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"Less is more" in Notorious. It's as much about what this film doesn't have as what it does, and the result is that Notorious has it all. First,no color distractions. Shot in glorious black and white, the use of shadow and illumination and masterful camera angle illustrate form and theme coming together sublimely. I swore that I would never have another drink again after I felt sick for days from Bergman's hangover following the party scene, which was book-ended(possible spoiler follows here) by her delirium after being poisoned in the final scene. I'll never let anyone make me a cup of tea again after that one,least of all my mother-in-law. Second,the absence of violence, nudity, profanity. Bergman and Grant's famous "kiss," which is actually a series of small kisses,rendered all the more sensual because of the urgency of their brevity, in close-up, is the biggest, most romantic turn-on in the history of filmmaking. And they didn't even take off their clothes! Third, economy and generosity. No "Method"-dredged, emotion-purged scene stealing. The advance-retreat tension in the relationship between Alicia and "Dev" strengthens like the fibers of a rope winding so tightly that it ties the dramatic irony into a slipknot that leaves us breathless. After probably twenty viewings, I still must refrain from shouting into the screen "Don't lose consciousness Alicia...Dev's in love with you!" Lastly, there's the timely matter of nobility through self-sacrifice in service to one's country, an idea that does not compute, let alone resonate, in Hollywood boardrooms. I am so glad that I have my copy of Notorious because this movie would never be made today. Hollywood must have hoarded plenty of the big bucks that it has stolen from the American Dream left in its coffers because it continues to make bombs at the box office in the futile effort to display its own anti-American self-loathing. Hollywood seems to have confused self-flagellation (for having made all that money, no doubt) with the subordination of one's immediate desires to the greater good that we see in Notorious. I shall not leave a copy of what would be the 21st century equivalent of Notorious II, the cautionary tale of the dangers of U-235 as related to ersatz global warming,directed by Al Gore, to my grandchildren. Ummm...I'm thinking I'd rather they be guided by the (notorious)words of Richard Lovelace: "I could not love thee, dear,so much/ Loved I not honor more." Or, I'll simply leave them my beloved, out-of-print copy of Notorious. They'll get the message.Vollständige Rezension lesen
Cary Grant as CIA agent Devlin and Ingrid Bergman as Elicia Huberman are the two spies in the 1940s who infiltrate a neo Nazi cartel run by Alex Sebastian (Claude Rains). The movie starts with Elicia's father being tried and convicted of war crimes in WWII. As his daughter, Elicia seems the ideal bait to send to Rio de Janeiro to infiltrate the cartel. The problems begin when Devlin and Elicia fall in love. Yet as a former flame of Elicia's, Alex Sebastian is thrilled to find Elicia too. When Alex proposes marriage, she accepts as part of the plan and moves into his house. His mother, played by Leopoldine Konstantin, becomes her arch enemy from the beginning because her son so worships his new wife. Devlin keeps in touch with Elicia through weekly meetings at a park and make plans at a party where they go to the basement to look at some suspicious wine, which turns out to be uranium alloys. Eventually, Alex figures out that Elicia is a spy and confesses the stupidity of his marriage to his mother. They come up with a plan to gradually poison Elicia. This movie is considered one of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest movies, and there is real chemistry between Grant and Bergman. Both of them play great parts as they always do. Their kiss in the basement to outsmart Alex is considered one of the most passionate kisses in film history. However, it is Claude Rains' movie, as he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The movie was also nominated for Best Screenplay. Neither won. Alfred Hitchcock makes his usual cameo appearance at the cocktail party where Elisia and Devlin go to the basement. Watch for the glass of milk that Sebastian carries up the stairs to his sick wife. You can tell that it is poison because it glows in the dark. They used a light bulb in the glass to make it glow. This is a great mystery, and you will be watching nervously to the end. Don't miss a scene because each minute is important to the conclusion.Vollständige Rezension lesen
Really one of Hitchcock's best. It's an engaging story with nuanced performances from both Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, but, when you look at it more closely, its deeper subcurrents become apparent. And it contains one of the naughtiest kissing sequences in American cinema: only Hitchcock could subvert the Hay's Office film morality codes while observing them to the letter.
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The 1946 classic Alfred Hitchcock movie. Filmed in Beverly Hills, LA, Miami, and Brasil. Notorious was nominated for an 1947 Oscar and the 1946 Cannes grand prize. Plot summary: Following the conviction of her German father for treason against the U.S., Alicia Huberman takes to drink and men. She is approached by a government agent (T.R. Devlin) who asks her to spy on a group of her father's Nazi friends operating out of Rio de Janeiro. A romance develops between Alicia and Devlin, but she starts to get too involved in her work.
My favorite all-time classic film and this Criterion version is exceptional with care of the film to digital and additional behind the scenes features. If you're a Hitchcock fan, this is a must have in a film lovers collection.
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