I think this film has a lot against it that you can't necessarily blame entirely on the production--though it has problems. With such amazing films from the 1950s as "Vertigo", "Dial M For Murder", "Strangers on a Train", "North By Northwest", "The Rear Window" and "To Catch a Thief" (among others) all coming from Alfred Hitchcock during this decade, it makes "Stage Fright" seem poor by comparison. Had it not been natural to compare these films, it sure would have made "Stage Fright" look a lot stronger.
Unfortunately, this is not the only problem the film has against it. The plot is very slow and complicated, there is a very atypical sort of appearance by Marlene Dietrich (you don't expect song and dance numbers in a Hitchcock film) and the film used a FALSE flashback scene--something that infuriated a lot of patrons at the time. I knew it was coming and still thought it harmed the film. In addition, the story seemed to drag and just never seemed all that interesting. Now it's not a bad film--just not one that is much more than a time-passer. Perhaps you'll like it more than I did...and I hope you do.
Unfortunately, this is not the only problem the film has against it. The plot is very slow and complicated, there is a very atypical sort of appearance by Marlene Dietrich (you don't expect song and dance numbers in a Hitchcock film) and the film used a FALSE flashback scene--something that infuriated a lot of patrons at the time. I knew it was coming and still thought it harmed the film. In addition, the story seemed to drag and just never seemed all that interesting. Now it's not a bad film--just not one that is much more than a time-passer. Perhaps you'll like it more than I did...and I hope you do.