Sunday 3 May 2015

Rich and Strange (1931 Alfred Hitchcock)

It's a shame that only one in every two sentences in Canal Plus's release are audible, as the film is lively, enjoyable and extremely well put together, as evidenced in fast - almost Russian - montages, such as Paris scenes. Henry Kendall is the dope of a husband who goes travelling with his wife, the gorgeous Joan Barry, who is possibly the prototype for all of Hitch's blondes. Kendall falls for the far less lovely 'Princess' Betty Amman, she - rather reluctantly - with the much too old Percy Marmont, though the situation improves when the ship sinks and they are picked up by a sinister load of Chinese pirates.

Lots of very interesting visual stuff with leftover title cards (quite amusing) from the silent days.

Joan, the voice of Anny Ondra in Blackmail and also in Rome Express, retired in 1934.


John Cox and Charles Martin shot it, with both Hitch and Alma working on the story.

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