Classic Movie Monday: The Lady Vanishes

Title: The Lady Vanishes
Stars: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Year: 1938
Black & White

Summary: Iris Henderson's last vacation with her girlfriends before her walk down the aisle ends her days of freedom is about to come to a close. Before she boards the train on her way back to her groom, she is hit on the head by a falling flowerpot which was pushed off its ledge intentionally. As her friends worry about her injury, the old lady she met the night before promises to look after Iris on the train so they bid Iris' friends farewell. Once they've boarded the train, they decide to have some tea to soothe Iris' headache. As Iris and the old lady dine the pair chat and the old lady reveals herself to be Miss Froy, a retired governess. They finish their tea and make their way back to their compartment where there is also an Italian family and a German lady. Iris falls asleep only to wake up and see Miss Froy is gone. She asks the rest of the people in the compartment where her friend has gone but they all claim that Miss Froy never existed. Not believing them, Iris begins a frantic search for her friend with the help of the charming Gilbert who seems to be the only one who believes her, much to Iris' annoyance. What ensues is a roller coaster ride of Iris' sanity as she goes from being convinced she is crazy to being absolutely certain of a conspiracy. There is a little romance and comedy thrown in there, too, as we meet various interesting characters on the train.

Director/Production: This is one of Hitchcock's British films which, to me, just seem to have more charm. It is much more simple than his later work but that does not mean he doesn't have a few tricks up his sleeve with this one. He uses trick shots to make things look far more menacing than they are. It has all of the best of his technique as well as he bits of humor.

The Stars: This film stars Margaret Lockwood as Iris and Michael Redgrave as Gilbert. Margaret Lockwood has a strong screen presence despite being the damsel in distress. She plays the role of Iris with strength and determination. I don't have much more to say about her because all of my focus is on Michael Redgrave's Gilbert. Handsome and tall (so very, very tall), Redgrave is the best part of this movie. His character never lacks in the humor department and without him, there would be no romance in the movie. You might recognize the name Redgrave, and yes he is Vanessa's father. For me, he is the best part of this movie.

Why Should You Watch This? This is absolutely my favorite Hitchcock movie (I might have said that about Rear Window, but this one is my true favorite). It shows his genius better than any other of his films and encapsulates every one of his best tricks. "This Lady Vanishes" shows his talent even better than any of his later work, which was done with far more resources at his disposal. It has all the suspense that Hitchcock is famous for as well as all the romance he managed to squeeze into just about every movie he made. Another reason this film is so special to me is because it just has a certain charm to it that comes from the model village and trains used in the opening shots. It is a reminder of how far film making has come. I also feel like the lack of the more technical elements allows you to focus more on the character development. The characters here are so unique and charming that it is fitting that they are the focus.

I love this movie so much and hope that you will do the same. I hope you watch this and come to enjoy it as much as I do. I also hope you can forgive the fact that this is classic movie Monday on Thursday. This one is probably not one you could find at Blockbuster, but you most certainly can get it on Netflix. However, because it is an older film, copyright ownership does not really apply to it anymore so you can watch the full thing on YouTube without fear of it being taken down. Let me know what you think and, as always, happy watching!

Here is the first YouTube video of it, just to get you started. The rest is up on YouTube.

Classic Movie Mondays: Rear Window

Title: Rear Window
Stars: James Stewart, Grace Kelly
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Genre: Suspense, Thriller
Year: 1954
In Color

Summary: "Rear Window" is a classic Hitchcock suspense film about a photographer, L. B. Jefferies (James Stewart), who is confined to a wheelchair for weeks due to an accident. He is cared for by a nurse, Stella, played by Thelma Ritter and by his girlfriend who wants nothing more than to settle down with him, Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly). Due to the extensive confinement, Jeff finds a not so common hobby in spying on the neighbors. He gets their schedules down to a 't'. He is warned against it numerous times by Stella and Lisa, but he continues to allow his peeping to occupy his time. Finally, he becomes convinced that one of his neighbors has killed his wife. He explains his theory to Lisa, Stella and a friend, Detective Doyle, but all of them insist that this is just a side effect of the heat and his confinement. But is his imagination just running away with him or is it possible that a killer is in the neighborhood?

The Stars: In this brilliant masterpiece directed by the king of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, James Stewart stars as L. B. Jeffries, a thrill seeking photographer. James Stewart worked with Hitchcock several times and even if you have not seen many classics, you might know him as George Baily from "It's a Wonderful Life," which is a Christmas classic that is played on television every year around Christmas, several times. James Stewart was known for his boy scout persona and 'awe shucks' charm. He is suited for this role because he brings to life the idea of an average guy thrust into a situation most people think will never happen to them. Also starring in this film is the beautiful princess, Grace Kelly. I am not sure that you will really know her from anything, but she brings elegant sex appeal to every role she plays. She also does not allow herself to be the typical stereotype of women this is too often portrayed in older films. She shows a brilliance in her roles and was also a favorite of Hitchcock's.

The Director: It is a shame that some people do not know who Alfred Hitchcock is anymore. He was a master of suspense. He knew how to keep the audience on their toes and had a specific vision for every film he brought to live. At one point, he was one of the most recognizable directors because he made a cameo appearance in every one of his movies. His most recognizable work would be "Psycho," a Halloween classic that you may have seen. His movies are able to capture suspense in ways that many modern directors have yet to achieve.

Why should you watch this? This is my absolute favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie, and I am a fan of of Hitchcock. I have seen almost all of his films. Many of my friends do not even know who he is and that is just a shame. If you like suspense, you will love this. There is something for everyone in this film. There is suspense and Grace Kelly for the guys and suspense, romance, and James Stewart for the girls. I love James Stewart and he is a delight in this role as is Grace Kelly, who is gorgeous and has a fabulous wardrobe in this film. Once again I would says this film is not too dated, yet it is older than my first Classic Movie Monday pick. It is, however, still in color (a am working my way to black and white, though, so get ready). You should also watch it to see if you can spot Hitchcock's cameo appearance. It is quite fun to try and spot him, just make sure you know what he looks like, first.

I hope you enjoy this movie, so let me know!