STAGE FRIGHT is a good, if not great, middle era mystery from director Alfred Hitchcock. The somewhat slight storyline is well suited to his methods, because it gives him the opportunity for plenty of suspenseful situations. In essence, a young, somewhat naïve actress is called in to help investigate a murder. She's forced to adopt two different identities depending on whom she interacts with during the case – for instance, when she's with the suspected murderess she pretends to be a servant, and when she's with the investigating detective she has to be herself. The story has the expected twists and turns along the way, along with some of Hitchcock's trademark directorial flourishes (clever editing, a cameo appearance, strong lighting, extreme close-ups).
The film has dated slightly, with some of the dialogue not really ringing true, but that matters little when the cast is of this calibre. A team of luminaries has been assembled for the production, and all of them are very good. Jane Wyman is a lovely heroine, warm and full of integrity, and she makes a perfect foil for Marlene Dietrich's sinister, suspicion-inducing ice queen. Michael Wilding is excellent as a romantic lead, and Richard Todd is also good value for money in one of his early performances as the 'wronged man'. My favourite cast member by far is Alastair Sim, who has an openly comic role as an eccentric caught up in the proceedings. There's quite a lot of humour in this film and most of it comes from Sim, whose timing and delivery of his lines are both perfect.
STAGE FRIGHT is more of a simmering than a burning thriller; there are no 'big' suspense sequences like in later Hitchcock films, but it does end on a high with a twist and a flourish that don't disappoint. My favourite moments include an interlude at a fairground and the moment when Wyman is literally 'caught between doors' at her employer's house. This makes for solid viewing and is a must for Hitchcock fans.
The film has dated slightly, with some of the dialogue not really ringing true, but that matters little when the cast is of this calibre. A team of luminaries has been assembled for the production, and all of them are very good. Jane Wyman is a lovely heroine, warm and full of integrity, and she makes a perfect foil for Marlene Dietrich's sinister, suspicion-inducing ice queen. Michael Wilding is excellent as a romantic lead, and Richard Todd is also good value for money in one of his early performances as the 'wronged man'. My favourite cast member by far is Alastair Sim, who has an openly comic role as an eccentric caught up in the proceedings. There's quite a lot of humour in this film and most of it comes from Sim, whose timing and delivery of his lines are both perfect.
STAGE FRIGHT is more of a simmering than a burning thriller; there are no 'big' suspense sequences like in later Hitchcock films, but it does end on a high with a twist and a flourish that don't disappoint. My favourite moments include an interlude at a fairground and the moment when Wyman is literally 'caught between doors' at her employer's house. This makes for solid viewing and is a must for Hitchcock fans.