Post by Salzmank on Oct 12, 2018 17:18:58 GMT
Crime drama. Very early we look into a window and see a man laying on the floor, presumed murdered, then we follow a man walking quickly down the streets of Quebec, we see his face, so we now who he is, he enters a church, and confesses the murder to a priest. Thus begins this movie, later the priest comes under suspicion for murder but cannot clear his name without breaking the seal of the confessional.
Usually mentioned as a lesser Hitchcock, but it's still a good movie as I see it. Very dark in it's story, with great location shots from Quebec. Clift as the priest is great, I usually have some difficulty in appreciating his acting style. Baxter as a former lover of the priest has a rather thankless role, Malden plays the police detective (maybe called something else in Canada) plays a methodic and clever police, and that is unusual for a Hitchcock movie, on the trial of the murderer. The murdered person is revealed as a dispicable person who blackmails persons, including Baxter's character. Popular German actors Hasse and Haas plays the murderer and his wife, who works as servents, handiman at the priest home, Hasse is very creepy as he reminds Clift about the seal many times.
Not so popular at the time of it's release, but has somewhat become reavaluated over the years, and became a favorite among the French New Wave directors.
It should be said that there is a great McGuffin in the story.
Was this the only time Hitchcock worked with method actors? I'm not sure.
The movie competed at the Cannes film Festival in 1953, but didn't win any prices.
As for method actors…does Paul Newman count? He was apparently always asking Hitch “what’s my motivation?” on the set of Torn Curtain (another “lesser Hitchcock” that I like).