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Film Description
Hitch was forced to change the ending of this psychological thriller to appease RKO execs, nervous about a film implying Grant as a killer, yet the finished version remains a fascinating case study of how a vulnerable woman's suspicion grows from doubts based on circumstantial evidence (Fontaine in an Oscar winning performance). Grant's portrayal of the reckless, enigmatic Johnnie Aysgarth is equally notable, a sort of rehearsal for the far darker role in the later Notorious, and there's the classic Hitchcock touch in the wonderful climactic suspense sequence involving a suspicious glass of milk being carried up a staircase - Hitch put a lightbulb inside the glass to enhance the effect.
Fontaine bagged the Oscar but it's Cary Grant who's the ace.
Hitch was forced to change the ending of this interesting psychological thriller to appease RKO e... more >
Fontaine bagged the Oscar but it's Cary Grant who's the ace.
Hitch was forced to change the ending of this interesting psychological thriller to appease RKO executives, nervous about a film implying Cary Grant is a killer. Yet the finished version remains a fascinating case study of how a vulnerable young woman's suspicion grows from doubts based on circumstantial evidence (Joan Fontaine in an Oscar-winning performance).
Grant's portrayal of the reckless, slyly immoral Johnnie Aysgarth is even more notable, a sort of 'dress rehearsal' for the far darker role in the later Hitchcock masterpiece Notorious (1946).
There's also the classic Hitchcock 'touch' in the wonderful denouement - a superb suspense sequence involving a suspicious glass of milk being carried up a dimly lit staircase: Hitch put a lightbulb inside the glass to enhance the ghostly special effect.
Brilliant, underrated but slightly dated Hitchcock film - playful experimentation and also fascinating to see how 'Hollywood England' looked in 1940 too!!! < less
