Sibling Cinema

This week we jump ahead to Under Capricorn, which practically feels modern after having spentabout14 weeks in the 20s and 30s. This 1949 period drama stars Joseph Cotton and Ingrid Bergman as a married couple in 19th Century Australia. An Irishman comes Down Under and begins unravelling the mysteries of their relationship.

Details: A Transatlantic Picture, produced by Hitchcock and Sidney Bernstein. Screenplay by James Birdie, with adaption by Hume Cronyn based on the novel by Helen Simpson, via the play by John Colton and Margaret Linden. It stars Joseph Cotton, Ingrid Bergman, Michael Wilding and Margaret Leighton. Cinematography by Jack Cardiff.

Ranking: 39 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranked lists from critics, fans, and magazines Under Capricorn got 799 ranking points.

We’re nearing the end of Alfred Hitchcock’s early period. This week, we take a look at his third sound film, Murder!. The film involves a murder among a travelling acting troupe. One young actress is convicted, but a juror begins to have second thoughts and takes up his own investigation.

Details: Produced by John Maxwell for British International Pictures in 1929. Screenplay by Alfred Hitchcock and Walter Mycroft, based on the novel Enter Sir John by Helen Simpson. Starring Norah Baring, Herbert Marshall, Esme Percy, Edward Chapman and Phyllis Konstam. Cinematography by John J. Cox.

Ranking: 40 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranking lists from critics, fans, and magazines Murder! got 761 ranking points.

For the fourth consecutive week, we review an early silent film by Alfred Hitchcock. For those out there who are tiring of silent movies, don’t worry there’s only one left after this! The Ring is another love triangle as a sideshow boxer gets a big break, but at the expense of his relationship with his girlfriend.

Details: Produced by John Maxwell for British International Pictures in 1929. Screenplay by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Carl Brisson Lillian Hall-Davis and Ian Hunter. Cinematography by John J. Cox.

Ranking: 41 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranking lists from critics, fans, and magazines, and will be going through Alfred Hitchcock’s films from “worst” to “best.” The Ring got 675 ranking points.

For our third straight silent Hitchcock film, we discuss The Manxman. This 1929 melodrama is the story of two childhood friends from the Isle of Man whose bond is pushed to the limits by their affections for the town barmaid.

Details: Produced by John Maxwell for British International Pictures in 1929. Screenplay by Eliot Stannard based on the novel of the same name by Hall Caine. Starring Carl Brisson, Malcolm Keen, Anny Ondra, and Randle Ayrton. Cinematography by John J. Cox.

Ranking: 42 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranking lists from critics, fans, and magazines, and will be going through Alfred Hitchcock’s films from “worst” to “best.” The Manxman got 616 ranking points.

We continue to plug our way through the lesser-known entries in Hitchcock’s filmography. Downhill was new to both of us. It’s the story of an idealistic young and wealthy college student who falls from grace after he takes the blame for the misdeeds of his friend.

Details: Gainsborough-Emelka Pictures, 1927. Produced by Michael Balcon. Written by Eliot Stannard, based on the play by Ivor Novello and Constance Collier. Starring Novello, Robin Irvine, Isabel Jeans, Ian Hunter and Lillian Braithwaite. Cinematography by Claude McDonnell.

Ranking: 43 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranking lists from critics, fans, and magazines, and will be going through Alfred Hitchcock’s films from “worst” to “best.” Downhill got 583 ranking points.

We turn our attention to Alfred Hitchcock’s first feature film, The Pleasure Garden. This movie follows two nightclub dancers whose careers and love lives take starkly different directions. There’s also a very wise dog.

Details: Gainsborough-Emelka Pictures, 1925. Produced by Michael Balcon. Written by Eliot Stannard, based on the novel by Oliver Sandys. Starring Virginia Valli, Carmelita Geraghty, Miles Mander, and John Stuart. Cinematography by Baron Ventimiglia.

Ranking: 44 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranking lists from critics, fans, and magazines, and will be going through Alfred Hitchcock’s films from “worst” to “best.” The Pleasure Garden got 426 ranking points.

The subject of this week’s podcast is Rich and Strange. Emphasis on the strange—though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Also known as East of Shanghai, this follows a middle-class couple who get to travel the world in luxury, thanks to a sudden inheritance. But it turns out their journey takes them on test of their relationship. Bonnie and Dennis break down this early sound Hitchcock movie.

Details: Rich and Strange was released in 1931 by British International Pictures. Produced by John Maxwell. Script was written by Mrs. Hitchcock, Alma Reville. Starring Joan Barry, Henry Kendall, Percy Marmount, Betty Amann, and Elsie Randolph. Cinematography by John M. Cox and Charles Martin.

Ranking: 45 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranking lists from critics, fans, and magazines, and will be going through Alfred Hitchcock’s films from “worst” to “best.” Rich and Strange got 419 ranking points.

We take a brief pause from our Hitchcock countdown this week with our first Chaplin Checkpoint. Bonnie had never seen a Chaplin movie before. We start with his hit 1921 comedy The Kid. The Tramp takes in an abandoned baby, who grows into an adorable child, played by Jackie Coogan.

Counsin Jenny joins us as our special guest co-host!

In this episode we discuss Hitchcock’s early talkie, The Skin Game. Based on a popular play at the time, this 1931 drama deals with the feud between two wealthy families in England.

Details: The Skin Game was released in 1931 by British International Pictures. Produced by John Maxwell. Script was written by Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville based on John Galsworthy’s play. Starring Edmund Gwenn, Helen Haye, C.V. France, Jill Esmond, and Phyllis Konstam. Cinematography by John M. Cox.

Ranking: 46 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranking lists from critics, fans, and magazines, and will be going through Alfred Hitchcock’s films from “worst” to “best.” The Skin Game got 411 ranking points.

In this episode we discuss another silent Hitchcock movie, Easy Virtue, a 1927 (maybe 1928?) melodrama about a free-spirited woman who marries into a judgmental family that probes into her past.

Details: Easy Virtue was released in 1928 by Gainsborough Pictures. Produced by Michael Balcon. Script was written by Eliot Stannard based on Noel Coward’s play. Starring Isabel Jeans, Franklyn Dyall, Robin Irvine, Violet Farebrother, and Ian Hunter. Cinematography by Claude McDonnell.

Ranking: 47 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranking lists from critics, fans, and magazines, and will be going through Alfred Hitchcock’s films from “worst” to “best.” Easy Virtue got 401 ranking points.