Anssi Vartiainen
Having been released and taking place just a few years after the events of World War Two, this Alfred Hitchcock film takes us to South America. The Americans are after the Nazis who fled there after the war and end up enlisting the help of a remarkable woman, who also happens to be the daughter of a convicted Nazi sympathizer.Ingrid Bergman plays the lead here, with Cary Grant acting as her contact, and this movie very much belongs to her. Grant is of course Cary Grant, but his character is simply that typical stone-jawed product of its time. Nothing particularly interesting about him. Whereas Bergman's Alicia is a wonder. Tough, tender, capable and yet vulnerable because her life has just gone through such turmoil. She and Grant also have amazing chemistry together.As a film the whole thing feels a bit rushed. The main thing is of course the tension, like in most Hitchcock films, but here the bare bones story is pretty simplistic. The first few scenes even feel like notes on the margins of the script. That's how quickly they're gone through. The movie slows after the first act, thankfully, but it never quite pulls you in like many other Hitchcock films do.Still, it's worth a watch for the acting alone.
j-maloney13
Hitchcock has something about his filmmaking that sets him apart from all other directors. He includes so many shots, such as the long shot, medium, close up, and over the shoulder shots. However, he revolutionized some shots such as the tracking shot. For instance, the tracking shot in the lobby at the top of the stairs all they way down to show the key in her hand was a remarkable display of ingenuity. He exaggerates things, such as a zoom out at the table, as it slowly zooms in what seems like forever, slowly revealing more people at the table. The use of sound was terrific, as the film started out with a lot of non-diegetic music, but as the film progresses it becomes less and less and silence starts to fill the emptiness of scenes. The film was very high-key in lighting, and dissolve shots were common throughout. My favorite shot was with Alicia, as she gets dizzy and passes out, the camera switches to a POV shot and we see what she is currently seeing and that is a wavy, disturbed image as she loses her vision. Tremendous film, and a must see for all.
sol-
Desperate to dissociate herself from her Nazi war criminal father, a young woman with a drinking problem agrees to spy on one of her father's most trusted friends and gets dangerously close in this Alfred Hitchcock wartime drama. The film caused a stir in its day by featuring an elongated kissing scene, and the romance that develops between Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman's characters is pivotal as a secondary motive for her to cooperate. That said, the romance scenes are also the driest parts of the film with the plot taking over half an hour to really get going amidst talk, talk and even more talk. Things do eventually pick-up though and the film is topped off by a deathly intense final scene, as well as an effective conclusion that is both uplifting and gloomy (what an excellent, suggestive final shot!) but it is odd how long it takes the film to warm up. Calling the movie a thriller is in fact inaccurate as the thrills and suspenseful moments are few and far between with several dull patches. During its best moments though, 'Notorious' is unmissable stuff. There is a great moment in which Claude Rains opens Bergman's palms and almost discovers a key she has stolen; angular shots and zooms in and out are also used effectively throughout. Rains is very good too. In many ways, he is the heart and soul of the film with his genuine affection for Bergman and deep- seeded worries about his future late in the piece, and it is refreshing to have so human an antagonist. The overall film may not be quite as solid as his performance, but it makes for decent viewing all the same.
CaptainCutie
After watching the film Notorious I was very happy that I decided to watch this film it was great! The story line of this film, acting, directing, and everything was just awesome I was pleased with this film over all as a whole. Having seen another Hitchcock movie I think that his movies are just amazing and I think I will definitely look into watching more films from Mr. Alfred Hitchcock. In this film Hitchcock not only include suspense and mystery but this film also had romance and thrill. When watching this film you are taken on a roller coaster of emotions and you are really interested in what is going on in the story. Overall this was a super film and Alfred Hitchcock is a amazing director.
AD
