tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post4759546625834435694..comments2023-07-23T09:45:33.199-05:00Comments on the last lullaby (and) peril: 1943: Shadow of a Doubt (Alfred Hitchcock)Jeffrey Goodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-63362252317519669512010-03-03T08:53:03.040-06:002010-03-03T08:53:03.040-06:00Thanks so much, Jeremy! Great to see you here. A...Thanks so much, Jeremy! Great to see you here. And wonderful to hear that you and I are on the same page with this one. <br /><br />Everyone, please check out Jeremy's awesome blog and list that he's in the middle of now, too:<br /><br />http://mooninthegutter.blogspot.com/Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-80491672181536701392010-03-03T08:23:12.409-06:002010-03-03T08:23:12.409-06:00Among my top five Hitchcock films...an absolutely ...Among my top five Hitchcock films...an absolutely extraordinary work.Nostalgia Kinkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02506680500183270767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-50660997287630456922010-02-21T03:02:50.192-06:002010-02-21T03:02:50.192-06:00Ed, I'm really excited to see these Lewton fil...Ed, I'm really excited to see these Lewton films! I'll post back (in red) as soon as I've seen them. I've already done some retroactive posting on my 1926, 1927, 1928, and 1930 entries. <br /><br />Thanks so much for the Hawks list. It's awesome to have as I move forward, I really appreciate you taking the time to send that my way.<br /><br />Thanks, Ed!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-83786147165874696062010-02-20T22:09:38.881-06:002010-02-20T22:09:38.881-06:00Will be curious about your opinions on Lewton once...Will be curious about your opinions on Lewton once you see some of those; he's a pretty essential figure for 40s cinema.<br /><br />And as requested, here's my top 15 Hawks:<br /><br />1. Only Angels Have Wings<br />2. His Girl Friday<br />3. Rio Bravo<br />4. The Big Sleep<br />5. Twentieth Century<br />6. The Thing From Another World<br />7. El Dorado<br />8. Hatari!<br />9. A Girl in Every Port<br />10. Ball of Fire<br />11. Monkey Business<br />12. Ceiling Zero<br />13. Scarface<br />14. The Big Sky<br />15. Air Force<br /><br />These are tough to rank, though, and I love all of those so much that their placements could vary from day to day.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-53438113988914200202010-02-20T22:03:14.899-06:002010-02-20T22:03:14.899-06:00Troy, thanks so much for the great comments! I de...Troy, thanks so much for the great comments! I definitely want to see the Lewton films and THE OX-BOW INCIDENT soon. They're all three already on the queue, and I can't wait!<br /><br />Always fantastic to have your perspective! Thanks, Troy.Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-67519222529679862802010-02-20T21:59:16.806-06:002010-02-20T21:59:16.806-06:00Ed, great stuff! I hate to say I haven't seen...Ed, great stuff! I hate to say I haven't seen the two Lewton pictures yet, but I have already added them to the queue. <br /><br />At some point, I'd also love to see if I could get a list of your 10 favorite Hawks (or even 15!). As someone who loves him as much I do but knows him better, it'd be instructive for me to see how you rate them.<br /><br />Thanks, Ed!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-74618491840536577092010-02-20T19:21:50.188-06:002010-02-20T19:21:50.188-06:00I'll add to the love for the Lewton films -- b...I'll add to the love for the Lewton films -- both ZOMBIE and SEVENTH VICTIM are fantastic. I haven't seen SHADOW OF A DOUBT in many years, but I remember it being great fun (you made a good point about how it's simply an entertaining yarn instead of something that tries for an deep introspection).<br /><br />My top film for the year would be THE OX-BOW INCIDENT, sort of a film-noir Western that show Wellman and Henry Fonda at their finest.Troy Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14843741571724231174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-49598279688384974682010-02-20T18:17:09.276-06:002010-02-20T18:17:09.276-06:00Hard to argue with any Hitchcock choice. This isn&...Hard to argue with any Hitchcock choice. This isn't a top-tier one for me but I love Cotten and Wright in it, and it's certainly a fine movie.<br /><br />My own top choice would have to be <i>I Walked With a Zombie</i>, one of Lewton's best films if not his absolute best, and an utterly haunting work of low-key horror. The same year, of course, also yielded the Lewton/Robson <i>Seventh Victim</i>, an almost equally great film, a kind of poem to death. I also love <i>Meshes in the Afternoon</i>, and the very underrated <i>Air Force</i>, one of Hawks' great ensemble pieces.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-49645469103663541162010-02-20T16:33:53.675-06:002010-02-20T16:33:53.675-06:00John, thanks so much for the great comments! I ne...John, thanks so much for the great comments! I need to see THE OX-BOW INCIDENT and have already added it to the queue. I'm really looking forward to it.<br /><br />Thanks, as always, for sharing your wonderful perspective! Glad to see I'm not the only one with a few gaps here and there.Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-82686164351465266592010-02-20T14:31:14.560-06:002010-02-20T14:31:14.560-06:00Dave, I noticed this morning that you had just re-...Dave, I noticed this morning that you had just re-watched this! I'm so glad that you had a good experience with it. I still have to see the other four of your top five list, but I'll report back here as soon as I watch them.<br /><br />Thanks, as always, for the excellent comments!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-5225695322615464722010-02-20T14:22:01.776-06:002010-02-20T14:22:01.776-06:00Jeffrey, certainly a fantastic choice though for s...Jeffrey, certainly a fantastic choice though for some reason not one of my favorite Hitchcock's. That said, just about any Hitch is better than most films. He certainly captures the feel of small town America in the 1940's. I always loved the dark humor of his films. My own personal pick is "The Ox-Bow Incident", a tense downbeat western with outstanding performances and a strong indictment on mob rule and group mentality. A great film by Wellman.<br /><br />#1 The Ox Bow Incident<br /><br />Other choices in order... <br />Shadow of a Doubt<br />The Seventh Victim<br />I Walked with a Zombie<br />The More the Merrier<br />Heaven Can Wait<br /><br />I too have some gaps in this year (Hangman Also Die, Le Corbeau and Days of Wrath among them.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-41931531608190738832010-02-20T14:01:10.568-06:002010-02-20T14:01:10.568-06:00I was trying to decide what I wanted to watch last...I was trying to decide what I wanted to watch last night and saw that you had this one listed as your choice for 1943... and since I had been planning on revisiting it at some point in the near future anyway, I decided to watch it last night. It's definitely a great one. I place just behind my personal favorite Hitchcocks (Rear Window, Psycho, Rebecca, and Vertigo) but it's very close. And it's a great contender for the best film of '43. But ultimately I have to stick with my original choice - Jacques Tourneur's I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE. I think it's the best movie that Val Lewton ever made and second only to Out of the Past in Tourneur's work. Here is a top 5 for me for '43:<br /><br />1. I Walked With a Zombie (Tourneur)<br />2. Day of Wrath (Dreyer)<br />3. Five Graves to Cairo (Wilder)<br />4. Shadow of a Doubt (Hitchcock)<br />5. Air Force (Hawks)Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-7251432141455445072010-02-20T11:45:15.682-06:002010-02-20T11:45:15.682-06:00Thanks, Jeff! All great stuff, and I couldn't...Thanks, Jeff! All great stuff, and I couldn't agree more. <br /><br />I particularly love these sentences:<br /><br />"The protaganist is carrying a lot of emotional weight on their shoulders, in their head and heart. These layers stack up to create powerful suspense."<br /><br />I CONFESS is a Hitchcock I still need to see, but I plan to in the near future.<br /><br />Thanks again for the great comments!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-55828861567953749392010-02-20T11:39:54.287-06:002010-02-20T11:39:54.287-06:00Doniphon, great comments! I still have some gaps ...Doniphon, great comments! I still have some gaps in my Powell and Pressburger but definitely share your love for COLONEL BLIMP and BLACK NARCISSUS. I imagine I will love the other three you mention, as well, when I catch up with them (something I expect to happen soon!)<br /><br />I hear your points about the subtext of SHADOW OF A DOUBT and don't disagree at all. I think what I was trying to say, more than anything, was that it's a movie I respond to primarily in a visceral and emotional way. Or, in other words, watching this Hitchcock for me isn't really an intellectual experience, like maybe I have with some of his later work or with the work of many other auteurs. <br /><br />Always great and instructive to hear from you. Thanks!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-29417193194038371392010-02-20T11:20:17.992-06:002010-02-20T11:20:17.992-06:00Sam, thanks so much for your excellent comments! ...Sam, thanks so much for your excellent comments! Wow, I've never thought of SHADOW OF A DOUBT and THE FALLEN IDOL as siblings, but I think you're absolutely right. What an interesting observation.<br /><br />I can't say I know THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER well enough to make that connection. But you could absolutely be on to something with that one, as well.<br /><br />I still need to see DAY OF WRATH, and I plan to very soon. Given my love of some of Dreyer's other work though, it's almost guaranteed that I'll totally fall for this one, too. <br /><br />Thanks, Sam, as always, for the great knowledge and wonderful comments!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-85539028231528986882010-02-20T11:09:10.552-06:002010-02-20T11:09:10.552-06:00We just watched this film the other night and &quo...We just watched this film the other night and "I, Confess" the week before. I feel it was one of Joseph Cotton's best performances/roles. And Teresa Wright was amazing. Love how Hitch makes use of comedy with the chatty kid. The mother, played by ?? was also wonderful.<br /><br />Charly (Wright) adding it up after reading the article in the paper at the library is classic Hitchcock. We know that SHE knows -- but what will she do with this knowledge? How will she react? Who does she tell?<br /><br />Same for "I, Confess" and many of his films. The protaganist is carrying a lot of emotional weight on their shoulders, in their head and heart. These layers stack up to create powerful suspense.<br /><br />Great to come across your blog!<br /><br />Happy viewing,<br /><br />JeffJeffrey Blake Palmerhttp://www.flickerpictures.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-37814208198131298212010-02-20T09:53:23.606-06:002010-02-20T09:53:23.606-06:00I love Shadow Of A Doubt too, it's definitely ...I love Shadow Of A Doubt too, it's definitely one of my five favorite Hitchcocks, and while I totally agree with you that a film doesn't have to say anything to be great, I think Shadow Of A Doubt has a lot to say about the nature of violence, and its relationship to human institutions and establishments (here, suburbia).<br /><br />For me, though, it's no contest. 1943 belongs to Colonel Blimp. I'm an Archers nut and I'm never gonna change, and 1943 begins one of the most extraordinary streaks in cinematic history. For the next five years (at least) my favorite movie of that year is whatever Powell and Pressburger are up to. The reason that Colonel Blimp is my favorite film of 1943 (and A Canterbury Tale is my favorite film of '44 and I Know Where Im Going is my favorite film of '45 and A Matter Of Life And Death is my favorite film of '46 and Black Narcissus is my favorite film of '47) is that just like when I'm watching a movie directed by Tarkovsky or Tati or Malick, while I'm watching a movie directed by Michael Powell I feel like there's no way a greater director ever lived.Doniphonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02407443845368110678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-76012221066007304172010-02-20T09:40:06.936-06:002010-02-20T09:40:06.936-06:00Jeffrey, SHADOW OF A DOUBT, which was Hitchcock...Jeffrey, SHADOW OF A DOUBT, which was Hitchcock's personal favorite among his films, is a laudatory choice, and one that does as you astutely note, demonstrate the master's command of building suspense. In ways I thought the later Laughton film THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER bore some pacing similarities, and i am also reminded mightily of Sir Carol Reed's THE FALLEN IDOL.<br /><br />For me, it's a firm choice: Dreyer's DAY OF WRATH, a brilliantly thematic and ravishingly photographed tratise on witchcraft, which ranks among the greatest films in the history of the cinema. But the Hitchcock you are going with, the Lewton/Tourneur collaboration I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE, Bresson's LES ANGES DU PECHE, Maya Deren's avante gaarde MESHES FOR THE AFTERNOON, Powell and Pressburger's LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP and the Robson/Lewton THE SEVENTH VICTIM are masterpieces, and I might also be inclined to add Clouzot's LE CORBEAU to that shortlist.<br /><br />My Own #1 Film of 1943:<br /><br />Day of Wrath (Dreyer)<br /><br />Runners-Up:<br /><br />I Walked With A Zombie (Tourneur/Lewton)<br />Les Anges du Peche (Bresson)<br />Meshes in the Afternoon (Derren)<br />The Life and Daeth of Colonel Blimp (P & P)<br />Shadow of a Doubt (Hitchcock)<br />The Seventh Victim (Robson/Lewton)<br />Le Corbeau (Clouzot)<br />My Lerned Friend (Hay)<br />The Ox-Bow Incident (Wellmann)<br />Heaven Can Wait (Lubitsch)<br />The Leopard Man (Tourneur/Lewton)<br />The More the Merrier (Stevens)<br />The Song of Bernadette (King)<br /><br />Another wonderful analysis/consideration of your own top film here!Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.com