Hitch #33 - Spellbound (1945)

Spellbound (1945)

I keep thinking we’re going to do better and then it’s over nine months before we finally get to the next Hitch film - and what a disappoimntment it turned out to be. Spellbound is not a great film, I’m not sure I ever thought it was but I didn’t realise just how disappointed I’d be this time around. Here’s why:

• The staff of Green Manors are the most unprofessional professionals you’re likely to find. They behave like the schoolmistresses at St Trinians, with a contempt for their chosen profession and for their fellow professional.
• Even Constance is shockingly unprofessional.
• The amount of blame given to the fact that Constance is a woman is shocking…
• … the fact that she seems to accept all this nonsense is also shocking.
• Surrealism! Ffs giant scissors!
• Gregory Peck … what a block of wood.

I suspect it’s because I know the film quite well but Murchison telegraphed his guilt (or Hitch telegraphed Murchison’s guilt) at every opportunity so it didn’t even have the suspense that Hitch is so fond of and famous for.

It’s 19 years since I last saw the film and have rated it lower than I did then, although I think I’ve been a bit generous becasue Saboteur is much better and I only gave that a five!

Source: DVD
Rating: 4/10 (I did rate it 5/10 but bcs of the Saboteur comment above I’ve downgraded it!)
Hitchcock Zone: Spellbound (1945)