Hitchcock returns to London with this nifty variation on the "wronged man" formula. Instead of the innocent man pursuing to clear his name, in this film it is a woman in love with him. Robinson (Richard Todd) goes to Eve (Jane Wyman), a theater understudy in training, about his being trouble with the law due to trying to help his lover, a renowned stage actress, Mrs. Inwood (Marlene Dietrich) cover up the murder of her abusive husband. So she convinces her father (Alistair Sim) to hide Robinson until she can prove his innocence. Deciding to "go undercover" as a lowly maid, Eve convinces Inwood's current maid, Nellie (Kay Walsh), to allow her a chance to substitute for her. But when Eve meets a detective inspector in a pub, Smith (Michael Wilding), her life will become increasingly complicated.Excellent casting (especially Sim) top to bottom, typically magnificent camera-work (elaborating in a voice that speaks volumes when characters don't talk), exceptional lighting (especially at the end when Eve and Robinson are in hiding while police look for them in an abandoned theater building), and twisty conclusion make for a real Hitchcock gem that deserves re-evaluation. It certainly turns the *wronged man* plot on its head with that ending. Dietrich gets to sing and raise her iconic eyebrows during scenes where her diva character is trying to worm her way out of uncomfortable situations which could condemn her. Todd's teetering from one emotional place to another at the end, showing us a completely different side to his character is good stuff. Hitchcock brings back the umbrellas momentarily during the Garden party sequence which has a neat scene with Sim involving a doll, using a child to deliver it to a mortified Dietrich on stage performing in a tent. Wyman's soft-spoken, sweet character, juggling so many circumstances at once (including a blossoming romance with "Ordinary" Smith), is the right kind of heroine for this kind of Hitchcockian comedy thriller. She is driven, loyal to a fault, and trustworthy: Robinson could go to her and Inwood could confide in her. Sim's fragile relations with his estranged wife is a hoot. The taxi scene where Eve realizes her love for Smith, and he can't hold back his for her is a delight. I'm not a fan of Dietrich's singing, but her scene with the bloody dress doll is masterful. She gets a wonderful monologue at the end, too, when she understands she's an accessory. Because Hitchcock has so many classics, really good ones like "Frenzy" or "Stage Fright" often get overlooked. I think it is time Stage Fright gets its chance. Wyman is the lead all the way, in almost every scene, but it is clear Dietrich is the Movie Star; I think you can tell with how they are cast, that Dietrich's status was highly respected in a showy part while Wyman's cherubic heart-of-gold character is overwhelmed in comparison when the two appear together in scenes. None the more is this apparent than at the end when Eve tries to get a confession from Inwood; timidity is bruised by ego, as Eve is overpowered by Inwood when the two discuss what *really* happened to her husband. Sim is a joy to watch every time he appears. Witty, clever, wise, spirited, and given the best dialogue, this character Sim wears with kid gloves.

My title may seem a little off-base since "Stage Fright" comes about in the middle of the nearly five decades that Alfred Hitchcock thrilled audiences with his films. But, whenever it was that one saw a Hitchcock film, we always had a sense of "Wow, he did it again." The again, of course, was his clever shooting, scripting, and direction that entertained and beguiled us while keeping us in the dark about many parts of the film and its outcome.One could have fun with lots of "m's" – as in mayhem and murder -- to describe Hitchcock movies. But we should remember that Hitch also did some comedies and romance. While he wasn't known for those, I think they give us a little hint about the subtle humor that he likes to weave into some of his stories. Not all, but some. Including his cameo shots in almost all of his mystery films. "Stage Fright" has a touch of comedy in the dialogue, and more in the mannerisms of one of the main characters – Commodore Gill, played by Alastair Sim (as the credits note, billed as "Alistair" Sim). Sim will forever be known to movie fans as Ebenezer Scrooge from the 1951 filming of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." And although he did have some serious roles in earlier mysteries and dramas, Sim was very successful the last half of his career with comedies. In "Stage Fright," Commodore Gill's wit and light-hearted manner gives a sense of calm to contrast the high tension of Jane Wyman's Eve Gill. Wyman excels in her role, and the other main characters are all very good. Marlene Dietrich is not the star of this film, but she has a main role of suspicion that she carries us along with very nicely. Richard Todd's Jonathan Cooper is very good, and Michael Wilding, Sybil Thorndike and Kay Walsh are excellent as Ordinary Smith, Mrs. Gill and Nellie Goode, respectively.I won't discuss the plot, because I think that reveals too much and the suspense is a big part of the enjoyment of these films. Suffice it to say that "Hitch has done it again." He dazzled movie goers for more than four decades with many of the best crime mysteries ever put on film. No one could do them better. And, while he did receive five Academy Award nominations, he never did win an Oscar. This is one of those uncanny things about Hollywood, the movie industry and the Oscars. Films that Hitch directed received nearly 50 Academy Award nominations. They won six Oscars and two Golden Globes – for others. And, if nothing else, Hitchcock was one of the most successful movie directors in the U.S. and England. Most of his films from the 1930s through 1960s were huge box-office successes. Many big name stars appeared in Hitch films – some in more than one. Cary Grant, James Stewart, Gregory Peck, Laurence Olivier, Sean Connery, Peter Lorre, Charles Laughton, Claude Rains, Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Rod Taylor, James Mason, Raymond Burr, Ray Milland, Robert Cummings, Montgomery Clift, Joel McCrea, Karl Malden, Joseph Cotton, George Sanders, and Robert Donat had some of the male leads. Ingrid Bergman, Julie Andrews, Janet Leigh, Carole Lombard, Maureen O'Hara, Joan Fontaine, Diane Baker, Doris Day, Anne Baxter, Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, Shirley MacLaine, Grace Kelly, and Laraine Day were among the female leads.At the time of my writing this review in January, 2014, nine of Alfred Hitchcock's films are among the top 250 rated movies on the IMDb list. "Rear Window" from 1954 is IMDb number 30, followed by "Psycho" from 1960 at number 31. "North by Northwest" from 1959 is ranked 57; "Vertigo" from 1958 is 67; "Rebecca" from 1940 is 134; and "Dial M for Murder" from 1954 is 168. The last three are "Strangers on a Train," 1950, at number 186; "Notorious," 1946, at 191; and "Rope" from 1948 at number 240. Is there another director who has more than nine films in the top 250 IMDb list in early January, 2014?Viewers may note that "Birds" from 1963 isn't on the IMDb top-250 list. Nor is "Lifeboat," long-considered one of the great movies of all time since it came out in 1944, smack dab at the height of World War II. Or, how about "Spellbound" from 1945? Or, "The 39 Steps" from 1935? Or, "Marnie" from 1964? Indeed, the list of great films by Hitchcock goes on and on. Most are mysteries, but some are romance and comedies. I recommend the above films to younger viewers who may want to see more of Hitchcock. And, the following list is sure to provide many more hours of movie enjoyment. "The Man Who Knew Too Much," 1934; "Secret Agent," 1936; "Sabotage," 1936; "The Girl Was Young," 1937; "The Lady Vanishes," 1938; "Jamaica Inn," 1939; "Foreign Correspondent," 1930; "Suspicion," 1941; "Saboteur," 1942; "Shadow of a Doubt," 1943; "I Confess," 1953; "To Catch a Thief," 1955; "The Troubles with Harry," 1955; "The Wrong Man," 1956; "Torn Curtain," 1966; and "Frenzy," 1972.

Stage Fright is directed by Alfred Hitchcock and collectively written by Whitfield Cook, Ranald MacDougall, Alma Reville and James Bridie, it's based on the novel "Man Running" written by Selwyn Jepson. It stars Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich, Michael Wilding, Richard Todd and Alastair Sim. Plot sees Wyman as drama student Eve Gill, who is asked by friend Jonathan Cooper (Todd) for help because he is on the run for the alleged murder of Charlotte Inwood's (Dietrich) husband. He swears his innocence and with Eve's father (Sim) also in tow, they set about trying to prove Jonathan's innocence. It kind of goes without saying, since 90% of other reviews for Stage Fright have made the point, but Stage Fright is a lesser Hitchcock movie in terms of quality. In fact, watching it now upon revisits, it's actually, well, a bit of a bore. Yes it finds the directing maestro dallying in the realm of acting = deception, himself the deception puppet master, and the cast can't be faulted for quality of performance; notably Wyman who leads the film as a heroine taking on a number of different guises to a number of different people. But it lacks menace, it lacks sardonic humour and after playing the audience like an appropriately named fiddle, the pay off lacks dramatic impact or surprise. It has a bit more to it than merely being one for Hitchcock completists, for one thing fans of British cinema get a nice cameo from the wonderful Joyce Grenfell, but unlike a good portion of Hitchcock's work, this one doesn't hold up on repeat viewings. Decent but not actually very good. 6/10

For an Alfred Hitchcock thriller released in 1950, "Stage Fright" seems strangely behind the times. Afterall, "Shadow of a Doubt" was released in 1943, "Rope" a fear years later and "Strangers on a Train" a year after "Stage Fright". These are all incredibly "modern" pictures. "Stage Fright", in contrast, plays like one of Hitchcock's 1930s thrillers, lacking the sophistication of much of his 1940s work. At the same time, were it released by any other director, "Fright" would perhaps be fairly highly regarded. It's just, with Hitchcock, one places higher standards.The plot? The incomparable Marlene Dietrich plays Charlotte Inwood, a stage actress who rules London's theatre houses. Being a cold hearted wench, she frames actor Jonathan Cooper (Richard Todd) for the murder of her husband and then watches with delight as poor Cooper falls headlong into another one of Hitchcock's Kafkaesque "wrong man" plots. Assisting Cooper is Eve Gill (Jane Wyman), a spunky young actress who attempts to prove Cooper's innocence. Resilent and cunning, she ensnares Charlotte in a trap of her own. Sounds like Hitchcock's "Spellbound"? Yes, it's virtually the same film.Unsurprisingly, "Stage Fright" is preoccupied with stages, acting, false identities and performances. All the main characters are actors, and Eve frequently poses as invented characters in order to learn information, get into barred locations or bribe others. The film's first three acts are likewise structured around a series of lies (virtually everything said is dishonest), whilst the film's climax involves a series of truthful revelations, though again these are staged as actorly performances. As far as I know, this was also the first film to use a now well-worm cliché; it's the old gag in which the villain is tricked into revealing or confessing his or her crimes in front of an audience he or she is unaware is present ("Minority Report", "Monster's Inc" etc etc).The film marked Hitchcock's return to England after a series of pictures in America. It contains one riveting, suspenseful set piece, and continues Hitchcock's trend of favouring strong female roles. The rest of the film is well shot, but its script will undoubtedly seem generic and well-worn to modern audiences.7.9/10 – Worth one viewing.