Opinions on this film seem to divide fairly dramatically between those who consider all the English cast to be 'wooden' and implausible and those who find them immediately recognisable and charming: "well-bred, smart, plucky and brave". (Apparently corresponding neither to the generational nor the national dividing lines one would expect, to judge by the comments I overheard at tonight's screening in London.) I would assign myself very definitely to the second camp: these are characters immediately familiar to anyone who knows the films or popular novels of the period, reassuringly akin in their reticence and understated courage and use of humour to defend their deepest feelings (American viewers, think 'hobbits'...). And it's refreshing to see an ordinary middle-aged couple taking a major role on screen rather than heavily glamorised star-types.
Hitchcock's films always benefited from a judicious dose of humour to alleviate the tension, and this one has a light touch with it, along with the usual touch of slight naughtiness (the mattress that is "still warm", for instance...) It manages to wrong-foot both the viewer and/or cinematic conventions a few times (when the villain fires at the hero and actually gets him, for instance, or when it is shown that the Secret Service have -- as of course they would -- ordered an intercept on the phone) although some of the plotting is inevitably somewhat arbitrary in order to force a more exciting set-up. I did feel that Peter Lorre's comic-book-mastermind performance was a bit over the top compared to the other actors (as with his character in "Secret Agent").
I was wondering why the name 'Nova Pilbeam' rang a bell. In fact, this is the same actress who was to give such a good performance as an adult only a few years later in "Young and Innocent". As a child actress she is adequate; she would do better things later.
I found this one of the more enjoyable Hitchcocks so far, probably because I got on with its sense of humour. The villains are just about ruthless enough to be credible (so often with this sort of plot, one is left asking "why didn't they just KILL him?!"), the authorities are less bumbling than convenience often dictates, minor characters are swiftly and vividly created (always a good sign... I loved Mrs Brockett...) and the ending is neatly foreshadowed in the beginning. I do hope somebody remembered poor Uncle Clive though :-)
Hitchcock's films always benefited from a judicious dose of humour to alleviate the tension, and this one has a light touch with it, along with the usual touch of slight naughtiness (the mattress that is "still warm", for instance...) It manages to wrong-foot both the viewer and/or cinematic conventions a few times (when the villain fires at the hero and actually gets him, for instance, or when it is shown that the Secret Service have -- as of course they would -- ordered an intercept on the phone) although some of the plotting is inevitably somewhat arbitrary in order to force a more exciting set-up. I did feel that Peter Lorre's comic-book-mastermind performance was a bit over the top compared to the other actors (as with his character in "Secret Agent").
I was wondering why the name 'Nova Pilbeam' rang a bell. In fact, this is the same actress who was to give such a good performance as an adult only a few years later in "Young and Innocent". As a child actress she is adequate; she would do better things later.
I found this one of the more enjoyable Hitchcocks so far, probably because I got on with its sense of humour. The villains are just about ruthless enough to be credible (so often with this sort of plot, one is left asking "why didn't they just KILL him?!"), the authorities are less bumbling than convenience often dictates, minor characters are swiftly and vividly created (always a good sign... I loved Mrs Brockett...) and the ending is neatly foreshadowed in the beginning. I do hope somebody remembered poor Uncle Clive though :-)