Who'd have thought university would be so time-consuming!
Who'd have thought university would be so time-consuming!
Member since:19.06.2005
Reviews:131
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My Hitchcock week continues in earnest, and my third film by the great one is perhaps one of his lesser known works, Suspicion. It was made in 1941, and stars Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine, who won an Oscar for her performance. This film was also nominated for Best Music and even Best Picture. They play a charming rogue and a beautiful rich lady respectively, and I think this is a film that really should be better known, as it's rather good.
When Lina McLaidlaw (Fontaine) is whisked off her feet by the handsome Johnnie Aysgarth (Cary Grant), they get married and all seems happy. But - and you knew there would be a but - she thinks he is trying to kill her. It's not as far-fetched as it sounds, because as she delves into his past, all she finds is a string of i.o.u s, dodgy dealings and large amounts of money "won on the horses". When Johnnie's friend and business partner, Beaky (played by Nigel Bruce),
dies from an overdose of Brandy, and Johnnie goes missing at that same time, her suspicions are well and truly aroused. Will she discover the truth and confront him before it is too late, or will his passion for murder mystery books tip him over the edge of a dangerous cliff?
At first, I really didn't think I would enjoy this. It all seemed very twee and old-fashioned, with Joan Fontaine being incredibly posh, Johnnie being almost too charming to be believable, and Beaky being incredibly annoying and saying "old bean" far too much. Yes you did hear me correctly - OLD BEAN! How naff is that? But as I got further into the story, I became hooked, and was dragged along by Fontaine's marvellous performance. True, she only really has to act scared all the time, but she does it with aplomb, and the chemistry between her and Grant is there for all to see. He is also great as usual, being at once both lovable and despicable, and pulling off his nastier scenes with real anger.
Alfred Hitchcock directs this film with his usual flair, and keeps the tension building up possibly even better than in any other of his films. As you discover Johnnie's sinister past, the clues start coming thick and fast, and in parts it's almost unbearably tense. Despite all the clues, you really can't believe that Cary Grant could possibly be a murderer, and yet it's all seemingly laid out in front of us. By the time you reach the finale - driving along a cliff-top at breakneck speeds, Lina looking terrified, her door flies wide open, she's falling out - it's so exciting I can't properly describe it here. Hitchcock uses black and white photography to good effect again, and there's nothing quite like Grant sneaking around the house in the dark to arouse your suspicions. The musical score is also quite creepy and sinister.
Alas, after all this fantastic work, the film has one of THE worst endings I have ever had the misfortune to watch. Yes, even worse than Van Helsing (if you've ever watched that you'll know what I mean). Without trying to give anything away in case everyone moans I've ruined it for them, is Johnnie a murderer? What do you think? Everything is summed up all too, well, nicely, and I was left crying out for something a bit more unpredictable and daring. I heard that Hitchcock himself didn't like this ending but he was forced to do it by the producers, and I can totally believe that. As well as the ridiculous story "twist", the whole thing is done in about a minute and a half, leaving the viewer feeling absolutely cheated and let down. Talk about an anti-climax.
So, I hope I haven't put you off too much by the ending, as what leads up to it is fantastic - I really would say that it's better than Strangers on a Train, even better than Rear Window, that much heralded classic. The cinematography is great, the acting is great, the tension is great, the ending is AWFUL, but the film as a whole is very good. You really should watch this film if you get a chance, but I would say if you truly want to enjoy it, switch off before they start talking at the end, and come up with your own ending - you'll be infinitely happier than this cheese-fest. (Oh, did I mention the ending wasn't very good?)
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
I really enjoy old films, but haven't heard of this one. I definitely watch it when I get the chance. good review. Ewa
torr 17.11.2005 12:07
Old Bean is pretty naff, but the slangs of yesteryear always sound naff, don't they? Naff will probably sounds pretty naff in a few years time. Apart from that, enjoyed the review. Duncan
Repeated viewings can't dispel the shock of the final scene ofSuspicion, Hitchcock's ... more
classic 1941 romantic mystery--a brief but disorientating confrontation that suddenly inverts the heroine's mounting conviction that she's married a murderer, forcing ...
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![Suspicion [DVD] [1941]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/83282289.jpg "Suspicion [DVD] [1941]")
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