251: Viva la vacuna! An occasional series where I review a randomly selected movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock… Spoiler warning: these reviews reveal plot twists. I can feel it. I-Confess Life is a one big show! In the next scene we see the man in a church, confessing his crime to a real priest: the murderer is Otto Keller (OE Hasse), a German refugee who works as a lay caretaker at the church. While robbing a house where he sometimes works as a gardener, Otto is caught and kills the owner. I Confess MPA Rating: Reviewed by: Brett Willis CONTRIBUTOR. There's a fairly amusing running gag involving a dopey priest on a bike, but even he looks like he would rather edge out of the reel. You can see why: for those who like to break their films down into structural parts, there's plenty to admire. The only weensy theological complaint I had was that, when Fr. The whole family watched this (youngest is five and oldest is 21) and they all seemed to follow it easily. We are watching an edifying, religious-themed movie with the family on Fridays in Lent. Required fields are marked *. The use of numerous close-ups and low-angle shots creates an unsettling atmosphere and some camera techniques, such as the way that Larrue's face is revealed just before he sees Logan and Ruth together in the street, create a frisson of their own. Justice may prevail in the end, but along the way there can be considerable collateral damage. He does pass under a statue of Christ carrying the cross at one point. Protected: Podcast #16: Reporticus Shutupicus! Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Starring Montgomery Cliff, Anne Baxter, Karl Malden Review by Steve Painter. In Tabori's original script, Father Logan gets revealed to be the father of an illegitimate child and is executed at the end – too much for the producers to handle. Fleeing to the confessional, the murderer confesses his deed to a young priest, Fr. Summaries. Your email address will not be published. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Director: Alfred Hitchcock. It’s a solid, but disappointing flick. I’m curious how Babette’s Feast is related to Lent? The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics. But a second-tier Hitchcock is still worth seeing–and better than what most directors make at the peak of their careers. Will he keep his oath, or break it to save his life? Logan did. 205 views. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Take a second to support simchajfisher on Patreon! I expected some rather stilted drama and rushing around and dramatic lighting, but not a lot of plot. Description: After Otto Keller accidentally murders a priest while trying to rob him, he flees to the church where he confesses his crimes to Father Michael Logan who swears to keep his confession between him and God. Instead, it reveals a little-known aspect of The Master of Suspense: his lingering fascination with and devotion to the Catholic Faith. I can tell why Tabori might have said that, but I also reckon couldn't have been more wrong. Protected: Podcast 51: the Grift of the Magi, Protected: Podcast #50: The Five Stages of Revenge, Podcast 49: Not trying to hurry you (FREE PODCAST! Without Clift, the film would have lost much of its dramatic force. What’s for supper? Was this review … Protected: Pocast #18: Let’s just do it and be legends! Contrast that with Clift's character being declared innocent by the judge at the end of the movie: for a few seconds there's no reaction whatsoever, then Father Logan breathes the softest, aspen-leaf sigh of relief. I can feel it. TOP 100 ACTORS of all-time; SEE THE … Otto Keller and his wife Alma work as caretaker and housekeeper at a Catholic church in Québec City, Québec. Hitchcock’s underrated I Confess may or may not not quite rank with his greatest masterpieces, but it offers perhaps the most compelling variation on the director’s favorite theme, the innocent man wrongly accused. Will a priest break his sacred vow when he’s accused of a murder committed by one of his flock? Hitchcock, on the other hand, just wanted to entertain. Not judging….I just vaguely remember the movie from college and would like to see it again. For starters, I am not a fan. Recommended. Some of these kids do get squirrelly when we try to show them a black and white movie, but they seemed interested and engaged throughout. Protected: I’ll See Myself Out, Episode 61: Don’t be coming ’round here with no oranges. It might never catch fire, but it smoulders gloriously. But it’s not really that kind of movie, I guess. All around, entertaining and yes, edifying. It turned out a few of the kids were a little wobbly on the details of the seal of confession, so we did stop the movie a few times and reinforce that what they were seeing on screen was accurate (if somewhat more dramatic than what most priests face). Writers: George Tabori, William Archibald, Paul Anthelme. MOVIE REVIEW. Just priests everywhere!). A solid and engaging movie, and the final scene packs a good punch. In the work of someone so exhaustively appreciated as Hitchcock, you wouldn't expect to find forgotten masterpieces but I Confess is one. Made in 1953, in the awkward period between his glossy black-and-white romantic thrillers and coldly-coloured psychological masterpieces, I Confess … Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Would you like to write a review? 204: Get yer carnal desires here, View Damien and Simcha Fisher’s profile on Google+, We are watching an edifying, religious-themed movie with the family on Fridays in Lent. Warner Archive's AVC encoded 1080p high definition transfer presents I Confess framed at 1.37.1 fullframe aspect ratio and for the most part it's quite a beautiful image. Clift's understated style is brought out even more by the contrast with theatrically-trained Hasse, who does more melodrama with his eyes in the first minute than Clift in the entire movie. Keller's confession is neatly mirrored by that of Logan's girlfriend (Anne Baxter) from pre-priesthood days, now married. The black and white image shows nice, natural looking film grain that never feels intrusive or distracting, rather, it just makes the picture look like film as it should. A priest, who comes under suspicion for murder, cannot clear his name without breaking the seal of the confessional. Podcast #57: And then the internet took off. Grey will see you now.” – Fifty Shades of Grey, 2015. “I Confess,” made by Hitchcock in 1953, right after the superb thriller, “Strangers on a Train,” is a second-tier work by the maestro director. “Technically one of Hitchcock’s best”, I Confess is not your run-of-the-mill murder mystery. But what about the soul of the man who committed the murder? Being a member of the endangered species of British Cradle Catholics, Hitchcock rarely revealed his religious allegiances in his productions, but this is a noteworthy exception, and his only film … that’s when the really awful part begins for him. 250: Flandemic!!1! Not only does it show him struggling with the choices he has to make, but it shows him before he was ordained, as a soldier and as a normal guy with a girlfriend. It was odd and sad to see everyone on screen behaving as if a Catholic priest is the last one you’d ever suspect of doing something wrong (and there are so many priests! I don’t want to give any spoilers, but once the painfully suspenseful part is apparently over and Fr. Published: 3 months ago. I Confess Movie Review I give the movie I Confess 4 out of 5 stars. Review #1: I CONFESS (1953). REVIEW: Alfred Hitchcock was notorious for loathing actors. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. When Keller overhears his name mentioned by police, he swooshes around like a camp Count Dracula doing a double take. Protected: Podcast 42: Jarod’s Prancing Musical Show! 29 of 36 people found this review helpful. It wasn’t absolute Grade A Hitchcock, but it was tightly constructed, compelling, a little weird, and unpredictable throughout the whole movie, with lots of yummy dramatic camera work. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Protected: Podcast 23: Look at that s car go! Next up: Either Song of Bernadette or Babette’s Feast. I CONFESS, 1953 Classic Movie Review. It's meant to serve as an alibi, but the timing doesn't quite match up, and her testimony only ends up incriminating the priest further. It's flawed, that's for sure, but it's also a good, solid film. Interestingly, I Confess was initially not very well received because non-Catholic viewers had a hard time understanding the rationale behind The Seal of Confession and why it would so noble, instead of just stupid, for a priest to conceal the identity of the murderer. Review this Movie. 0 /5000. It is the extraordinary depth of feeling that can be read on his face that makes the movie … Father Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift) promises to keep the sacramental seal but we already know what's going to happen: the churchman will end up as the prime suspect in the case. Please click here to view. Vol. I have stolen your idea and we’re watching a weekly movie but I can’t figure out from the descriptions how it’s religious? Protected: Podcast 38: In which we hit rock bottom. Complete list here, Friday Night Mandatory Lent Film Party, 2021 edition – SIMCHA FISHER, Lent movie review Vol. She tells the police that the victim had been blackmailing her, and that she saw Logan on the night of the murder to seek advice. Check box if your review contains … Protected: Podcast 36: She googled THIS on a Friday night and what she saw made her lose her mind! Good stuff. Photograph: Allstar/Warner Bros/Sportsphoto, Commenting has been disabled at this time but you can still. Protected: Podcast 33: He’s a very nice guy. Protected: Podcast #20: GET THAT ALLIGATOR AWAY FROM ME! They just don’t happen to look like Montgomery Clift. Protected: Episode 63: There can be only one hole in the head. Actors: Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, O. E. Hasse. There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. What we see is mostly the emotional side. Every time I number something, it peters out pathetically, but this time will be different. It would be absurd to pretend that I Confess can match Strangers on a Train for suspense, The Birds for thrills, or North by Northwest for wit. As he turns a corner, the murderer discards his ecclesiastical robes and packs them in a bag.Reading this on mobile? I wanted the kids to see a movie where the priest is the hero, and it did a good job of portraying a priest (Montgomery Clift) who is pretty noble and brave, but is also a regular guy. What’s for supper? He speaks and behaves as if God is very real to him, but it doesn’t actually get shown much in the movie itself. In 1986, Tabori – widely championed as one of Europe's greatest theatre directors when he died in 2007 – gave an interview with a German newspaper in which he said: "I was never a particular fan of Hitchcock's work." Protected: Episode 64: Sing with me, pooperellas! Set in French-speaking Quebec City, it starts with a dramatic collage of street signs that would have pleased Walter Benjamin, culminating in a camera swoop through an open window: a man lies murdered on the ground. How to achieve peace of mind about your POS, What’s for supper? Next, a shot straight out of Fritz Lang: a shadowy figure in a cassock walking down old-world cobblestones. After that the murderer (O.E. They were impressed. This story is about a man disguised as a priest who murders a another man. Thanks! Protected: Podcast 28: The beast with one back, Protected: Podcast 27: My interview with Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa of New Wave Feminists, Protected: Podcast 26: sorryFOR FUCK’S SAKEsorry, Protected: Podcast 25: On the tip of my tongue. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. "I Confess" is a great-looking movie with wonderful expressionistic cinematography which perfectly complements the sombre mood of the piece. He once famously remarked … Vol. A review of the Alfred Hitchcock Catholic suspense Montgomery Cliff thriller drama movie I Confess (1953) on BasementRejects.com. Honestly, I didn’t expect a lot from this movie. I Confess Movie Review I Confess is a 1953 noir film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Montgomery Clift and Anne Baxter . Here it's different: it's almost as if the former Jesuit schoolboy Hitch is caught off-guard, not so much confidently directing as being slowly mesmerised by Father Logan's inner turmoil. Please click here to view. Subscribe To This Site : I CONFESS Classic Movie Review. Review #1: I CONFESS (1953). https://www.theguardian.com/.../aug/08/my-favourite-hitchcock-i-confess Silly me, it’s Alfred Hitchcock. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The way Tabori envisioned it, I Confess was meant to be socio-political parable for McCarthyite terror – "Hitch listened to my ideas, but ultimately he just wasn't interested.". eading this on mobile? 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