Pavor nos Bastidores

What a great flick. At times ill-paced, but the performances more than make up for it. What's not to love? Doe-eyed Jane Wyman shifts effortlessly between the roles of aspiring dramatist to lovestruck protectress of Richard Todd to infiltrating false maid of Marlene Dietrich. Managing also to string along Michael Wilding, as the ubercool Inspector "Ordinary" Smith, she might sound like some cold calculating wench who uses up people like Marlene goes through hats. But that wouldn't be strictly accurate. Her Eve Gill is sweet and naive, but her gentler qualities are tempered with a genuine acting talent that allows her to juggle identities with the slyness of a fox-chameleon hybrid. The scene at the garden party when she switches from Dietrich's cockney maid to Smith's innocent date with every turn is delightful.

It is the masterful presence of the great Alastair Sim, however, that makes Stage Fright one of Hitchock's most enjoyable to watch. Few actors have his ability of making the most average of dialouges sound like a powerful oration, and as Eve's doting father, he makes the movie. His Commodore Gill is always at the ready to harbor a fugitive, clip off a snappy witicism, or scrounge blackmail money for his beloved daughter. He is equally at home playing comic relief as he is to serving as the plot glue that makes Eve's capers possible. But live with his wife? Thank you, no! He is content to live on his boat. Whether he is staging an amusing diversion to aid Eve, dispensing sage bits of fatherly advice, or merely strolling out in public, the man bleeds coolness with every move.

Some can argue that Stage Fright gives but an average treatment to the usual whodunnit murder-suspense formula that Hitchcock (and countless others) have used. This is perhaps true. But compared to the whole lot of crappy facsimile suspense films made since 1950, Stage Fright is quicker to entertain than most.

Be sure to check it out if you want to see Hitch cast his own daughter Patricia in the supporting role of "Chubby Banister." Is that some kind of sick joke or was that name flattering in the fifties?

P.S.-- I can't watch Marlene Dietrich anymore and not be reminded of Madeline Kahn's Teutonic Titwillow. Is there some free therapy I can get for this?

"Stage Fright" has become one of my favourite Hitchcock movies. Even though it's not in the same league as "Psycho" or "Rear Window", it's still an extremely delightful piece of film making.

What makes it so enjoyable is the wonderful cast, which was mostly unknown to me before. Jane Wyman makes a lovely heroine for the audience to care about, and Marlene Dietrich is a riot as the stage diva, although I was a bit skeptical toward her at first. The scenes between Alastair Sim and Sybil Thorndike as Wyman's eccentric parents are hilarious. Richard Todd is perhaps a bit weak as the suspected murderer, but not distractingly so.

All in all, I find this a far more preferable watching experience than some of his more acclaimed films like "Notorious" or "The Birds" which are kind of cold and sterile. See it if you have the chance.

black comedy that boasts great performances from Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich, Michael Wilding, Alistair Sim, Sybil Thorndike, Joyce Grenfell, Kay Walsh & Richard Todd. Great use of silent sequences, close ups, slow motion, black humor, and mood lighting, Hitch's most underrated talkie (Easy Virtue is is most underrated silent film), this murder mystery offers all kinds of plot twists and sly humor even though you know the outcome long before it unspools. It's irrelevent. Fun all the way, including the opening theatre curtain and the closing one (thump). Dietrich is a splendid bitch, and this may be the best performance Wyman ever gave. Also look for Everley Gregg, Patricia Hitchcock, Miles Malleson and Ballard Berkeley. Dietrich's final close up and the coach scene with Wyman and Todd are gems. Sim and Thorndike are hilarious, as is the always wonderful Grenfell as "Lovely Ducks." A Must See.

Eve Gill (Jane Wyman), an aspiring actress studying at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts is interrupted in the middle of a rehearsal by her friend, actor Jonathan Cooper (Richard Todd), with whom she is secretly attracted. The frantic Jonathan explains that he is the lover of flamboyant stage actress/singer, Charlotte Inwood (Marlene Dietrich). Eve Gill will stop at nothing to clear her old boyfriend , who has been accused of murdering the husband of his mistress. Jonathan flees from the police taking refuge in his friend's house. Along the way, she's helped by her father (Alistair Sim). Disguising as a maid she falls in love with the investigating detective (Michael Wilding). Every time I'm beginning to think what color your eyes are, you disappear!. The Stage is Set for Warner Bros. Most Exciting Hit Yet!. Love held its breath as sudden terror held the stage!. Hands that applaud can also kill!

A gripping and suspenseful new greatness from Warner Bros that contains thrills, emotion , intrigue , twists and turns. An underrated Hitch thriller in which the killer of a famous actress's husband remains unidentified until the final, hectic and suspenseful moments. It is based on a novel by Selwyn Jepson , the special operations major who recruited many wartime agents, including Violette Szabo. Here Hitchcock uses his particular sense of suspense to involve the viewer in a plot full of traps. Main and support cast cast are pretty good, giving decent acting. Stars Jane Wyman who's very nice as the young who will stop at nothing to discover the murderer, she made this film right after winning a well-deserved Oscar for Belinda, costars Richard Todd as the man on the run from a murder rap and Alastair Sim's own special brand of humour steals the show, he's given fair play as he starts to diagnose the cause of foul play. And the German idol Marlene Dietrich who sings ¨The laziest gal in town¨. It also include Sybil Thorndike, Kay Walsh, Miles Malleson, André Morell each apparently determined to act the other off the screen. The rest of the cast , Hector MacGregor, Joyce Grenfell, though, could have easily been better chosen. And brief appearance from Patricia Hitchcock , Hitch's sister who often shows up in his films, and cameo Hitchock's himself as a pedestrian walking and watching Jane Wyman.

Made after Hitch's first British period when he directed silent films such as ¨The lodger¨ (1926) , ¨The ring¨(1927) , ¨Easy virtue¨ (1927) , ¨The Manxman¨(29) ; being ¨Blackmail¨(29) made as a silent , this was reworked to become a talkie . Following sound movies and early talkies as ¨June and the Paycock¨(30) , ¨Skin Game¨(31) , ¨Rich and strange¨(32) , ¨Number 17¨(32) , ¨The man who knew too much¨(34) , ¨The 39 steps¨ (35) , ¨The secret agent¨(36) , ¨Sabotage¨(36) , ¨The lady vanishes¨(38) , ¨Jamaica Inn¨ (39) until he is hired by David O'Selznick to shoot ¨Rebecca¨(40) in the US . And following: ¨Foreign Correspondent¨(1940), ¨Suspicion¨ (1941), ¨Saboteur¨ (1942), ¨Shadow of a doubt¨ (1943), ¨Lifeboat¨ (1944), ¨Spellbound¨ (1945) , ¨Notorious¨ (1946), ¨Paradine Case¨ (1947) , ¨The rope¨ (1948), ¨Under Capricorn¨ (1949) and this ¨Stage Fright (1950) the Master's last film made in England until ¨Frenzy¨ (1972). Rating ¨Stage fright¨: 7/10. A good film but something unknown and low ranked in Hitchcock's top career.

I had never heard of this movie before and had low expectations. However, I was amazed at what a wonderful movie it is. Not only is it "Hitchcocky" and suspenseful, it is also humorous and touching. Jane Wyman and Richard Todd did particularly well in this film. I do not usually like Marlene Dietrich, but I have to admit that she did a splendid job as the flamboyant theater star. This movie is set in London, and Hitchcock did a wonderful job of picking out the crew's British actors and actresses such as Alistair Sim and Michael Wilding. Surprisingly he even gave his own daughter, Patricia Hitchcock, a bit part towards the end. It is too bad "Stage Fright" is not more well known, and I highly recommend it.