Can hardly believe it has been twenty years since i sat in a rectoryalong with several fssp clericsenjoying alfred hitchcock s i confess. Alfred hitchcock directs montgomery clift in the thriller i confess, which can be seen in a standard fullframe transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1. I confess is unlike any of hitchcock s movies since it lacks the mysterious glamour thats found in his most famous works. Video of i confess 1953 full movie for fans of alfred hitchcock. Popularly known as the master of suspense for his use of innovative film techniques in thrillers, hitchcock started his career in the british film industry as a title designer and art director for a number of silent films during the early 1920s. Hibbs quoted hitchcock s thesis of films as the stronger the evil, the stronger the film, and said this comes across in i confess.
So begins the 1953 alfred hitchcock movie, i confess, which takes place in the 1950s in quebec city. Where as a film of his that is merely good falls so far down on his list of achievements that it looks insignificant. His directorial debut was the 1925 release the pleasure garden. Even so, i confess was highly praised by the auteurs of the french new wave and, from what i can tell, the online commentariat now seems to embrace the movie. Released between strangers on a train and dial m for murder, i confess has been somewhat lost to time the film stars montgomery clift in the leading role as a priest whos wrongly suspected of murder. I confess is a 1953 drama film, directed by alfred hitchcock. A priest, who comes under suspicion for murder, cannot clear his name without breaking the seal of the confessional. This may not be one of hitchcocks greatest movies, but its still a great film, since it was made by the master, who somehow managed to survive beautifully in.
Having a murderer confess to a priest who couldnt betray this trust already was a familiar plot twist by 1953, when. The trouble, of course, is that the audience is told near the start of the film that the. I confess alfred hitchcock, montgomery clift, anne baxter. English film director alfred hitchcock made cameo appearances in 40 of his 52 surviving major films his second film, the mountain eagle, is lost. I confess 1953 official trailer montgomery clift, anne baxter movie hd duration. All hitchcock films appear in our big meta collection, 1,150 free movies online. But speaking of boats and mary mary you really missed the boat on the lady vanishes. Police inspector larrue narrows his investigation to logan. Hitchcocks i confess as catholic noir the observer. This is one of the lesser known films of hitchcock, but it deserves much more acclaim.
I confess 1953 official trailer montgomery clift, anne. Hasse, his guilt known only to logan, who then meets mysterious ruth anne baxter, her first scene outside, in hitchcock s i confess. Montgomery clift plays a priest who hears the murder confession of church sexton o. Often used the wrong man or mistaken identity theme in his movies saboteur 1942, i confess 1953, the wrong man 1956, north by northwest 1959, frenzy 1972. I confess is a 1953 film noir directed by alfred hitchcock, and starring montgomery clift as fr. I confess is definitely one of the most dramatic and consequential of hitchcock s pictures. I confess is about a priest that is accused of the murder of a lawyer. With montgomery clift, anne baxter, karl malden, brian aherne. Bound by the laws of the confessional, clift is unable to turn hasse over to the police. Directed by alfred hitchcock and shot on location in quebec city, quebec 1953s i confess introduces us to otto kellar o. This is a good movie, and it should not be considered minor hitchcock.
Hasses otto keller and is subsequently accused of the same crime by karl maldens dogged police officer. Michael william logan, a catholic priest, anne baxter as. I confess is frequently dismissed as a lesser hitchcock, due mainly to the quirky performance of montgomery clift who, it is said, steadfastly refused to take direction. The movie s critical reception hasnt fared much better in the years since. I confess 1953 official trailer montgomery clift, anne baxter. A lesser known hitchcock film, shot in and around quebec city.
Having a murderer confess to a priest who couldnt betray this trust was already a. Logans famous ordination scene, which features this gregorian melody alfred hitchcock was a roman catholic, and this film is peppered. I confess is a 1953 american film noir directed by alfred hitchcock, and starring montgomery clift as fr. It never gets mentioned in any hitchcock documentaries or when discussing about his movies. A passable yet underwhelming thriller, alfred hitchcocks i confess follows montgomery clifts father michael logan as he receives a confession of murder from a local parishioner o. Hitchcock was a roman catholic and was deeply impressed by the stage play on which this film is based and despite being faced with a range of censorship requirements produced one of his finest achievements in i confess. Even without taboris final touches, i confess is hitchcock s most european film. Michael william logan, a catholic priest, anne baxter as ruth grandfort, and karl malden as inspector larrue the film is based on a 1902 french play by paul anthelme titled nos deux consciences our two consciences, which hitchcock saw in the 1930s the screenplay was written by george. The film is wonderfully dark, and is a unique variation on hitchcock s favourite theme. Its a technical marvel and i find it to be gripping from beginning to end. Hopefully well see more hitchcock films from the warner library on bluray soon including mr. Until then, i confess comes very highly recommended. Based on the turnofthecentury play our two consciences by paul anthelme, this alfred hitchcock film is set in quebec. The other day, when i posted the v eni c reator s piritus, it brought to mind fr.
Great classics, indies, noir, westerns, etcyou might also particularly enjoy our collection of free noir films blackmail free englands first talkie feature film, starring anny ondra, john longden, and cyril ritchard. I confess is a strong candidate for hitchcocks most forgotten film. Father logan montgomery clift using a ruse to enter the crime scene, meets inspector larreu karl malden, who then interviews murderer keller o. Its a fairly promising setup that is, at the outset, utilized to. They work on the upkeep of a catholic church, keeping up the building and tending to the garden. List of alfred hitchcock cameo appearances wikipedia. Today, four decades removed from its onset intrigues, the film has taken its place as one of the best of hitchcock s between the classics efforts. Whilst robbing a house where he sometimes works as a gardener, otto is caught and kills the owner. These notes accompany the screenings of alfred hitchcocks i confess on may 30 and 31 and june 1 in theater 3 alfred hitchcock 18991980 has thus far been represented in our series by blackmail 1929 and notorious 1946.
Ive never liked any of hitchcock s other movies so i was not expecting to like this 1 at all. For the films in which he appeared, he would be seen for a brief moment in a nonspeaking part as an extra, such as boarding a bus, crossing in front of a building, standing in an apartment across the courtyard, or even appearing in a newspaper. With i, confess, alfred hitchcock set out to make one film that would reflect all of his feelings about his catholic upbringing. Its not only one of hitchcock s best, its one of the best movies ever made.
Rather than showing i confess, frankly, my preference for a film from this period would have been strangers on a train or rear. The main events of the film take place in quebec city. The english soundtrack is rendered in dolby digital mono. A film of his that is good would be considered great by most directors standards.
Even without taboris final touches, i confess is hitchcocks most european film. The guilty person is otto keller, the church sexton, who wore a priests cassock to commit a robbery that led to the murder. Hitchcock and his frequent collaborator robert burks, who served as director of photography on both films, make excellent use of location shooting quebec in i confess. Alfred hitchcock i confess 1953 shares a theme that many of his most famous films had. The priest knows the murderer, but he cant reveal his identity, because the man confessed the crime to him in the confessional. Alfred hitchcock knew a thing or two about complicated thrillers. Warners new bluray of alfred hitchcock s i confess is a must own for fans of the director and film collectors as well. Lifeboat is an extraordinary film no less when you consider the time period it was made in. Having a murderer confess to a priest who couldnt betray this trust already was a. Otto kellar and his wife alma work as caretaker and housekeeper at a catholic church in quebec. The plot centers around a priest named father logan played beautifully by montgomery clift, who is unable to tell the police about a murder since he is bound by the vow of confessional secrecy. I confess 1953 official trailer montgomery clift, anne baxter movie hd refusing to give into police investigators questions of suspicion, due to the seal of confession, a priest becomes the.
The main stars were montgomery clift, anne baxter and karl malden. The film doesnt offer the usual amount of excitement or thrilling entertainment than his better known ones north by northwest, for instance. Most sources i read referred to the film as flawed or a failure of the hitchcock style. But of hitchcocks nonsuspense films, i confess may be his greatest triumph. English film director alfred hitchcock made cameo appearances in 39 of his 52. Alfred hitchcock 18991980 was an english director and filmmaker. This film builds in a way so the evil becomes stronger in particular individuals, and evil becomes stronger in the sense that it spreads, he said. In quebec city, quebec, father michael logan is accused of killing a wellknown lawyer. Warners new bluray of alfred hitchcocks i confess is a must own for fans of the director and film collectors as well.
I confess 1953 ann baxter, montgomery clift, youtube. I confess, screen play by george tabori and william archibald from a play by paul anthelme. Spoiler alert i confess that this is the 1st ever hitchcock movie i truly enjoyed. Going to confession on movie screens feature story. The parish caretaker is kneeling in a pew and is highly distraught. I confess 1953 official trailer montgomery clift, anne baxter movie hd refusing to give into police investigators questions of suspicion. I confess puts the ethics of privacy of the church on the stand, which ultimately.
848 845 1177 1481 982 1087 775 371 524 873 1611 1526 268 1201 891 65 20 672 575 553 506 604 137 89 203 942 136 1100 258 232 146 1010 1076 872 451