WEEK 24: Foreign Correspondent (1940)

Hello! And welcome back, if you are indeed back, to Weekly Hitch. This is a film studies type project in which I watch all of Alfred Hitchcock’s films, in chronological order, and then I write about them and sometimes friend and family read what I write because they’re kind.

This week I’m watching Hitch’s second American film, but personally – I think it would be more accurate to call it ‘The First American Hitchcock’, because while it was made after Rebecca, this week’s film is far more like the British master we’ve come to know. So buckle up for war! Excitement! Thrills! Romance! It’s 1940’s Foreign Correspondent!

WEEK 23: Rebecca (1940)

Hello! And welcome back once again, to Weekly Hitch. This is a film-studies sort of blog in which I watch all of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies in chronological order and then write about them and try to learn things. It’s like a hobby, only I try make other people join in against their will.

For week 23 here at Weekly Hitch, we – and Hitchcock – enter the 1940’s and move to America for Hitch’s biggest, and possibly best film yet. It’s a classic tale of romance and suspense, and teamed Hitch up with one of the great producers of the age, David O Selznick. So, read on if you like, as I learn about 1940’s Rebecca.

WEEK 22: Jamaica Inn (1939)

Hello, greetings, howdy, and welcome back – yet again – to Weekly Hitch! This is a personal study-type blog in which I watch all of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, in order, and then try to work out if they’re great and how they were made and what we can learn from them. It’s like going to school, only I won’t send anyone to the principal’s office for passing notes.

This week, our last week of the 1930’s and the last of Hitchcock’s British period, brings us to the troubled, odd, and curious tale of Hitch’s 1939 period melodrama Jamaica Inn – starring the very famous Charles Laughton. Are you ready for adventure?

WEEK 21: The Lady Vanishes (1938)

After a couple months spent writing for a television show with nary a moment to watch amazing old movies, I am returned to the trail – and ready to carry on with the twenty-first week of Weekly Hitch, a project type thing in which I watch all of Alfred Hitchcock’s films in order and try to think about them – and what might be my favourite of all Hitch’s movies.

This week brings us to Hitchcock’s penultimate British film – and one of his most enjoyable, clever, funny, exciting, and satisfying films – 1938’s The Lady Vanishes. It’s a great film made even more poignant by the times in which it was made. So all aboard for adventure!

WEEK 17: The 39 Steps (1935)

Hello there, and welcome back to the seventeenth week of Weekly Hitch! This is a film-studies blog-type project wherein I watch every single one of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, in chronological order, and then write about them in a way that probably only makes sense to me and maybe other slightly deranged people.

This week we follow up Hitchcock’s breakthrough thriller The Man Who Knew Too Much, with the smashiest smash hit The 39 Steps. It’s the film that really put Hitch on the international map, and you do not want to not read why I think you shouldn’t not see it. If you get what I mean.

WEEK 13: Rich and Strange (1931)

It’s lucky week 13 here at Weekly Hitch, which is a film studies blog wherein I watch every one of Hitchcock’s movies, in chronological order, and then I write about them and what I think about them. Sort of like a book report, but instead of books – which don’t move, I write about films – which do.

This week we’re taking a look at Hitch’s 1931 comedic travelog Rich and Strange, adapted by Hitch and Alma from a novel by Dale Collins. It’s a light and frivolous movie, and only slightly removed from plausibility, so here we go with Rich And Strange.

WEEK 12: The Skin Game (1931)

Hi there! And welcome back to Weekly Hitch, which is a film studies blog where I watch all of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, in chronological order, and then I write about each one and pretend I know what I’m talking about and also sometimes I question why I’m doing this at all, but it’s too late to stop now.

For the 12th week here at Weekly Hitch, I watched Hitchcock’s 1931 rural family-feud film The Skin Game, which stars future Academy Award winner, Edmund Gwenn and is also a pretty boring movie. So let’s begin! (sorry)

WEEK 11: Murder! (1930)

Hello again you wonderful people, and welcome back to Weekly Hitch – a blog sort of thing, in which I watch every Hitchcock movie and then try to work out what makes them good, or bad, or ugly.

This week Hitchcock returns to suspense and thrills with one of his very few actual “who-done-its” – the pleasant, but uneven 1930 film, Murder!

WEEK 10: Juno And The Paycock (1930)

Hello again, whoever you are, and welcome to week ten of Weekly Hitch – a film studies blog in which I watch all of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, in chronological order, and then talk about them into a computer. It’s like having a friend show you slides of a trip to Italy, but instead of slides it’s opinions and instead of Italy it’s old movies.

This week, we enter the 1930’s with Hitchcock’s adaptation of one of Ireland’s most famous plays – there’s religious symbolism aplenty and lots more experimenting and adapting to sound. So let’s begin, with 1930’s Juno And The Paycock.

WEEK 1: The Pleasure Garden (1925)

And so, Weekly Hitch begins with the 1925 silent melodrama, and Alfred Hitchcock’s first complete and surviving film as a director; The Pleasure Garden.

For the sake of format, we’ll start with a bit about the story of the film, then my own broad impressions, and then we can get a little deeper into the history and making and interesting bits about the film. Since we’re all new to this, I don’t see much harm in feeling our way together. After all, as Hitch often said – “It’s only a movie.”