"The Lodger" is known as Hitchcock's first real movie, ie. the first to show some of his trademark touches.Unfortunately, for most of the movie I was bored. It seemed hopelessly overlong at an hour and a half for what is a rather simple story. The titular lodger comes to stay at a boarding house while there is a serial killer on the loose. A mutual attraction develops between the lodger and a show girl who lives at the house, and people begin to suspect the lodger may be the killer, long after we have made the same assumption.The movie finally takes a turn for the unexpected near the end, but I had lost interest by that point.

'The Lodger' is the first real Hitchcock movie and it is his best from his silent era. With this movie Hitchcock managed to establish many of his trademarks (including his cameos). Suspenseful and interesting screenplay has enough turns to keep the film from being predictable. I think, I don't need to go over the plot, but the mystery, killings, revenge, love is all there. Plus Hitchcock plays wonderful trick with revealing the killer.Delightfully moody mystery piece that really treats the eye. Mus see film for every fan of Hitchcock and silent era films general

it is a real special film. first - for the status of early Hitchcock. the second - for Ivor Novello performance who seems be more than a good one but the right piece for the balance of film. the story is predictable and this fact did it charming. because old themes are mixed with smart images. because the romanticism and the touching scenes reminds the popular literature of XIX century. because it is fresh and naive and seductive and dark. and because it is a fascinating clue for discover the art of its director in new and interesting perspective.

On Tuesday nights in foggy London, an at large man named 'Avenger' kills young blonde girls. Daisy, a fashion model who lives in a lodge with her parents, happens to be young and blonde, while a young man who dresses in the fashion of the Avenger, and goes out on Tuesday nights, takes up a room for rent in the building. One of Hitchcock's earliest features, he was already excellent at framing a murder, and Daisy looked pretty well cactus. But of course, no story would be so simple, and the Lodger was so obviously framed from the beginning you knew the twist was coming long before it did. At 90 minutes, that made the film a touch long, but it was also not without some moments of gripping suspense.I'm a sucker for fog on film and the outdoor shots were wonderfully atmospheric, while Hitchcock's gift for turning everyday inanimate objects, such as staircases and chandeliers, into haunts, was second to none. The scarcity of title cards - the ability to use images to progress the story - was to its advantage, and I'd also give credit to Marie Ault and Arthur Chesney, who were excellent as the Landlords. The rest of the cast had their virtues, though as was typical for silents, were a touch melodramatic.So even a young Hitchcock had talent for suspense, and the thematic elements on judgement gave at least some small depth to the thrill ride, albeit thanks to melodramatic turns at the end which were not to my taste. The love story also felt contrived. What did the Lodger do to make Daisy fall for him? And what did the Policeman do to make her turn against? Nothing, they were just cheap narrative devices, and unfortunately, more than once characters made these type of unbelievable decisions, which very conveniently helped build the tension. Of course the parents would leave Daisy on her own, despite their suspicions! Elsewhere some fairly gimmicky ideas are used, such as close ups on a fire-poker and butter knife, as if the Avenger is going to use them for something other than their intended purpose. And let's not forget the (lack of) subtlety in the ever-metaphoric chess game!Still, in the hands of a lesser director I can imagine this being quite forgettable, but Hitchcock managed to turn it into something better. I suppose anyone seeking this out nowadays is either a die-hard Hitchcock fan or a silent film fan, and it should prove enjoyable enough for people in those categories.