Review of Rich and Strange (1931) by Pete S — 21 Dec 2011

Early atypical Hitchcock. Be prepared to see me review more of this type of stuff during the rest of this year (early Hitch, but not exclusively atypical). Besides being atypical fare for Hitch storywise, this is a curious blend of ":talkie" and silent film, which makes sense given when it was released. Actually, it's more silent than "talkie", with spoken dialogue being used maybe only a quarter of the time. That's fine though, because it gives the film a unique flavor, especially if you're interested in early cinema.

The story is a romantic melodrama concerning a young working class couple who, after coming into an inheritance, decide to get a taste of the good life by going on a cruise. The trip tests their relationship though, with both man and wife being tempted to leave the other, and both having to learn the hard way that money doesn't always make life better.

What the film lacks in originality or depth it makes up for with style and a couple really cool sequences. The shipwreck scene in particular is neat, especially if you can give it a pass given the time the film was made. There's also a particularly great shock moment near the end that is as horrifying as it is darkly funny.

All in all, not bad, but not that great or interesting either. It's not a totally boring film, but there could have been some more really great sequences throughout to make it worth giving it a complete recommendation.