I Confess (1953)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

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

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nan Boardman	...	Maid (uncredited)
Henry Corden	...	Det. Sgt. Farouche (uncredited)
Carmen Gingras	...	1st French Girl (uncredited)
Albert Godderis	...	Nightwatchman (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man crossing the top of long staircase (uncredited)
Renée Hudon	...	2nd French Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
George Tabori		(screenplay) and
William Archibald		(screenplay)
Paul Anthelme		(play)

Produced by
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Robert Burks

Film Editing by
Rudi Fehr

Art Direction by
Ted Haworth		(as Edward S. Haworth)

Set Decoration by
George James Hopkins

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Sherry Shourds	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don Alvarado	....	assistant director (as Don Page)

Sound Department
Oliver S. Garretson	....	sound

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Orry-Kelly	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Ray Heindorf	....	musical director
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	conductor
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Taylor	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Barbara Keon	....	production associate
Father Paul LaCouline	....	technical advisor
Oliver Tangvay	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• C. F. R. (1953) (France) (theatrical) (16 mm)
• Warner Bros. (1953) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1953) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Carlotta Films (1999) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sociedade Importadora de Filmes (SIF) (????) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

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:

Director Cameo: [Alfred Hitchcock]crossing the top of a staircase during the opening sequence.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the guests leave, Ruth begins tidying and her left arm is bare under a long band of her dress. When her husband enters in the room, her arm is covered, with the dress band held between her left arm and her body.

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:

Dies Irae

Hitch Asks Moral Question

An Alfred Hitchcock film with very little action or suspense, this moral issue- drama still maintains interest for the most part. Montgomery Clift is intriguing as "Father William Logan," a Catholic priest from Quebec who hears a murder confession, is charged with the crime himself, and never wavers from his vow to keep confessions private.

The question Hitchcock apparently poses with this is is, "Is that still morally right when it means you leave a killer out on the loose?"

Complicating the matter is an old girlfriend, played by Anne Baxter, who still loves the priest. However, once again the cleric remains true to his vows and doesn't get involved with her.

Karl Malden, meanwhile, plays a gung-ho cop out to solve the crime.

This movie could use a little more suspense and action, plus a bit of the old Hitchcock humor, but still is more than passable.