Marnie

Rating:
Summary: Imperfect Hitchcock, But Better Than Most
Review: Alfred Hitchcock's 1964 film MARNIE is one that consistently divides fans of the director into two camps. Some say this is as good as anything he ever did, just a little different; others, though, say that it's one of his weakest efforts. As with a lot of things, the truth lies somewhere in between.

Sean Connery stars as the head of a company who hires on a woman named Marnie (Tippi Hedren) as a payroll clerk. He doesn't suspect at first that the new employee is an obsessive-compulsive thief of large sums of greenbacks, but he catches on fast. But he also comes to suspect that Hedren's troubles go much deeper than the mere stealing of money. Hedren behaves very coldly towards him or any man, but they somehow begin a relationship, and Connery delves into Hedren's past, where a dark secret awaits.

MARNIE can't exactly be called one of the Master's best; the rear projection visuals have become just a bit too obvious, and the story doesn't necessarily have the punch of Hitchcock's earlier romantic thrillers like VERTIGO or REAR WINDOW. Nevertheless, it does have a fairly solid performance from Hedren, coming off her star-making turn in Hitchcock's 1963 horror classic THE BIRDS, as well as Connery, who by then had become an international star after three James Bond movies. MARNIE also marked the last time Hitchcock would work with composer Bernard Herrmann; and Herrmann doesn't let his boss down, providing a very effective score.

One thing that doesn't get mentioned much, if at all, is that MARNIE seems to have had an influence (probably a coincidental one) on Brian DePalma's 1976 horror classic CARRIE, in that Hedren's troubles include a mother (Louise Latham) with a vicious hatred of men and a willingness to religiously oppress her daughter (in CARRIE, it's Piper Laurie doing likewise to Sissy Spacek), and a male figure (Connery in MARNIE; William Katt in CARRIE) trying to get into the mind of the woman and get her to open up about her fears.

This fascinating parallel by itself makes MARNIE worth considering again. Sure, it has its flaws, and it is imperfect Hitchcock, but in comparison to all those films that consistently ape the Master of Suspense, it's better than most.

Rating:
Summary: Just get it for Hitchcock's cameo, HILARIOUS!!!!!!!
Review: It's not a Hitchcock horror film, but it's suspenseful nonetheless. Sean Connery has no super spy gadgets, but he's dashing as hell (in spite of the strangely executed Scottish/Main Line accent blend). No birds in sight, but Tippi Hedren is a goddess anti-heroine and Diane Baker is her usual "quirky kid sister" character (Why didn't she become a bigger star? She certainly was pushed on 60's audiences in a variety of leading/important parts!)

What's most interesting about MARNIE isn't the direction or performances, although they are all very good. It's most compelling as a time capsule of 1960's psycho sexual perceptions and the groundbreaking way it presented its still controversial material.

Not a great print...here's one awaiting proper restoration.

Rating:
Summary: You Think You Got Problems?....Meet Marnie!
Review: This review refers to the Collector's Edition DVD(Universal) of Alfred Hitchcok's "Marine"...

"Marnie" is probably one of the best examples of Hitchcock's work that epitomizes this great director's style. Even if you didn't know this was a Hitch film, if you know his style, by 5 minutes in you would recognize this as definitive Hitch. The attention that is paid to every tell-tale detail, the camera angles, the way he has of drawing you into every word of dialouge of a captivating story and always intriguing characters,... and the way only Hitch can make a kiss more provocative than any R rated film of today, will cast the Hitch spell on you once more.

"Marnie" is a psychological drama focusing on a deeply disturbed woman's compulsive behavior. She's a thief and a liar, and is getting away with it until she hit a road block in one Mark Rutland. Hired by Mark's compay as a payroll clerk, we already see the wheels turning in Marnie's unstable mind. Her plans to rob the Rutland vault go as planned, except for one hitch(excuse the pun), Mark is on to her and stops her dead in her tracks. He could easily turn her in, but Mark is attracted to this troubled woman, plans to delve into her psyche, and so what else could he do but marry her to keep her out of trouble.

Mark finds that Marnie's troubles go very deep. Not only is she a thief, but has a horrible fear of being touched by a man, and he forms an obesssion of his own. That of trying to cure his lovely but psychologically ill wife. As Marnie herself puts it to him..."You've got a pathological fix on a woman who is not only an admitted criminal, but who screams if you come near her!"...Yup, lots of work to be done here to unlock the sins of the past. And it's done in only a way that Hitch can do it.

Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery are Marnie and Mark, and under the superb direction of the master, turn in impeccable performances. Diane Baker adds her talents as the meddling and suspicious sister-in-law,, be sure to watch for Bruce Dern, and Bernard Herrmann's score as always adds the perfect haunting touch to this twisted tale.

Looking for Hitch...early on(about 5 min in), looking mighty suspicious himself while exiting a hotel room.

A nice transfer of this 40 year old film. A clear sharp picture with good color. There's an ocassional blemish in the film, but hardly noticable and will not interfere with your viewing pleasure. This one has the sound in DD2.0, but MONO! For the price of the DVD we should at least have this Hitch classic enhanced with stereo. Other than that, the DVD has some really nice features. It is presented in anamorphic widescreen, and has an original informative documentary "The Trouble With Marnie". Other features include production notes,Captions in English and it maybe viewed in French(also in mono).There's also an insert with some notes from Patricia Hitchcock as well as the scene index.

Highly recommended for the Hitch fan. For those that want em all..check out "The Best Of Hitch" sets.This one is included in BOH 2....enjoy..Laurie







Rating:
Summary: Overlong but interesting
Review: While not exactly a masterpiece, Marnie is certainly interesting. For admirers and scholars of Alfred Hitchcock, Marnie has always been a troubled production. Trashed by critics when it first appeared in 1964, the film has since split Hitchcock lovers down the middle, with many declaring that it is largely ill-conceived, overly simplistic, or just plain melodramatic. However, in recent years, another group of Hitch admirers consider it one of his greatest masterpieces, a film that rejects much of the literal filmmaking Hitchcock relied upon for the majority of his career and reaches back to his earliest days behind the camera. But no matter what the critical consensus may be from year to year, there is a certain finality about Marnie. This was the last film to feature a true "Hitchcock blonde" in the lead. It was Hitchcock's last collaboration with legendary composer Bernard Hermann, whose florid compositions put a stamp on numerous Hitch classics. It was Hitchcock's last film with Tippi Hedren, whom he had a falling out with during filming when she rejected his advances. And after Marnie, Hitchcock only made four more films, which, while all enjoyable, did not have the impact his earlier work did.

Tippi Hedren plays Marnie, a compulsive liar and thief with a disdain toward men. She uses her looks to gain the confidence of her employers, robs them, and changes her identity. Her only loves are her horse and her mother, although she has problems with the latter relationship. Marnie applies for a job at Mark Rutland's Philadelphia publishing company. Mark recognizes her since he is a client of her last employer, but instead of turning her in, he decides to marry her and help her overcome her need to steal. What results is a very complicated relationship, which unfolds slowly but surely.

Marnie is a gorgeous film with a great cast. It is true Hitchock in style and story, but far from his best work, as interesting as it is to watch. My complaints with Marnie is that the film is overlong, and therefore a bit tedious, and some of the editing is very amateurish, fading out before the scene should be over. This gets bothersome and annoying. Also, toward the end when the mystery is revealed, things seem to unfold without any buildup or anticipation, therefore it seems the story was trying to wrap itself up, and while suspenseful, it doesn't seem to work as well as it should.

I did enjoy Marnie though, partly because of the truly complex heroine and the mystery haunting her, and it isn't quite as bad as people like to make it out to be. It isn't the best Hitchcock, but even secondary Hitchcock is better than most films from other directors. Definitely worth viewing for fans of the Master.

***1/2 out of *****


Rating:
Summary: Underrated, but still...
Review: This is another controversial Hitchcock film. I notice that Amazon itself gives it a negative review, and I think it does have a lot of crucial flaws. For one thing, the ridiculous painted backgrounds - one of a steam ship - are, while beautiful, more noticeable and out-of-place than ever. Also, the script is wordy and the plot moves slowly; clocking in at well over two hours, Marnie hardly has enough substance to excuse its length.

Still, I feel that dual strong performances by Hendren and Connery (he should be remembered as much for this film as for any of his Bond roles) build a sort of momentum, eventually overcoming the latent torpor of the film. At first, the acting is a bit stilted, but as their life together begins to cement, they develop a striking chemistry which gives the latter half of the movie real emotional resonance.