Les cheveux d'or

Usually remembered as Alfred Hitchcock's first thriller, "The Lodger" is also a very good film in its own right. Although the acting is somewhat dated, and although there is not a really appropriate musical score that has survived, it has the carefully crafted plot and suspense that Hitchcock would become famous for.

The opening sequence uses the director's creative touches in setting the mood of a city terrorized by a mysterious killer, "The Avenger", who is targeting light-haired women. Then we meet the actual characters: an older couple and their daughter Daisy, and Daisy's policeman boyfriend. When a mysterious lodger appears and rents the family's extra room, his strange behavior begins to make them suspect that he might be the mad killer, even as he builds a close friendship with Daisy. As the story proceeds, tension and fear continue to build until an ending that is exciting, if somewhat melodramatic.

Hitchcock shows his mastery of silent film technique in using a wide variety of camera techniques and props to communicate the emotions of the characters. The acting is mostly good, although Ivor Novello as "the lodger" overplays his role rather noticeably. This is the kind of movie that could really benefit from a good musical soundtrack, and the fact that it is exciting to watch even without an appropriate score shows the quality of Hitchcock's craftsmanship.

Anyone who enjoys Hitchcock or silent films will definitely want to see "The Lodger".