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Summary: TIPPI SHINES IS A GREAT PERFORMANCE
Review: To think that this is Tippi Hedren`s second film is a miracle. A model with such acting recourses? None of his other cool blondes had what Tippi had. I`m sick and tired of the comparesings with Grace Kelly. Kelly was great in her own way, but so was Hedren. Indeed Hedren had greater depth in her expressions(as Hitch also pointed out). The score, production design, photography, co-stars and STORY makes this one of the most intriguing films ever made; its theme? - decades ahead of its time. But most of all. It`s a beautiful match between artist and performer; Hitchcock and Hedren. Unfortunately Hedren`s releationship with Hitch stranded on this film after he made several clumsy sexual turns against her and became a VEEEEEEERY obsessive man. In Hedren own words: "After Marnie, I was hot". But he kept her on her contract and refused to lend her 2ther producers AND she collected her little salery. In "the making of" on this DVD she never discusses this, but it was revealed on a 1999 documentary about Hitch. Well in 1967, she co-starred with Brando and Sophia Loren for another master, none other than CHAPLIN. The film was the ill-fated "A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG". But this is MARNIE. Hitch`s greatest female vehicle... A must see.
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Summary: A Facinating Hitchcock film.
Review: Tippi Hedrin plays Marnie, a compulsive thief who cannot stand to be touched by any man. She also goes bonkers over the sight of the color red. Psychiatrist Mark Rutland played by Sean Connery is intrigued by Marnie so much that he marries her. Rutland is in his own way has problems his desire to marry a thief. After many plot twists and turns, Marnie is "cured" by a flashback sequence involving her ex-hooker mother.
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Summary: Why this was so underrated, I will never understand
Review: Maybe people didn't like this film because it wasn't in the master's style, just like Vertigo wasn't in the master's style. Coincidently, Vertigo was not successful when it was released either, just like Marnie. But Vertigo is considered a classic now a days, and Marnie should be considered a classic too. People, just because it wasn't a suspense classic doesn't mean it's a terrible movie. In fact, I found it to be one of the most touching films ever made, and you can see how Tippi's acting skills grew after THE BIRDS. It has its suspense scenes too, especially when you think the janitor maid is going to catch her stealing in the bank. That was a great scene, and the music is flawless.
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Summary: ALL THIS MOVIE WANTED IS TO BE LOVED
Review: This is Hitchcock making a great technical film. It has decent subplots and good acting but it stands out for one reason only THE PLOT!! It has been documented that Hitch had his "problems" in the area of confronting fear and sex and this film is his release of it. Hedren in her last film for Hitch had alot to carry on her shoulders at the time. She was fighting off Hitchcock's alleged advances towards her and her image as a Grace Kelly wannabe. I think Hedren never tried to be kelly, she stood out in her own way; her coldness and icy beauty out weighs Kelly's ten fold! Hitch new this and used it to his advantage in the film. Connery does a great job in this film as being a pseudo husband who falls for her coldness. After all men love the chase and Connery, is in all out toupe glory. Love this film to death and now for the reason to buy it! This film to some extent is the telling of everyone's private sexual thoughts. If some one was to read your mind at the most peeked moment of arousal it would most likely be blank so hitchcock has decided to give us the answers with German impressionistic touches and take no bull dialogue. GREAT FILM!
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Summary: One of the Most Interesting Movies I've ever seen.
Review: This is an oddly touching and suspenceful movie that showcased how much Alfred Hitchcock could surprise the audience with sudden turns in the course of the story. Tippi Hedren plays a young woman who robs and steals from companies, and is haunted by a dark event from her childhood, Sean Connery plays a rich playboy businessman who marries her, then starts to really fall in love with her and tries to help her face the demons of her past. Hedren and Connery give good performances, the script is very complex and gets the attention of the viewer from start to finish, and the ever changeing moods in the film are captured wonderfuly by Bernard Herrman's musical score. I liked this movie a lot. It was better then the over-rated Verigo film, and had a more satisfying ending to it.
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Summary: Hitchcock's Most Romantic Film & 1st Time I Liked Connery
Review: I really liked this film from the time it was released theatrically to when I saw it again just a few nights ago. The problem Hitch had with his films released after "Psycho" is that everyone now measured the new film against "Psycho." I don't even think "Psycho" is his best film much less that all of his later films should be compared to it! If "Psycho" was his scariest film, then "Marnie" was his most romantic. Probably no one disliked Sean Connery as James Bond more than I did. He was too slick, too suave, too oiled down for me in that persona. This was the first time I'd seen him play another role and I was amazed at how attractive he was in comparison. The essential of the story line is that Marnie (Hedren) is a career criminal in various physical disguises, who steals huge sums from her wealthy bosses who are besotted by her. She makes a huge mistake in picking Mark Rutland (Connery) as her next mark because he recongizes her from a prior job since he was a client of that employer's. He also has a problem though: he starts falling in love with Marnie. There is a reason Marnie is the way she is though and Rutland starts getting closer and closer to finding out what happened to her as a child back in Baltimore. Connery makes a terrific romantic hero playing Rutland and it is hard for me to believe that most women, at the very least, wouldn't be very taken with this film. There is a small role in the film played by Bruce Dern, who was a total unknown at the time. This must have been at the very start of his career.
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Summary: Where's the MacGuffin?
Review: According to Hitchcock, the MacGuffin, in it's purest form, is a complete throw away item to the movie. My two favorite MacGuffins are the money Marion steals in PSYCHO, which Hitchcock literally throws away; and the reason the birds are attacking in THE BIRDS, which Hitch never explains. The problem with his psychological pictures, like MARNIE and SPELLBOUND, is that there can't be a MacGuffin. I suppose you could say Marnie's childhood experience could be the MacGuffin, but you need that. You need to know why Marnie acts like she does to accept her actions as that of a sick person who needs help. So, as the Master loved to say in his story, "then that's no MacGuffin!"Not that this is a bad movie. Not at all. I put it in the category of "interesting premise, but . . ." As in, interesting premise, but the scenery looked very silly. Was he trying to make it seem like the characters were in a painting? He could learn something from Selznick's PORTRAIT OF JENNIE. Interesting premise, but, Tippi Hedren? This was probably the best performance of her career, but that doesn't mean it was perfect. She played the cold, man-hating thief well, but it fell apart in the big "revelation" scene. Giving her some credit, I imagine that weird scene would be difficult for even the best actress. Interesting premise, and how about that Sean Connery? Truly the gem of the movie, this early performance would prove why he would have such longevity as an actor. He gives his character complexity and realism. He delivers every line perfectly and honestly. He could easily rival Jimmy Stewart's performance in VERTIGO, had he been given better material to work with. All that, and he's not too bad on the eyes. No, really! Interesting premise, but see Hitchcock's classics first. Despite some fine acting and fun Hitchcockian touches, all this film really amounts to is an interesting premise.
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Summary: Hitchcock's Haunting Tale of True Love
Review: MARNIE, Hitchcock's last great film, was a critical and commercial failure on its initial release in 1964. Although disdained by some even today, MARNIE has attracted a steady and ever-growing stream of admirers, and it appears that this film has finally attained the legendary status it deserves. Undoubtedly Hitchcock's last great film, MARNIE is usually interpreted as a psychological thriller, but I believe it to be essentially a love story, and Hitchcock's most personal and mature examination of the human need for love and the masks we wear which prevent us from truly loving others. The relationship between Marnie Edgar and her husband/blackmailer Mark Rutland is the heart and soul of the film, and is certainly one of the most compelling and believable relationships in screen history. Marnie (Tippi Hedren) is a quick-change artist and a thief, who uses her aristocratic looks and sensual presence to hoodwink her bosses, from whom she steals large amounts of money. Marnie's life is essentially empty and aimless. Her well-groomed facade masks a lonely interior. Marnie cannot love, because she has no clear idea of who she is, and her crimes prevent anyone from getting close to her. Attracted by her beauty, Mark Rutland hires her to work in his company. At first, Mark appears to be interested in her merely as a sexual plaything, but several scenes detail the course of their relationship and make it clear that he is truly falling in love with her and desires nothing more than to find out who she really is. Frightened by his attention (and by her response to him - itis also clear that Marnie is attracted), Marnie reverts to her criminal identity, and walks off with the contents of the Rutland safe. Against all expectations, Mark not only fails to turn her over to the police, he actually makes himself complicit in her crime by covering up for her. With this as leverage, he blackmails her into marrying him so he can learn her secrets. Soon discovering that Marnie is sexually frigid, Mark comes to believe that she is in fact mentally disturbed, and he uncovers her background with the goal of helping her grow as a human being. The film is genuinely touching and suspenseful, and the costumes and sets are brilliant - almost expressionistic. Hedren and Connery make a great couple and turn in two fantastic performances. If you want to see a movie about relationships rather than explosions (which still manages to be suspenseful and exciting in the best Hitchcock tradition) see this. MARNIE only grows richer and more compelling with each viewing.
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Summary: Forgotten Hitchcock Treat!
Review: Considered by many to be one of Hitchcock's worst ( the others being "Torn Curtain", "Topaz", and "Family Plot")but, I think has time has passed, people have rediscovered this film. It's not as bad as many think it is. When watching this film, I think of two previous Hitchcock films, "Spellbound" and "Vertigo". This film is better than "Spellbound" (I've never cared to much for that movie. I always thought that the plot asks us to "accept" too much)but whether it's better than "Vertigo", I don't think many will see it that way. But, it is an interesting piece of work, by the "master". Good performances by Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery ( a bit after his James Bond fame). The scrpit Jay Presson Allen is intriguing. It does offer some moments of suspense and excitment. But it does get a bit confusing between certain moments. It is a fun movie to watch with good acting and a wonderful score by Bernard Herrman, and of course as with any Hitchcock film, the directing is masterfully done. This is a movie all Hitchcock fans have to watch.
Rating: 
Summary: DVDissapointment
Review: Marnie, to begin with, is not what you would call a very good film. In fact, it's so bad it's good (how's that for a cliche?). But it wasn't, and still isn't, worthy of a "collector's edition" DVD. However, Universal felt it was neccessary to put this DVD under that category, and, well, you can't do much about this; but when you get a glimpse of this DVD, even if you do love Marnie, you'll be wondering why they called it such. In it you will find a docmuentary, a stills gallery, the theatrical trailer, star and director mini-bios, and scene selection. This sounds more like a normal, slightly advanced DVD than a "collector's edition." This is very poorly packaged, and in fact the only good things about this DVD is the trailer, the documentary, and the movie itself. If you were going to blow ... on it, do so for the movie, which despite its many, glaring flaws is actually pretty good in its own right, and for the excellent documentary, which would seem more diserving for a movie like "Vertigo".
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