I Confess (1953)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

George Tabori (screenplay) and
William Archibald (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 March 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller

Tagline:

FILMED IN CANADA'S COLORFUL QUEBEC BY WARNER BROS. (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Refusing to give into police investigators' questions of suspicion, due to the seal of confession, a priest becomes the prime suspect in a murder.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Police | Murder | Lawyer | Confession

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Montgomery Clift	...	Fr. Michael William Logan
Anne Baxter	...	Ruth Grandfort
Karl Malden	...	Inspector Larrue
Brian Aherne	...	Willy Robertson
O.E. Hasse	...	Otto Keller
Roger Dann	...	Pierre Grandfort
Dolly Haas	...	Alma Keller
Charles Andre	...	Fr. Millars

Also Known As:

Alfred Hitchcock's 'I Confess!' (USA) (promotional title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Italian | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Spain:18 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (1988) | Brazil:16 | Canada:PG (video rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #16036) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Eglise Saint-Zéphirin de Stadacona, quartier Limoilou, 972 rue Saint-Jean, Québec, Québec, Canada

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In his interview with François Truffaut, Alfred Hitchcock said he was so impressed with the performance of Anita Björk in Fröken Julie (1951) that he hired her for this movie. However, when she arrived in Hollywood, Bjork brought her lover, writer Stig Dagerman, and their baby daughter. Since they were not married, Warner Bros. insisted that Hitchcock find another actress for the role of Ruth Grandfort, in this case Anne Baxter.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Just before Logan accidentally smashes the car window when he's attacked by the mob, the window can clearly be seen to have been "pre-cracked" to allow it to break upon impact.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Fr. Michael William Logan: Who's there?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Destination Hitchcock: The Making of 'North by Northwest' (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Love, Look What You've Done To Me

A Minor Hitch

Hitch returns to one of his favourite themes - the innocent man wrongfully accused - but fails this time to achieve the level of suspense he has achieved in his more deservedly famous movies.

The story was old, even in 1952 (it was based on a 1902 play), but is still reasonably intriguing and, for all it's faults, this movie gives the storyline it's best airing.

The film starts well, establishing a couple of mysteries early on. Unfortunately, they are both resolved far too early, leaving the film requiring a level of suspense to hold the viewer that just isn't there.

However, the main flaw in the movie is the motivation of the main protagonists - Father Logan and Otto Keller, the real murderer. Keller changes from a guilt-ridden, repentant man to a calculating villain overnight - confessing his crime to Logan and then constantly reminding the priest that he cannot reveal the confession to the police even when Clift's character himself comes under suspicion. One of Keller's final acts also flies in the face of his motive for the killing in the first place. For his part, Logan doesn't even try to use his influence to persuade Keller to give himself up, to remind the killer of the spiritual fate that awaits him should he not repent, etc. At least Montgomery Clift, whose hesitant manner was only ever really put to good effect in A PLACE IN THE SUN, possesses the irresolute air required of the part of Father Logan.

There's not too much trademark Hitch in this one: one POV shot that works pretty well, and a shot of police detective Malden peering around Keller to watch Logan that only Hitchcock would use; other than that, the direction isn't vintage by any means - although mediocre Hitchcock is better than many on-form directors, so it's definitely worth a look.