Review of Marnie (1964) by Ron M — 01 Apr 2013

Something just doesn't sort of compute in the film. What exactly does stealing money and sending it home to mother have to do with feeling threatened by men? It's Hitchcock, so the look and production values are solid, and it's definitely watchable.

But the melodrama is a bit over the top and the motivation somewhat implausible at times. When Marnie is not stealing from office safes, we never see where she goes at night. This may seem ridiculous and trivial, but without it the film lacks context.

It makes the film feel episodic and disjointed and somewhat lacking in continuity. And the fears at the end that Marnie might have to pay for her thefts seems somewhat ridiculous, made more so at the very end with Connery telling her that under the circumstances of her trauma, everyone will understand.

(Like, who's going to actually know or trace her misdeeds?) Nor is it believable that once Connery has reimbursed one of his clients for Marnie's theft, that the client would pursue pressing charges.

And the honeymoon cruise between Connery and Marnie seems forced, disjointed, and not entirely believable. It's as though -- well, we can't get along because of your hangups. Fade to next scene: well, we can't get along because of your hangups.

Without ever trying very hard to deal with those hangups. (There are a couple of abortive attempts, overdramatized.) One more quibbled -- who in the world did Sean Connery's makeup -- he's literally drowning in eyeliner and mascara at times.

I do not exaggerate. He looks almost grotesque. You also get a sense that quite apart from the role he's playing, he's either hostile to the whole affair or perhaps to his costar. But we'll leave that for the gossip columnists.