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With: Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, Karl Malden, Brian Aherne, O.E. Hasse, Roger Dann, Dolly Haas, Charles Andre
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Written by: George Tabori, William Archibald, based on a play by Paul Anthelme
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Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
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Running Time: 94
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Date: 02/12/1953
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Gore and Priest
By Jeffrey M. Anderson American critics consider this 1953 effort one of Hitchcock's least films, but French critics consider it one of his very best. On a technical level, it's superb; it contains perhaps the most flagrantly beautiful black-and-white cinematography of any Hitchcock film (only The Wrong Man comes close to it). The film keeps up its icy sheen throughout, though a couple of minor problems contribute to its lesser status.
Father Logan (Montgomery Clift) hears the confession of a murderer, but cannot disclose the information to anyone, at any time, for any reason. It turns out that the murder victim was blackmailing Father Logan over a former love affair he shared with Ruth Grandfort (Anne Baxter), and all signs begin to point to him as the prime suspect. Logan's passiveness fails to drive the film; it's frustrating and anti-climactic to watch a character who refuses to take action; it works against the film's energy. And though Clift may have been a great actor, his frozen, stiff portrayal of Father Logan only emphasizes the film's inaction. Additionally, when Hitchcock optioned the original play in 1953 it was already 50 years old and a little dated. Now it's 100 years old and very dated. Even so, a lesser film by the master is much better than any of today's cheap knockoffs, so it's still very much worth watching. The DVD from Warner Home Video comes with a making-of documentary (featuring Peter Bogdanovich and others), newsreel footage of the world premiere and a trailer. Optional subtitles are available in English, Spanish and French.
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