Details
Movie Description
STAGE FRIGHT, based on Selwyn Jepson's novel, was adapted for the screen by Alfred Hitchcock's wife and frequent collaborator, Alma Reville. Hitchcock uses London itself as the stage for this story of an acting student forced to solve a murder. Young Eve Gil (Jane Wyman) is studying drama at the Royal Academy when she runs into an old friend, John Cooper (Richard Todd), who explains that he has been implicated in a murder he didn't commit. Cooper's affair with stage icon Charlotte Inwood (Marlene Dietrich) has made him a suspect in the death of Inwood's husband. Hitchcock used an actress as the protagonist in his 1930 film MURDER, but here, as a student forced by circumstance to truly learn the acting craft through real-life deception, the character of Eve can also be compared to Hitchcock's other accidental heroes, such as Cary Grant's Roger Thornhill in NORTH BY NORTHWEST. Eve must pose in many guises to get to the truth, and her nimble, multifaceted performance is commendable. But as the smoldering older diva, Marlene Dietrich's supporting role takes center stage.
Synopsis
Based on Selwyn Jepson's murder mystery, STAGE FRIGHT tells the tale of a young acting student forced to discover her true dramatic talents when an old friend comes to her for help, trying to prove he is innocent of a murder. Deception is the order of the day as drama student Eve Gil (Jane Wyman) is forced to track down clues with her father, risking her own life in the process. While doing so, the lovely amateur sleuth not only falls for the detective assigned to solve the crime, she also makes an unfortunate discovery about her former love.
Film Notes
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Full Frame - 1.37
Audio:
Mono 1.0 English
Additional Release Material:
Documentary - 1. HITCHCOCK AND STAGE FRIGHT
Hitchcock cameo: Hitchcock can be seen turning to look at Jane Wyman disguised as a maid.
The film includes a flashback that was a lie, which particularly shocked French critics.
Jane Wyman would burst into tears when she looked at daily film rushes that made her look uglier than co-star Marlene Dietrich.
Industry Reviews
"[I]mmensely entertaining..."
Los Angeles Times - Susan King (08/29/2004)
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