Review of I Confess (1953) by Stuart K — 02 Sep 2011

Between Strangers on a Train (1951) and Dial M for Murder (1954), Alfred Hitchcock headed off to Quebec City, Canada for this adaptation of a French play from 1902 called Nos Deux Consciences by Paul Anthelme.

It's an underrated Hitchcock film, one of his forgotten films from the 1950's, but it's a good film with a dark edge to it. Father Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift) is a young priest working in Quebec City, he has a 2 German immigrants working for him, caretaker Otto Keller (O.

E. Hasse), and a housekeeper, Otto's wife Alma (Dolly Haas). Late one evening, Otto asks Michael if he can confess a sin, which he does. It turns out Otto murdered a rich lawyer called Villette, for whom he does some gardening.

Otto was attempting to steal money when Villette entered, and was murdered. A most horrendous sin, but Michael cannot tell the authorities about what happened because he's bound by the secrecy of the confessional.

However, more problems arouse when, due to circumstantial evidence, Michael finds himself being investigated for the murder of Villette. However, he has one hope Ruth (Anne Baxter), who he had an affair with before he became a priest, who spoke with him around the time of the murderer, but will it be enough to clear Michael?? It's a dark Hitchcock film, and the extensive use of locations in Quebec adds to the dark mood, but it is a good morality tale of remaining faithful to ones faith and can one hide a terrible secret no matter how bad?? it has some good performances, also featuring Karl Malden and Brian Aherne.