Stage Fright
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DVD Cover Information Actor: Alastair Sim, Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich, Michael Wilding, Richard Todd Director: Alfred Hitchcock Brand: Warner Brothers Cinematographer: Wilkie Cooper Producer: Alfred Hitchcock Writer: Alma Reville Writer: James Bridie Writer: Ranald MacDougall Writer: Selwyn Jepson Writer: Whitfield Cook DVD: Region Code 1 Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language) Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled Picture Format: 1.33:1 Running Time: 110 minutes DVD Release Date: 2004-09-07 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Studio: Warner Home Video |
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Movie Reviews of Stage Fright
Movie Review: The "lie" is not the problem
Summary: 3 Stars
**(spoilers)**
In his famous interview with Hitchcock, Truffaut trashed this movie and tossed it aside. So, of course Hitch did too (Hitch did not argue with his interviewers). Ever since, this movie has been hacked to death because of its most ingenious aspect--a re-inactment of a crime that turns out to be a lie.
The documentary on the DVD makes heavy weather of this as well. Many films have used this--Agatha Christie mysteries and Brian DePalma's thrillers come to mind--but we tend to forgive them because we have been conditioned to not trust the characters. If we automatically trust Richard Todd in "Stage Fright," that is our own immaturity as passive viewers. I wish Hitchcock had defended himself, and said something like "well, that will teach an audience not to trust every character in a film."
The movie isn't perfect. The only "fright" is the minor danger that Jane Wyman will be found out, and kicked out of Dietrich's house. For about 5 minutes at the end she is in grave danger, but that's it. What propells the movie forward is the assembly of some fabulously English characters, who are give free reign to do their schtick.
This is a very strong vehicle for Dietrich. She's sexy and funny (note that she calls Wyman by a different name 3 times), and even gets to sing.
I love this film dearly. It's truly charming. But I must admit, it is not among Hitch's best films.