A lowly 6/10? I know that will be seen as sacrilege by those that rate this to be Hitch's 10/10 masterpiece, but as many times as I see this film and as many times as I want to like it, I just cannot get overly enthused.
The premise of the film is a very good one . . . Madeleine (Kim Novak), the wife of a wealthy businessman, is acting very strangely - apparently lost in a past woman's life, mentally troubled and disappearing at times. He asks his friend Scottie (James Stewart) to follow her and work out what she is up to. We follow Scottie following Madeleine, and are invited to work out what is going on in Madeleine's mind.
Madeleine and Scottie's relationship develops (unconvincingly for me) until a key moment in the film that on first viewing might seem like the film's concluding scene. In fact, that dramatic moment is just an excellent twist and the beginning of 'part two' of the movie, a part that further explains who Madeleine is, whether Scottie can come to terms with his own issues and what was happening all along.
So, a potentially fascinating psychological story based on deception, suspense and intrigue with a terrific plot twist, by one of the the world's greatest directors who's films I adore - what's not to love? Well, for me quite a bit.
The early scenes where Scottie follows Madeleine are necessary to the story but really very dull. Slow is fine, but slow and boring isn't. Then there's Kim Novak playing Madeleine - some say she gives the performance of a lifetime, but I found her performance as dull as dishwater; the most memorable part of her performance was the astonishingly distracting false eyebrows. Finally, while the superior 'part two' of the film elevates the movie considerably, the actual ending - as in the last minute or so of the film - just seems too ridiculous.
I respect and understand entirely those who see this as Hitch's psychological masterpiece, and I wish I could join them and get the same pleasure from the film. Sadly there are just too many flat spots, over dramatisations and unbelievable characters for me to get past. At least Hitch has left us with an interesting debate.
Good, not great.
The premise of the film is a very good one . . . Madeleine (Kim Novak), the wife of a wealthy businessman, is acting very strangely - apparently lost in a past woman's life, mentally troubled and disappearing at times. He asks his friend Scottie (James Stewart) to follow her and work out what she is up to. We follow Scottie following Madeleine, and are invited to work out what is going on in Madeleine's mind.
Madeleine and Scottie's relationship develops (unconvincingly for me) until a key moment in the film that on first viewing might seem like the film's concluding scene. In fact, that dramatic moment is just an excellent twist and the beginning of 'part two' of the movie, a part that further explains who Madeleine is, whether Scottie can come to terms with his own issues and what was happening all along.
So, a potentially fascinating psychological story based on deception, suspense and intrigue with a terrific plot twist, by one of the the world's greatest directors who's films I adore - what's not to love? Well, for me quite a bit.
The early scenes where Scottie follows Madeleine are necessary to the story but really very dull. Slow is fine, but slow and boring isn't. Then there's Kim Novak playing Madeleine - some say she gives the performance of a lifetime, but I found her performance as dull as dishwater; the most memorable part of her performance was the astonishingly distracting false eyebrows. Finally, while the superior 'part two' of the film elevates the movie considerably, the actual ending - as in the last minute or so of the film - just seems too ridiculous.
I respect and understand entirely those who see this as Hitch's psychological masterpiece, and I wish I could join them and get the same pleasure from the film. Sadly there are just too many flat spots, over dramatisations and unbelievable characters for me to get past. At least Hitch has left us with an interesting debate.
Good, not great.