Mr. and Mrs. Smith - 1941- Directed by Alfred Hitchcock- starring Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery- 1 Hour 34 Minutes

 Available on YouTube 

Carole Lombard starred in one of my all time favourite movies, To Be or Not to Be, directed by Ernst Lubitsch. 

Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery in Mr. and Mrs. Smith 1941- directed by Alfred Hitchcock 

"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is a delightful romantic comedy with witty dialogue, slapstick humor, and plenty of physical comedy. Lombard and Montgomery are perfectly cast as the playful and bickering couple, and their chemistry is undeniable. Hitchcock's signature visual flair is also present, even in this lighthearted film, with clever camera angles and editing techniques adding to the humor.

While not Hitchcock's most typical film, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is a charming and entertaining screwball comedy that offers a welcome change of pace from his usual thrillers. It's a timeless classic that's sure to please fans of romantic comedies and classic Hollywood cinema 

"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (1941) is a classic screwball comedy film directed by none other than the Master of Suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock. It stars the glamorous Carole Lombard and the charming Robert Montgomery as a married couple whose seemingly perfect life gets turned upside down when they discover their marriage is actually invalid.

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Mr. and Mrs. Smith 1941 movie poster

The film follows David and Ann Smith, a wealthy New York couple whose relationship, while loving, is prone to playful bickering and elaborate rules for resolving arguments. One morning, a seemingly innocuous question from Ann about whether they'd get married again if they had the chance throws their world into chaos. David's honest answer, that he enjoys the freedom of bachelorhood too much, leads to a major fight. This, in turn, triggers a chain of events that reveals a shocking truth: due to a technicality, their marriage license is invalid.

Suddenly single, Ann decides to explore the dating pool once more. She quickly starts seeing Jeff, a handsome colleague of David's, leaving David feeling jealous and determined to win his wife back. The film then takes us on a hilarious journey as David employs increasingly outlandish tactics to recapture Ann's heart, from serenading her with a mariachi band to pretending to be a spy.

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Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery in Mr. and Mrs. Smith 1941

"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is a delightful romantic comedy with witty dialogue, slapstick humor, and plenty of physical comedy. Lombard and Montgomery are perfectly cast as the playful and bickering couple, and their chemistry is undeniable. Hitchcock's signature visual flair is also present, even in this lighthearted film, with clever camera angles and editing techniques adding to the humor.

While not Hitchcock's most typical film, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is a charming and entertaining screwball comedy that offers a welcome change of pace from his usual work.

It was Hitchcock's only pure comedy film during his American career.

It was made shortly before Lombard's tragic death in a plane crash in 1942.

The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction

Mel u 

The Man Who Knew Too Much - A 1934 Movie Directed by Alfred Hitchcock- 1 hour 15 minutes

 Available on YouTube 

Alfred Hitchcock had a very long career in movies.

(Born: August 13, 1899, Leytonstone, London, United Kingdom

Died: April 29, 1980, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, United States)

The Man Who Knew Too Much is

 one of the most successful and critically acclaimed films of Hitchcock's British period. The film is Hitchcock's first film using this title and was followed later with his own 1956 film using the same name featuring a significantly different plot and script with some modifications. The second film featured James Stewart and Doris Day, and was made for Paramount Pictures. The two films are very similar in tone.

The film follows a British couple on vacation in Switzerland who become caught up in a plot to assassinate a foreign dignitary. Their young daughter is kidnapped and the couple must race against time to save her and stop the assassination.

The Man Who Knew Too Much is a classic Hitchcock thriller, featuring suspenseful action, complex characters, and a memorable score by Louis Levy. The film was a critical and commercial success, and it has been praised for its taut direction, suspenseful plot, and strong performances from Banks and Lorre.

Foreign Corrpondent- A 1940 Film Directed by Alfred Hitchcock- run time Two Hours

 Available on YouTube 

The film follows Joel McCrea as John Jones, a crime reporter who is sent to Europe by his American newspaper as a foreign correspondent. He is initially reluctant to go, but his editor convinces him that it is a great opportunity.

When Jones arrives in London, he is quickly drawn into a web of intrigue. He meets with a Dutch diplomat who is trying to expose a Nazi spy ring, but the diplomat is assassinated before he can reveal too much. Jones then teams up with a beautiful politician's daughter (Laraine Day) and a urbane English journalist (George Sanders) to investigate the spy ring.

Their investigation leads them to a remote windmill in Holland, where they believe the Nazi spies are operating a secret radio transmitter. However, when they arrive at the windmill, they are captured by the spies.

I do not want to reveal much of the plot. I found the closing twenty minutes very exciting.  

Foreign Correspondent was a critical and commercial success when it was released in 1940. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Joel McCrea.

The film is considered to be one of Hitchcock's best early works. It is a suspenseful and exciting thriller with all the hallmarks of a classic Hitchcock film: great characters, clever plot twists, and masterful direction

 

Suspicion- A 1941 Film Directed by Alfred Hitchcock- Starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine- run time 1 hour 40 minutes

Alfred Hitchcock had a very long career in movies.

(Born: August 13, 1899, Leytonstone, London, United Kingdom

Died: April 29, 1980, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, United States)

The film tells the story of Lina McLaidlaw (Fontaine), a wealthy young heiress who falls in love with and marries Johnnie Aysgarth (Grant), a charming but penniless playboy. After the marriage, Lina begins to suspect that Johnnie is involved in shady dealings and may even be planning to kill her for her inheritance.

Hitchcock uses a variety of techniques to build suspense and create a sense of paranoia in the audience. One of the most effective is the use of close-ups of Lina's face, which allows the viewer to see her growing fear and suspicion. Hitchcock also uses shadows, mirrors, and other visual elements to create a sense of unease and dread.

The film was a critical and success, and Fontaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance. Suspicion is considered to be one of Hitchcock's best films, and it is still admired today for its suspenseful atmosphere and its masterful use of cinematic techniques.

Here are some of the things that make Suspicion a classic psychological thriller:

The film's central premise is both intriguing and terrifying: is Lina's husband really planning to kill her?

The performances by Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine are both excellent. Grant is charming and charismatic, but he also has a dark side that Fontaine's character begins to suspect.

Hitchcock's direction is superb. He creates a sense of suspense and paranoia that keeps the audience on edge throughout the film.

The film's ending is both satisfying and disturbing. It provides a resolution to the central mystery, but it also leaves the audience with a sense of unease.

 The secondary characters, her parents, the crime novelists and others add a lot. In a macabre way there are for sure elements of humour.

Mel ulm

Jamaica Inn - A 1939 Movie Directed by Alfred Hitchcock - Run Time 1 hour 34 minutes- Starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara

 Available on YouTube 

Jamaica Inn was adapted from Daphne du Maurier's 1936 novel of the same name. It is the first of three of du Maurier's works that Hitchcock adapted (the others were her novel Rebecca and short story "The Birds"). It stars Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara in her first major screen role. It is the last film Hitchcock made in the United Kingdom before he moved to the United States.

The film is set in 1820 in Cornwall, England, and tells the story of Mary Yellan (O'Hara), a young woman who goes to live with her aunt and uncle at the Jamaica Inn, a remote hostelry on Bodmin Moor. She soon discovers that her uncle, Joss Merlyn (Laughton), is the leader of a gang of wreckers who lure ships to their doom on the Cornish coast in order to steal their cargo.

Jamaica Inn is a classic Hitchcock film, with all the hallmarks of his style: suspenseful plot, atmospheric setting, and memorable characters. The film is also notable for its stunning cinematography, which captures the beauty and wildness of the Cornish landscape.

The film was a critical and commercial success upon its release, and it is now considered to be one of Hitchcock's best films. It is a must-see for fans of classic cinema, suspense, and adventure.

Mel Ulm

Sabatoge -A 1936 Movie Directed by Alfred Hitchcock - Run Time 1 hour and 16 minutes - starring Sylvia Sidney, John Lodger and Oskar Homolka

Available on YouTube 

 Sabatoge is loosely based on Joseph Conrad's 1907 novel The Secret Agent, about a woman who discovers that her husband, a London shopkeeper, is a terrorist agent.

In the film, Karl Verloc (Homolka) is a mild-mannered owner of a London movie theater, but he is secretly a terrorist agent working for a foreign power. His wife, Sylvia (Sidney), is unaware of his activities, and he uses her young brother, Stevie (Desmond Tester), to deliver bombs to various targets.

When Scotland Yard detective Ted Spencer (Loder) goes undercover investigate you husband she becomes suspicious and initiates her own investigation.

Sabotage is one of Hitchcock's lesser-known films, but it is still considered to be a classic example of his filmmaking style. It features many of the elements that Hitchcock is known for, such as suspenseful sequences, complex characters, and dark humor.

The film was also notable for its realistic depiction of terrorism, which was a relatively new topic at the time. It was released in the years leading up to World War II, and it is thought that Hitchcock was inspired by the rise of fascism in Europe.

I found the closing of the film very exciting with tragic and gratifying elements woven together 

Mel Ulm

The 39 Steps - A 1935 Film Directed by Alfred Hitchcock- run time 1 hour and 36 minutes

A Shadow of a Doubt - A 1943 Movie Directed by Alfred Hitchcock - Starring Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotton

 

I highly reccomend the above presentation from The M I T film lectures

The film tells the story of Charlotte "Charlie" Newton (Wright), a young woman who lives in a small town in California. Her life is turned upside down when her charming and sophisticated uncle, Charles Oakley (Cotten), comes to visit. Charlie soon begins to suspect that her uncle is the "Merry Widow" killer, a serial murderer who has been terrorizing the country.

The film is a classic example of Hitchcock's suspenseful style. It is also notable for its exploration of the themes of family, innocence, and evil. Shadow of a Doubt is considered one of Hitchcock's best films, and it has been praised by critics and audiences alike. 

Here are some of the things that make Shadow of a Doubt a great movie:

The performances are excellent, especially from Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten

The script is well-written and suspenseful.

The direction is masterful, with Hitchcock using his trademark techniques to create a sense of unease and dread.

The film is visually stunning, with beautiful cinematography and set design. It was filmed largely in Santa Rosa, California.

The themes of family, innocence, and evil are explored in a complex and thought-provoking way.

Mel Ulm 

Notorious- A 1946 Movie Directed by Alfred Hitchcock- Starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman - run tims 1 Hour and 41 Minutes

 The film is set in the aftermath of World War II. Alicia Huberman (Bergman), the American daughter of a convicted Nazi spy, is recruited by government agent T. R. Devlin (Grant) to infiltrate an organization of Nazis who have escaped to Brazil. Devlin convinces Alicia to marry Alexander Sebastian (Rains), a wealthy Nazi sympathizer, in order to gain access to his inner circle.

Notorious is a classic example of a Hitchcockian thriller, with its suspenseful plot, complex characters, and visually striking cinematography. The film's most famous scene is the "vinegar glass" scene, in which Alicia is forced to drink poisoned wine. The scene is notable for its use of shadows and suspenseful music, and it has been praised by critics as one of the most iconic scenes in film history.

Notorious was a critical and commercial success, and it won three Academy Awards: Best Cinematography, Best Black-and-White Art Direction, and Best Original Screenplay. The film is considered one of Hitchcock's best works, and it has been ranked on many lists of the greatest films ever made.

Here are some of the things that make Notorious a great movie:

The acting is superb, with Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains all giving tour-de-force performances.

The story is suspenseful and engaging, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the audience guessing.

The cinematography is stunning, with Gregg Toland's use of shadows and light creating a truly memorable visual experience.

The music is haunting and evocative, perfectly capturing the film's mood and atmosphere.

I especially enjoyed the shots from the plane as it lands in Rio de Jeniro, having had this experience several times.

Notorious is available on YouTube 

Mel Ulm 

Rear Window - A 1954 Film Directed by Alfred Hitchcock- Starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly

 Available on Internetarchives.org 

Alfred Hitchcock had a very long career in movies.

(Born: August 13, 1899, Leytonstone, London, United Kingdom

Died: April 29, 1980, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, United States)

In his six decades in the movie business he made over fifty films. 

My research suggests Rear Window is considered one of his greatest works.

The film follows L.B. Jeffries (Stewart), a professional photographer who is confined to his apartment with a broken leg. He spends his time spying on his neighbors through his rear window, and becomes convinced that one of them has committed murder.  The lives of the neighbours provide a motiff for the concerns of Hitchcock.

Rear Window was a critical and commercial success, and is considered one of Hitchcock's best films. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Here are some of the things that make Rear Window a classic film:

The suspenseful atmosphere: The film creates a sense of unease and suspense by trapping the viewer in Jefferies' point of view. We see what he sees, and we feel the same sense of isolation and claustrophobia that he does.

Hitchcock's masterful use of camerawork: Hitchcock uses a variety of techniques to create suspense and tension, including long takes, tracking shots, and point-of-view shots. He also makes use of shadows and reflections to create a sense of mystery and unease.

The performances: The cast gives excellent performances, particularly James Stewart and Grace Kelly. Stewart is believable as the injuredv photographer who becomes obsessed with his neighbors, and Kelly is charming and intelligent as his girlfriend.

The inaction in the photographers life seems mirrored by his relationship with his girlfriend, the transcendentally gorgeous Grace Kelly.  She wants more than he is willing to offer and likewise he does not fit into her life as a high fashion model and dress designer.

Mel Ulm

Rebecca- A 1940 Movie Directed by Alfred Hitchcock - Sfarring Lawrence Olivier and Joan Fontaine - run time 125 minutes

 

Alfred Hitchcock had a very long career in movies.

(Born: August 13, 1899, Leytonstone, London, United Kingdom

Died: April 29, 1980, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, United States)

In his six decades in the movie business he made over fifty films. 

Rebecca was the first film he directed after moving to the United States. 

The screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood and Joan Harrison, and adaptation by Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan, were based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier.

The film stars Laurence Olivier as the brooding, aristocratic widower Maxim de Winter and Joan Fontaine as the young woman who becomes his second wife, with Judith Anderson, George Sanders and Gladys Cooper in supporting roles.

The film is a gothic tale shot in black-and-white. Maxim de Winter's first wife, Rebecca, who died before the events of the film, is never seen. Her reputation and recollections of her, however, are a constant presence in the lives of Maxim, his new wife and the creepy housekeeper Mrs. Danvers. 

Rebecca was a critical and commercial success, and it won two Academy Awards: Best Picture and Best Cinematography. The film is considered a classic of the psychological thriller genre, and it has been praised for its suspenseful story, its atmospheric cinematography, and its iconic performances.

Here are some of the things that make Rebecca a great film:

The story is suspenseful and intriguing, with a twist ending that will surprise you.

The characters are complex and well-developed, and they are brought to life by the excellent performances of the cast.

The performances: Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine are both excellent, and Judith Anderson is particularly memorable as the sinister Mrs. Danvers.

The direction: Hitchcock is a master of suspense, and he uses his skills to great effect in Rebecca. The film is full of memorable scenes, such as the one where the young woman sees Rebecca's ghost.

The story: The story is well-paced and suspenseful, and it keeps the viewer guessing until the very end.

Rebecca is a classic film that is still enjoyed by audiences today. It is a must-see for fans of Hitchcock, psychological thrillers, and gothic tales

It may not sound like it but there are some very funny scenes in Rebecca 

there is an important change from the novel but it has no impact on the movie 

I greatly enjoyed this  movie

Vertigo- A 1958 Film Directed by Alfred Hitchcock - Starring James Stewart and Kim Novak -run time two hours and Five Minutes

 Alfred Hitchcock had a very long career in movies.

(Born: August 13, 1899, Leytonstone, London, United Kingdom

Died: April 29, 1980, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, United States)

In his six decades in the movie business he made over fifty films.  My research indicates Vertigo is regarded among his very best works.

The story was based on the 1954 novel D'entre les morts (From Among the Dead) by Boileau-Narcejac. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor. The film stars James Stewart as former police detective John "Scottie" Ferguson, who has retired because an incident in the line of duty has caused him to develop acrophobia (an extreme fear of heights) and vertigo, a false sense of rotational movement.

The film opens with Scottie witnessing the death of a police officer who falls from a rooftop. Scottie is blamed for the death, and he develops a fear of heights. He retires from the police force and becomes a private investigator.

Scottie is hired by his old college friend Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) to follow his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak). Elster believes that Madeleine is possessed by the spirit of her great-grandmother, Carlotta Valdes. Scottie agrees to follow Madeleine, and he soon becomes obsessed with her.

Scottie follows Madeleine to various locations around San Francisco, including the Mission Dolores cemetery, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Twin Peaks. He watches her as she gazes at Carlotta's grave, and he sees her fainting at the top of the bell tower.

Scottie eventually saves Madeleine from suicide, and he begins to fall in love with her. However, Madeleine's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and she eventually disappears. Scottie eventually discovers that Madeleine is not who she seems, and that Elster has been manipulating him all along.

Vertigo is a complex and multilayered film that explores themes of obsession, deception, and the nature of reality. It is considered to be one of Hitchcock's masterpieces, and it has been praised for its visual style, its psychological insights, and its haunting atmosphere.