It might have the most Hitchcock-like title of them all (okay, it’s not the usual one word hook – Psycho, Vertigo, Frenzy, etc – but it certainly serves to describe his most used plot device), but this could well be the least Hitchcock-like movie the guy ever made. There are few elaborate trick shots (though the photography is still beautiful), a near complete dearth of humour (straight or black), and as to the actors, who he’s famous for calling “cattle” (okay I’ll be fair, his words were something along the lines of, “I never said they are cattle, I said they should be treated like cattle,”), here are two of the best lead performances I’ve ever seen, Vera Miles and Henry Fonda. It’s amazing this movie wasn’t nominated for any Academy Awards, but then they always did have it in for Hitch.

I’m thinking, while watching this movie, either Hitchcock saw an Elia Kazan movie or two and decided to give gritty realism a try, or Hitchcock was simply under the thumb of the studio (Warner) and gave them what they thought the public wanted after the success Kazan and co’s new documentary-like, method acting etc, style. I’ll have to read the Truffaut interviews again, maybe there’s some info in there. Either way, the result is dramatic perfection. The tone reminds me of last year’s Vera Drake. Of course, the difference is that this movie was made practically when that movie was set. It’s a tough watch at times, but I recommend it as one of the master’s best.

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