Rent Young and Innocent (1937)

Comedy thriller. - Young and Innocent review by Steve

In The Man Who Knew Too Much, 15 year old Nova Pilbeam played a child abducted by an international spy ring. Two years later Alfred Hitchcock cast her once again, as the romantic lead; the young blonde entangled with Derrick De Marney as the innocent man who is wrongly accused of murder.

It's mostly remembered for a set piece near the end when Nova and Edward Rigby are looking for the real murderer in a hotel ballroom, only knowing that his eyes twitch. Hitch's crane shot sweeps the room and then tracks in on the drummer in a minstrel band, until his eyes fill the screen... and then they twitch!

It's my favourite single shot in all of his films. The film has all the hallmarks of a quintessential Hitchcock thriller. There is the wrong man trying to clear his name and the blonde whose initial mistrust gives way to screwball romance. And there's the rural locations typical of his early years; this is the first of a few set in Cornwall.

There are laughs and there is the legendary touch of the Master of Suspense. He made more auspicious films in his British period; while the leads are fine, they were not major stars. There's an impression of a limited budget. But it boasts a good script and is still fine entertainment.

Early Hitch with some superb camera angles/tricks - Young and Innocent review by KB

This pacey little movie begins in a fantastic and memorable way: we hear the frustrated cry of a name, "Christine!" and at once we're hooked. A murder is committed, and the wrong man is put in the frame. The film is a cat and mouse chase, with our two young heroes trying to stay one step ahead of the police in a bid to find the real murderer and bring him to justice. There are classic Hitchcock touches throughout this early film by the Master. When two young women discover the body on the beach, instead of letting the audience see what they are seeing the scene cuts to a few seconds of seagulls in flight, screaming. It's very effective. Later on the camera zooms in and stays on actress Nova Pilbeam's horrified face as she dangles above an old mineshaft, about to fall to her death. Does she scream? No - she's totally silent, though her mouth is open and she may be trying to speak. It's an agonising few moments as we will her to cling on, and another understated touch of genius by Hitchcock. Close to the end is the best scene of all: the camera slowly moving in on the face of the real murderer in a crowded, noisy nightclub, getting closer and closer until at last all we see are his eyes. Then he blinks - which gives him away as the wanted man. Superb. The film is somewhat dated, especially in its awkward depiction of a band of white musicians in 'blackface' make up; nevertheless it is a memorable early entry into the canon of brilliance that Hitch was rightly famous for. And 18 year old actress Nova Pilbeam is luminous throughout. She was Hitch's choice for the part of 'The Girl' in the 1940 Hollywood movie Rebecca, which he directed, and what a choice she would have been. Except that her contract did not permit her to go to America at that time. The part went instead to American actress Joan Fonteyn. Pilbeam was rarely seen again on screen, and eventually left the film industry, depriving future audiences of her potential to go on to achieve great things.