Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection: Part 3

Alfred Hitchcock is one of those directors that are nearly universally praised.  He was able to do thrillers, horrors, dramas, and comedies.  There is varying quality to his films, but for the most part they fall on the good side of movies by a large margin.  Most film lovers like Hitchcock.  I’m no different.

Fifteen movies are included in the Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection.  The collection covers each genre listed above through multiple movies.  Most of the movies cross into multiple genres.  Hitchcock was a man who would make movies that stood out.  They were provocative, unique, and suspenseful, no matter what the genre.  He knew what to give the audience in order to lure them into the movies.  He was an entertainer, and he knew how to entertain.

As I bring my viewing of the Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection to a close, I have five more films to write about.  The time I have spent watching these movies has been mostly enjoyable.  There were moments I didn’t like, but for the most part, everything was good, if not great.  These movies deserve the treatment they got because they are of the quality that they are.  These are movies that should be seen by any fan of movies.  They are inspiring.  They are entertaining.  They are good movies.

Without further adieu, here are the five remaining movies.

Shadow of a Doubt

This is the film that most disappointed me in the whole set, and the film that I most want to revisit.  Something about Shadow of a Doubt felt off.  It was not entirely satisfying, though the story should have been quite gripping.  As a viewer, you know who the good and bad people in the situation are.  It’s a slow burn as the good come to discover the bad as being bad, and the viewer tags along for the ride.  In many instances, the movie is great.  There was simply a missing component upon my initial viewing that I feel a subsequent viewing might alleviate.

The Man Who Knew Too Much

Without having seen the original to compare this to, I’d say that this is among the great Hitchcock films though not in my top 5.  The relationship between mother and father, and their need to find their child is one of the best relationships in any Hitchcock movie.  The setpieces are good, the action is good, and the final line of the movie is perfect.  Plus, the climactic theater scene that builds tension through music, while not giving a single line of dialogue is one of the best moments in movie history.  There is a lot to love about this movie.

Rear Window

Until this Hitchcock retrospective of sorts, I had always considered Rear Window to be my top Hitchcock film.  That isn’t the case anymore, though it is still close to the top for me.  The setup is something that wouldn’t necessarily speak of greatness from a written description, but Hitchcock somehow pulls of great tension and suspense throughout the one setting movie.  The design of the set is astonishing.  It feels like an apartment complex, and the community aspect shines through.  The heat also radiates from how the film was shot.  The movie is undeniably great.

Torn Curtain

Something didn’t work in this film, and it may very well have had to do with struggles behind the camera.  Since Hitchcock did not get along with Paul Newman, it is easy to tell that it may have affected the quality of the overall film.  I was disconnected from the movie.  It didn’t grip me, and I was only semi-interested the whole way through.  It’s still better than a lot of movies, but not up to the standards that I have for Hitchcock.  I am disappointed in this one.  I might give it a rewatch at some point to see if my accusations have a true foundation to them.

Topaz

I was not expecting to be so delighted with this movie.  The plot, which involves spies, and the Cuban Missile Crisis, didn’t seem like it would be as fun as it was, with Hitchcock directing.  I do not know why I thought this.  It was a highly enjoyable film with great performances, mostly by people I do not know.  There is not a lot of action, but that doesn’t matter.  Hitchcock can do more than just suspenseful action.  He knows how to build a movie without action as well, and most of this movie is proof of that.  Good stuff.