MovieChat Forums > Spellbound (1945) Discussion > One of My Personal Hitch Favorites.

One of My Personal Hitch Favorites.

posted 17 years ago by antpaste
2 replies | jump to latest

There is far too much talk. Gregory Peck is nothing less than terrible in the role of the troubled hero (I can almost hear Hitchcock saying, "Greg, when in doubt, faint.") With all its defects, "Spellbound" is still one of my favorite Hitchcock films, along with "Rear Window," and Hitch's masterpiece, "Vertigo."

The suspense in "Spellbound" never lets up. When the real murderer is revealed, it is no big surprise, but so what? "Spellbound" is a fun film, one that I have watched again and again, and never seem to tire of.

[–] LionHearted99 17 years ago

I've always liked this film also, snookums-2. Gregory Peck got a lot of criticism for being too "wooden" in his earlier films. Perhaps, so...but I still admire him as an actor. The "mystery" surrounding Peck's character, Dr. Edwardes I could care less about. But I did like the scene where Constance is having some difficulty sleeping and decides to go to the library. On the way she sees the light beneath Edwardes' door and she seems in a bit of conflict as to why she's drawn to him. She does some arguing with herself, but finally decides to go into his room...book in hand...seemingly under the pretext of discussing it with him. Well one thing leads to another...the music swells with that wonderful Spellbound theme...and a love scene ensues. Very enjoyable movie.

[–] antpaste 16 years ago

Francois Truffaut in his splendid book, "Hitchcock/Truffaut," which consisted of an extended interview with the two filmmakers, did not like "Spellbound" at all. Neither, apparently, did Hitchcock himself.

In my opinion, Hitch's worst American films were "Saboteur," "Topaz," his last film, "Family Plot" (nothing special there; anybody could have directed that film and gotten the same results,) and believe it or not, "Psycho."

Some of Hitch's unjustly overlooked films are "I Confess," "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956 version) and "Marnie" -- all pure Hitchcock, all pure fun.

"First the worst. Second the same. Last the best of all the game."