Okay. Here's the drill. Everyone says what they truly think Hitch's most underrated film. They list what people's previous film's were, and how many times that film was voted. Then, they list theirs. Oh, here's mine.
Sabetour - 1
"Hasta la Vista, baby!"
I personally think Saboteur is appropriately rated - an exciting, well made often breathtaking thriller that however falls short of Hitchcock at his very best. The film would have been really something if Hitchcock got Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck(or Margaret Sullavan) as he initially wanted. Priscilla Lane who looks a lot like Babs is just inadequate as is Robert Cummings. The real interest is in Otto Kruger's evil businessman and the great Norman Lloyd as the bad guy.
"Ça va by me, madame...Ça va by me!" - The Red Shoes
It's easy to say that films like North by Northwest or Dial M For Murder are his most underrated but I would vote for some of his earlier stuff that barely gets mentioned. Titles like Young and Innocent and Sabotage are wonderful movies that seem to have gone relatively unnoticed while almost all of his films made after he moved to the U.S. have become rather iconic in one way or another.
I'm going to vote for "Under Capricorn," because that film is not only underrated, it is typically scorned - at least in the United States - and yet there are many fascinating things about it (it's certainly better than "Jamaica Inn"). Another under-remarked, if not exactly underrated, Hitchcock film is "I, Confess," which, like "Under Capricorn" and "The Wrong Man," was crucial to the so-called "French Line" on the director in the 1950s (it seems like the Hitchcock films with overt Catholic themes have had a tougher time on this side of the Atlantic).
I agree. Under Capricorn is the most underrated. I think it is one of Hitchcock's best.
sharePeople here seem to think everything Hitchcock touched was gold. Even his worst films are "underrated."
Didn't he he ever make any turkeys? Every artist makes things that just don't work.
As long as I'm on this board I'll say "Saboteur" isn't underrated at all. It's just horrible. Laughable, ludicrous, impossible script. Even Hitchcock, as good a cratftsman as he is, couldn't work with garbage.
I agree with Jlent. I didn't really dislike Saboteur, but it's definitely not "underrated". I think the way it's remembered is appropriate because while it's not an amazing film, it is worth watching. Of all the Hitchcock films I've seen, I'd have to call Saboteur his weakest.
As for Hitch's most underrated, I'd have to say easily Dial M for Murder. The film should be right up there with Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window and North by Northwest.
There are just two many of those.. and it's a shame. Suspicion, Saboteur, THE WRONG MAN, Blackmail!, Family Plot, Marnie and the list goes on and on..
But, I'd say Sabotage is his most underrated picture ever.
"I never said all actors are cattle; what I said was all actors should be treated like cattle"
I think I kinda regard Saboteur as one of 4 Hitch´s top pictures of the forties - alongside Rebecca, Notorious and Rope.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
I agree. Saboteur (1942) is a great film.
I'm with the dissenters on this. I think if anything Saboteur is overrated.
A highly rated but lesser known Hitchcock film that I recommend to everyone would be The Lady Vanishes.
"That's what a gym teacher once told me."
Young and Innocent, Frenzy, Under Capricorn and Dial "M" for Murder for most under-rated.
Over-rated ... The Trouble With Harry for it's mythical under-rated status and Hitchock's favourite ... Shadow of a Doubt ... good, but not absolutely great.
Favourites ... North By Northwest, Strangers on a Train, Psycho.
But you ARE Blanche ... and I AM.
I agree about Under Capricorn and Young and Innocent. Both are very underrated.
shareI'm gonna go with Jamaica Inn. Seriously. Laughton and Maureen O'Hara in her 3rd film ever are both fantastic! An exciting film with really good "bait & switch" location/studio shots...
shareI'll have to go with Blackmail. It's just brilliant in every single way.
"I wished Her back but the dead adored Her, Even wild winds sang in chora for Her"
"Over-rated ... The Trouble With Harry for it's mythical under-rated status"
Uhhhhh...what? It's overrated...because it's underrated?
We plow deep while others sleep
No, it's over-rated because it's widely perceived to be under-rated,but it isn't... If you get my drift ... I think it's a dreary misfire ... As balck humour, it's nowhere near black enough.
But you ARE Blanche ... and I AM.
Man, you sure do keep close tabs on your posts, that was like 2 years ago when you said that. Impressive.
I understand what you're getting at, but to me something is either overrated or underrated. It's just funny to me that you say it's overrated and your reason is that it's underrated.
But yeah, I get what you're saying, it's like The Thing or Blade Runner. You could say that those movies on release were underrated - good movies that got panned by audiences and critics. But now, with both being very popular sci-fi movies, they could be overrated if you don't like them. However, I don't think that a movie can be both overrated and underrated at the same time when looking at current opinions.
We plow deep while others sleep
...but the key word is "perceived" ... The film is perceived to be under-rated by many people, my point is that in perceiving it to be under- rated, these people are giving too much credit to what is, for me, a dull film with one very laboured joke ... Now perhaps we have spent a little too much energy on what is, after all, only a rather ancient IMDB comment... If you don't get what I was trying to say, I can live with that.
ARE Blanche ... and I AM.
Oh, I understand what you're saying. It's just the wording is funny.
And once again, I'm impressed with your ability to keep tabs on a 2 year old post.
We plow deep while others sleep
It's easy when you have automatic notification.
But you ARE Blanche ... and I AM.
bradjanet, someone posted this on The Godfather Part II forum:
I'm a bit intrigued by the phrase "second most overrated movie."
Let's say a movie is, in fact, the 10th most overrated movie, but everybody seems to think it's the most overrated movie. Does this mean that the movie is overrated at being overrated? Or in the reverse case, would the movie be underrated at being overrated, or overrated at being underrated?
I wouldn't say that Saboteur is underrated. It's just not a very good movie - not, that is, by Hitchcock's standards.
I cannot imagine how Hitch accepted the very flawed plot just as it was without attempting to make some improvements of his own.
The ending exasperatingly leaves us with so many loose ends that should have been tied up.
Unlike The Birds, which deliberately leaves us to guess what the future would hold, Saboteur definitely needs a lot of tidying up.
11-5-2011 I think I've found the answer (or at least an answer) to the above. I found it in Patrick McGilligan's book "Alfred Hitchcock - A Life In Darkness And Light":
When (screenwriter) Viertel finished his "rough first draft," the young writer regarded it with chagrin. "It wasn't very good, as you can sell imagine," Viertel recalled. But after reading it, Hitchcock chortled, "It's no worse than a lot of others and it'll get me away from Selznick!"
And the most overrated? Well, I would say that Rope is near the top of my list. I don't even have, or want a copy of it in my collection.
It's just not a very good movie - not, that is, by Hitchcock's standards
It may not be as admired as other Hitchcock films but I think it's one of his best. The narrative was gripping through out, the acting was on form and certain scenes bring out tension. One example being the scene where Kane is cutting off the chain to the handcuffs. The fast editing between himself, the chain and Pat in the distance along with the music made for a scene filled with tension which resulted in gripping viewing on my part.
"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".
I just watched Saboteur and loved it. I feel a little ashamed to say I liked it more than Spellbound (watched them back to back), because Spellbound was an infinitely more ambitious film and had all the elements I love (Ingrid Bergman, psychoanalysis, surrealism, assumed identity). Saboteur is simple, smart, and beautifully shot. I agree with the quick cutting in the handcuff-breaking scene. Masterful
I would go with Saboteur and Young and Innocent as most under-rated. I don't understand how people are claiming that Dial M For Murder is "under-rated." I've seen about 35 of his 50 or so films, and Dial M is near the bottom of my list, with Jamaica Inn and Torn Curtain. So, yes, I'd call Dial M his most over-rated, followed by North By Northwest. Many people only know of NxNW and Psycho as Hitchcock's works, and I don't think it deserves to be his calling card, like Vertigo, Rear Window, The Birds, Psycho, or Marnie.
Yes, I love Marnie. That's my REAL answer for under-rated. Sheer brilliance. I've seen it over 20 times, and I have loved it more and more every time.
Very happy to have seen Saboteur and, thanks to this message board, I'm really excited for my first viewing of Lifeboat and Foreign Correspondent.
Going back to Spellbound for a second, I just spent a month in the Harry Ransom Center researching the Selznick archives, so I know a great deal about his relationship with Hitch. I'm furious that Spellbound didn't turn out as well as it could have--I think it could have been one of his most memorable if he had free rein over the picture--and maybe it's too easy to scapegoat like this, but in my gut I feel like Selznick's touch kind of ruined Spellbound's chances for greatness. I guess I should put this under Spellbound.
Saboteur, Shadow of a Doubt. Joseph Cotton scared the bejeebers out of me. I also distinctly remembering a film he made in England, Young and Innocent. I wish I could remember if that was the one, but when I saw it years ago, I thought "wow, this movie is fantastic". I remember a camera shot, the camera way back on the edge of a dance floor, slowing edging towards the band that was playing, ending up at the eye of the villian. It was amazing.
shareFor me it has to be Spellbound - great leads, strong supporting characters AND that music! - the bedroom scene has to be one of the most romantic in all of cinema. Perhaps it is because romance trumped suspense in this Hitch movie that it is under-appreciated.
I'm deadly serious about making you my queen.
I'm replying to a thread started over 8 years ago.
I've read all of the comments and I didn't notice even one vote for "I Confess." I Confess has a great plot and some very good performances by Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, and Karl Malden. On top of that the scenery is fabulous. Also, it has one of the best "twists' of all of Hitchcock's films. Although I think it's a great film, its IMDB rating is only 7.3 which is low for a Hitchcock film. Therefore, it's truly underrated.
Blackmail isn't the best film ever or anything, but it's one of the most memorable films I've ever had the pleasure of seeing.
shareMy choice for the most underrated is a personal favorite of mine, "The 39 Steps." Not that the movie is not well thought of, but it certainly isn't as familiar to the casual film fan as some of Hitchcock's more famous movies, like "Psycho," "The Birds" and "Vertigo."
shareUnder Capricorn 1949
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