sryder@judson-il.edu

I viewed Spiral Staircase last night, for the first time since I saw it in its initial run, (1946). I have become much more literate in cinema since that time, and two points stood out to me. First, the film clearly embodies many techniques of 1920s German filmmakers such as Wiene and Murnau; for instance the distorted angle shots and the use of shadows. The second is related: namely, the effectiveness of black and white photography. The contrasts that were possible with black and white cannot be as effectively conveyed in color. It's no accident that Hitchcock chose black and white for Psycho. The blood in the shower scene might have been more shocking if shown in red, as in some of the contemporary slasher type films; but the director understood that his audience could supply the color as the "black blood" crept (not gushed) out from the shower. As far as the content of the film is concerned, one can say that the performances were more than adequate, with the exception of stony-faced George Brent, who clearly was not in his element in a film of this genre, and made me wonder why Bette Davis had had a crush on him for many years. Ethel Barrymore is outstanding; as an experienced actress she was able in very few scenes to catch the mood of helplessness in the face of horror that makes her final appearance the more striking. There is not actually much suspense in the working out of the plot. Even though several false hints are dropped as to the identity of the serial killer, his identity should be fairly obvious from the start, for an experienced moviegoer.

Despite the technical achievements and the outstanding musical score, it is the performances that keep the film alive for me. Julie Andrews was right on target when she received her academy award and thanked Jack Warner for turning her down in the film version of My Fair Lady. She conveys both dignity and warmth as Mary. Dick van Dyke had the chance of a lifetime to demonstrate the breadth of his talents, especially his dancing, which could not be fully exploited on his TV series. Disney gave real depth to the film through his use of Elsa Lanchester, Arthur Treacher, Reginald Owen, Ed Wynn and (especially) Jane Darwell (who is cited in the IMDb biography as best known for her cameo portrayal of the Bird Lady, despite her 1940 Academy Award for one of the great all-time performances in Grapes of Wrath). I computed the ages of the five as reaching 418 years when the film was released; their film careers covered 193 combined years, with stage careers going back as far as 1905. Disney's casting of these, as well as a group of accomplished British actors of stage and film demonstrated what should be meant by "supporting cast": it gave strong support against which Andrews and Van Dyke could perform without being under to carry the entire film. Finally: If someone wants to appreciate the care that went into the film, s/he should purchase the new 40th anniversary DVD. Viewing the interviews and other documents enabled me to increase my already great enjoyment. They do not "murder to dissect"; quite the contrary.