitchcock's Murder! with Herbert Marshall too.
This film is definitely a fairly worthy attempt to compete with Hitchcock.
Random Thoughts: http://goo.gl/eXk3O