fletch5
Joined Sep 2000
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fletch5's rating
"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.
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.
Despite this being a film noir piece, it's a very sunny movie in appearance, regardless of how unlikely that may sound. Multiple chases, great interplay between Mitchum & Greer, and fast-paced direction by Siegel make this a fun little film that can be enjoyed more than once.
My feelings towards "Charade" are fairly mixed. When I first saw it, I wasn't impressed. After repeated viewings, I didn't feel so negative about it anymore, but I still experience it as an uneven combination of light comedy and suspenseful mystery that suffers from some badly misplaced elements.
Firstly, the three villains played by Coburn, Kennedy and Glass really seem to belong in another movie, as they are way too quirky characters for this kind of glossy flick. (There's also a terribly annoying kid with his water pistol.) Secondly, the romantic angle between Grant and Hepburn seems ludicrous, mainly due to the huge age gap.
Although there are indeed some very nice location shots around Paris, nearly the entire middle section of the film takes place indoors and tends to drag on a bit. Also, Hepburn's acting doesn't quite convince at every turn, but that's almost inessential since she looks so elegant in her Givenchy costumes. Matthau, however, is surprisingly excellent in a rather unusual role for him.
Firstly, the three villains played by Coburn, Kennedy and Glass really seem to belong in another movie, as they are way too quirky characters for this kind of glossy flick. (There's also a terribly annoying kid with his water pistol.) Secondly, the romantic angle between Grant and Hepburn seems ludicrous, mainly due to the huge age gap.
Although there are indeed some very nice location shots around Paris, nearly the entire middle section of the film takes place indoors and tends to drag on a bit. Also, Hepburn's acting doesn't quite convince at every turn, but that's almost inessential since she looks so elegant in her Givenchy costumes. Matthau, however, is surprisingly excellent in a rather unusual role for him.