Review of Rich and Strange (1931) by Chad H — 17 Jul 2008

While the storyline is at times despicable, and drags on towards the end, Hitchcock did devise a way to bring about the ending that the audience was hoping for, against the odds. Joan Barry gives a powerful performance as Emily Hill; in fact, the film is quite fascinating in that Emily is actually the main character, not Fred.

This suggests that either strong female leads were not uncommon, even in the early days of cinema, or that Hitchcock was pushing the envelope even then. But what makes this a film worth watching are the fantastic visuals - particularly at the very beginning.

Hitchcock's eye is evident, and a delight to watch, as always.