Robert Thomson This is what I do

Hitchcock’s “I Confess” and the tyranny of altruism

Sunday, 2 May, 2010

I’m not sure whether “I Confess” is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s better films, but I certainly find it’s philosophy troubling.
A priest (Montgomery Clift) is accused of murder when he refuses to reveal the killer’s true identity. Why? The murderer told him he committed the crime in confession, and the priest’s vow of confidentiality is what [...]

Carole Lombard and my uncertain principle

Saturday, 1 May, 2010

Yesterday I watched Alfred Hitchcock’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” It’s hard to believe I’ve never seen Carole Lombard in a film before this, but she was a revelation.
For me, the film has a difficult time holding itself together because Lombard’s character is a total nut case. She vacillates between clear-eyed rationalizations and obstinate stupidity, unfortunately [...]

The Wrong Man

Friday, 30 April, 2010

Just finished watching Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Wrong Man” with Henry Fonda and Vera Miles. What a curious departure from his other films. I actually enjoyed the bleak tone of it, and the level of restraint that infiltrates virtually every element of the film from the dialogue to camera movements to all of the performances right [...]

Work begins on my new short film

Thursday, 29 April, 2010

It’s official. I’ve begun a new short film project.
After working on visual ideas for a week, I finally got down to beginning the script.
The tentative title is “Three Of Me” or possibly “Me Of Me,” but at this stage it’s hard to tell how it may change.
One of the two locations is set, and I [...]