I Confess (DVD)

This is and was a golden classic. Showed a priest at his best and not the low these men can fall to. Superb scenery and acting, Clift was a one of a kind. Interesting choice to plan part

Good movie and fine performances. This is a film for those who are classic film aficionados only. This is a rare Hitchcock film. TCM has not aired this one and I really do not know why. But this is worth having in your collection. Anne Baxter is okay, the only thing about her is that she was exactly like the character in "All About Eve" (not sneaky or bad) but her performances are soap opera-ish while Clift ALWAYS keeps it real (better than Brando and was the FIRST actor in his time to introduce the true Method Acting approach). Suggestion: If I were you as a consumer, I would invest in this film for the performance of Montgomery Clift alone. Great for your library and only for the mature and lover of classic films. The B&W re-mastering is just splendid as if watching history and art in motion. I have top favourites of Montgomery Clift, but if you are a collector of Hitchcock and Clift, this is worth including. I am not a spoiler of films for any one. But do read what the story is about. And also watch the clips on You Tube first to see if this is something that you will like. You can also rent this one as well on You Tube, however, I do not understand WHY they will not air this. The only guess may be that it has much to do with the Catholic Church and the insinuation of a murder suspect and a murder in the church. This may be sensitive to certain audiences. This is the only reason why there may be such a hesitancy to air this one. For crime mystery fans; worth watching and wait for the best price.

Alfred Hitchcock "I Confess"(1953) shares a theme that many of his most famous films had: that of an innocent man wrongly accused of a crime(usually murder) that he didn't commit and the extent he has to go through to clear his name. Hitchcock took that a step further when he explored what would happen when a priest hears a killer confess to a murder during confession but is unable to break his secret vows and go to the police with the information. And that's just for starters. Warner's has now brought this most interesting of a Hitchcock plot premise to Blu-ray for the first time through it's Archive Collection and the results are simply astounding. This is the second Hitchcock film to be released on Blu-ray in the last few weeks(following "The Wrong Man") and fans of the film(and Hitchcock) will be more than pleased. Digitally restored(by MPI) in 2K from a fine-grain master positive from the original nitrate negative of the film, Warner's has done a frame by frame restoration(Bitrate: 34.91) that is a marvel to watch from start to finish with a nearly pristine picture. Filmed on location in Quebec, the B & W cinematography by Robert Burks is really highlighted now on Blu-ray. The city's many landmark locations and especially it's towering church steeples are very impressive and are photographed at times with impossible angles. Burks use of shadows and lighting during nighttime scenes gives the film a sinister feel in direct contrast to the daylight scenes. Church interiors are not only expansive, but very detailed as are other set designs. Interiors, costumes, and props(including dinnerware, books, etc.) are very detailed and vivid creating the appropriate atmosphere for the film. The acting is top notch, with Montgomery Clift giving one of his most impressive performances as the conflicted and tormented young priest Father Michael Logan. Although not as celebrated as his performance in "From Here to Eternity" (also released in 1953), Clift conveys more emotion and expression with just his eyes and face than any other actor of his generation. He gets great support from Anne Baxter(love interest), Karl Malden, Brian Aherne and the great German actress Dolly Haas in a small but powerful role as the wife of the killer. The Audio(English DTS-HD MA 2.0 and Dolby Digital 2.0 for French, Spanish and Polish) is crystal clear and free of any noise artifacts(hiss, pops, etc.). "I Confess" is 94 minutes(Aspect ratio: 1.37:1) and contains the following subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Japanese, Czech and Polish. Special features include the making of documentary "Hitchcock's Confession: a Look at 'I Confess'; a vintage newsreel of the Canadian premiere and the original theatrical trailer. The Blu-ray disc itself is housed in a solid standard Blu-ray case(not an eco-cutout case). Warner's new Blu-ray of Alfred Hitchcock's "I Confess" is a must own for fans of the director and film collectors as well. Hopefully we'll see more Hitchcock films from the Warner library on Blu-ray soon including "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"(1941) and "Stage Fright"(1950). Until then, "I Confess" comes very highly recommended.

I call this a "little Hitchcock" because it is a lesser known and short film directed by the Master. I have seen the majority of Hitchcocks films and consider myself a fan, yet I had never seen this one until two days ago. I was very pleasantly surprised. Montgomery Clift is perfectly cast in the role of a priest caught between a rock and a hard place. The turmoil in his role was played perfectly by him. This priest had been the receiver of a murder confession, and now he is haunted with the knowledge yet unable to do anything about it in his loyalty to his priestly vows. The complications to the story are feasible and suspenseful, and the resolution works out logically. I was very pleased with this film as a refreshingly "different yet same" film from the best suspense director of all time. Play close attention to the ironic last line muttered to "Father Logan."

super film ,qui me manquais à m.a vidéo et que j'avais vu à la TV le soir tard ( cinéma de minuit) belle époque, un très bon Hitchcock

Hitchcock is excellent as a crime film maker and this movie respect that. It is not first a catholic movie but it is about the secret of confession which is sacred in the catholic church. As a RE teacher, I used to show this movie in school, years 10 to 12. The theological sens behind and the respect of the church are excellent. Hitchcock seems to make a link between the priest who is tempted to speak up and the temptation of JC at Golgotha. Hitchcock show us a priest who is "just a man" but keep to his faith, to his choices. Hitchcock show compassion for the murderer as well. Just a man like us who is afraid to speak, he is trap in his own lies. We can see all the anxiety in him.

Great movie. This is about a priest who takes the confession of a murderer. Of course he can't spill the beans. Then the priest himself is implicated in the murder , but still can't talk. It goes to trial , but the jury finds him not guilty as there is not quite enough evidence , but the judge takes the unusual measure of chastising the priest and basically pronounces him guilty despite the not guilty finding. When the priest exits the courtroom the crowd is ( dare I say it ) ready to crucify him. Finally the murder's wife who knows the score can't take it anymore and blabs. Of interest to Canucks is the fact that it was filmed in Quebec City , and Hitchcock takes full advantage of the magnificent architecture available. Not as "dark" as most film noir , but it approaches that status. In glorious black & white. Many of Hitchcock.s films have a sort of plot gimmick ( the birds ( The Birds ) , fear of heights (Vertigo) , helpless lack of mobility ( Rear Window ) ; this is just a good movie. Highly recommended.

Il faut aimer les films d’Alfred Hitchcock, il faut aimer les films anciens, en noir et blanc, les intrigues lentes. C’est un de ses très bons films. Il a été tourné au Québec dans la ville de Québec ce qu’on appelle nous les québécois et nous en sommes très fiers « le Vieux Québec ». J’ai beaucoup aimé.

I Confess is probably the deepest you can get into Alfred Hitchcock's psyche. There are so many themes here that echo his own personality - Roman Catholic guilt and the sanctity of the confession, which is at the very heart of the story; fear and mistrust of the police, with Karl Malden's character Inspector Larrue willing to bend the truth to fit his suspicions; the wronged man, a regular Hitchcock device; and an unrequited sexual longing that saw the film banned in Ireland upon original release, so scandalous was it thought. This is a very dark, very serious film stripped of Hitchcock's usual comedic touches. Playing the lead role of Father Logan, Montgomery Clift's early adaptation of the method acting school is perfectly suited to the role as inner demons wrestle to come to the surface yet Clift manages to portray the turmoil brilliantly. Apparently Clift's style frustrated Hitchcock greatly as he questioned motive for many shots or didn't initially portray a scene exactly how Hitchcock imagined it, leading to many retakes - and this being his only Hitchcock film. Set in an atmospheric Quebec, the first scene shows what initially appears to be a Catholic priest hurrying away from the home of an underhand lawyer, Villette. However as the 'priest' enters a church it is soon revealed that it is in fact Keller, a German handyman and gardener disguised in a cassock. Keller prays in the church and is interrupted by Father Logan, and asks to take confession where he reveals the murder. Logan is bound by the sanctity of the confession and cannot tell, regardless of the consequences - and the following day when the finger of suspicion is pointed squarely at him by Larrue following a visit to the crime scene where he is noticed in deep discussion with the married Anne Baxter, played by Ruth Grandfort, Larrue starts digging into Father Logan's background, creating motive and supposing opportunity. It's that slow unpeeling of layers from Father Logan who knows the truth of the murder but cannot say the truth else defy his holy orders that makes this tale work so well. Logan's past before he became a priest is ruthlessly dug into, motive is invented and the finger of suspicion pointed. Logan bears all this with grace and stoicism, but begins to crumble in the courtroom scenes as Keller invents lies to protect his own skin. This is a man willing to be judged by a jury of his peers holding firm to his religious beliefs regardless of the consequences. It's a power tale well told. Soon Hitchcock was to go even deeper with the true tale of The Wrong Man, but this is a fine telling of a man facing a huge quandary challenging his faith.