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The Hollywood Classics (1951~1954)

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The Hollywood Classics (1954)
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Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Strangers on a Train (1951)

Screenplay:Raymond Chandler, Czenzi Ormonde., from the novel by Patricia Highsmisth.
CAST: Farley Granger, Robert Walker, Ruth Roman,
Leo G Carroll, Patricia Hitchcock, Laura Elliott

Granger, Walker

PLOT: The film is a perfect example of the exchange murder theory, the enticing possibility of committing a perfect crime. Two men meet by chance on a train with no link except that they both stand to benefit from someone close to them; what if they were to kill each other's victim, providing the suspect with a perfect alibi for what seem like two random crimes? In the film, the exchange murder scenario goes ahead, except that one of the principals does not go through with his part of the bargain. Although the evil Walker has already murdered Granger's wife, he refuses to murder walker's father, so he tries to coerce him by threatening to plant a piece of evidence, a lighter, at the scene of the crime. However he is crushed do death by a roundabout before he can incriminate Granger, who is cleared..

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Farley Granger with extranged wife(Laura Elliott) future victim of psychopath Walker

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(above) Patricia Hitchcock, Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, Leo G Carroll
(below) Robert Walker, Farley Granger

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Entering his fourth decade as a filmaker, Alfred Hitchcock released one of the "Thrillers of the decade", a success both with the critics and the audiences. Stunning set-pieces, stark and effective performances (especially by Walker) and a gripping suspense that is kept to the last frame.The director even manages to elicit sympathy for the clearly psychotic Walker character.

Granger,Walker

Dial M for Murder(1954)

PRODUCTION: Alfred Hitchcock, Warner Bros.
Scenography: Frederick Knott from his play
Camera: Robert Burks
Costumes: Moss Mabry
CAST: Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings,
John Williams, Anthony dawson, Leo Britt,
Patrick Allen

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PLOT:
The film is essentially a melodrama, in which Tony Wendice, the husband,(Milland) discovers that his rich wife, Margot(Kelly) has been having an affair with thriller Writer Mark halliday(Cummings. Afraid of losing her money if she leaves him, he blackmails a disreputable former school-fellow into agreeing to kill her. The would-be murderer bungles the attempt and is himself stabbed by Margot in self-defence with apair of scissors. Wendice manages to make il look like she cold -bloodedly killed the man because he blackmailed her and she is arrested and charged with murder and found guilty, but saved at the end by the alertness of the detective and a slip-up over the door keys by Wendice.

Dawson, Kelly

Kelly< Dawson

To Hitchcock's intense indignation,Warner Bros insisted that the film should be shot in 3-D, the latest Holliwood fad,and so it was filmed in color and remain as the best example of the soon to be discarded fad.
The whole cast is excellent, but the real star of the film was Grace Kelly in her first leading role. Hitchcock was fascinated by her icy beauty and potential for restraint.
From her very early scenes his camera gently ravishes Kelly, who is dressed in beautiful gowns. At one point Hitchcock even acceded to her suggestion that she play the crucial murder scene in a nightdress rather than a dressing gown. She became the director favorite actress and their friendship lasted a lifetime.

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54_Milland, Kelly

I Confess (1953)

Production: Warner Bros.
Screenplay: George Tabori, William Archibald, based on the 1902 play" Our two consciences" by Paul Anthelme.
CAST: Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, Karl Malden,
Otto E. Hasse, Brian Aherne, Roger Dann,
Dolly Hass, Ovila Legare, Charles Andre,

53_I confess_Clift,Malden

PLOT: The film deals with a Catholic priest,Father Logan (Clift), who hears confession from his sexton Keller (OttoE.Hasse) and learns that he has committed murder. Bound by the sanctity of the confessional, Logan cannot reveal his findings to the detective LaRue (Malden) and finds himself suspected of murder. Logan is brought to trial but although found not guilty by the jury, on leaving the courtroom he is attacked by an angry crowd. The Killer's wife, knowing of Logan's innocence, rushes to protect him, but is murdered by her husband, who in turn is shot by the police. While he lies dying Keller once again confesses to Logan,this time in front of enough witnesses to clear the priest's name once and for all.
In the original script Logan was found guilty and when to placate the Catholic Church and be able to use the churches for location, Hitchcock changed it, a subplot, involving irrelevant romantic melodrama and guilt was added.

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"I Confess" was a flawed film, on several fronts. Non Catholic audiences could not understand the priest's sacrifice and the shooting in Quebec City, Canada, was also made difficult by the problems of communication between the director and Clift who was steeped in the Method school and also had a serious drinking problem . As a result his performance is uneven and flat. Anne Baxter also was miscast as his former girlfriend. Altogether the film had only a minor success and the critics were lukewarm.

iconfess_mclift.jpg

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54_Grace Kelly

Cummings, Kelly

During the filming, Grace Kelly and Ray Milland got involved in an affair that ended as soon as the actor started to talk divorce from his wife.

Ray Milland

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