Marlene Dietrich, Jane Wyman and Richard Todd in the Alfred Hitchcock movie ‘Stage Fright’

The movie Stage Fright (1950) as directed by Alfred Hitchcock rewards the viewing audience with a mystery, a thriller and the film noir perspective. The movie was adapted for film from Selwyn Jepson‘s 1947 novel Man Running, which is out-of-print at the time of this movie review.

(From left, Richard Todd as Jonathan Cooper, Alastair Sim as Commodore Gill and Jane Wyman as Eve Gill in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Stage Fright).

The movie Stage Fright introduces us to Jonathan Cooper interrupting aspiring actress Eve Gill during rehearsal at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) with a story of murder. Gill, as portrayed by Jane Wyman, has a crush on Cooper, as portrayed by Richard Todd.

(From left, Michael Wilding as Wilfred ‘Ordinary’ Smith and Marlene Dietrich as Charlotte Inwood in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Stage Fright).

The story Cooper brings is a flashback to having learned from what we discern is his secret love interest, stage actress/singer Charlotte Inwood, that Inwood had visited him in a bloodied dress after having killed her husband. Cooper heads to the scene of the crime, the home of Inwood and her deceased husband, to stage the scene and retrieve a change of clothes. Nellie Goode, Charlotte’s maid and dresser, saw Cooper in the home. Marlene Dietrich and Kay Walsh portrayed Charlotte Inwood and Nellie Goode, respectively.

(From left, Kay Walsh as Nellie Goode and Sybil Thorndike as Mrs. Gill in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Stage Fright).

Eve Gill took Richard Cooper, with the bloodied dress, over to her father’s house. Alastair Sim portrayed Eve’s father, Commodore Gill. The theory initially expressed was that Charlotte Inwood had meant to frame Richard Cooper, yet Cooper takes to destroying the dress and the biggest piece of known evidence that would exonerate him.

(Hector MacGregor as Freddie Williams in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Stage Fright).

An elaborate set of activity follows intending to prove Richard’s innocence through solving the mystery of what really happened. There is charm and oddity in the specific approaches aimed at arriving there, which includes a budding romance between Eve Gill and Wilfred ‘Ordinary’ Smith. Michael Wilding portrayed Smith. Further mystery with Charlotte Inwood and her manager, Freddie Williams, offers an additional strand to unravel. Hector MacGregor portrayed Williams.

(From left, actress Jane Wyman as Eve Gill and director Alfred Hitchcock in cameo for the Alfred Hitchcock movie Stage Fright).

While many watching Stage Fright may not have read Man Running, it should be noted that the resolution to the resolution and thriller storylines are different between the movie and the book. There is quality storytelling and an engaging mystery that stands up better than some other movies offered by our fair director. I grant Stage Fright as directed by Alfred Hitchcock 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Monday, July 4, 2022