Champagne (1928)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Alfred Hitchcock (writer)
Walter C. Mycroft (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

August 1928 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A spoilt rich girl leads a life of luxury on the profits from her father's champagne business. To bring...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Betty Balfour	...	Betty
Gordon Harker	...	Mark, Betty's Father
Jean Bradin	...	The Boy
Ferdinand von Alten	...	The Man (as Theo von Alten)
Fanny Wright
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alexander D'Arcy	...	(uncredited)
Vivian Gibson	...	(uncredited)
Clifford Heatherley	...	The Manager (uncredited)
Claude Hulbert	...	Club Guest (uncredited)
Hannah Jones	...	Club Servant (uncredited)
Phyllis Konstam	...	(uncredited)
Gwen Mannering	...	(uncredited)
Balliol and Merton	...	(uncredited)
Jack Trevor	...	The Officer (uncredited)
Marcel Vibert	...	Maitre d'Hotel (uncredited)
Sunday Wilshin	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alfred Hitchcock		writer
Walter C. Mycroft		novel
Eliot Stannard		writer

Produced by
John Maxwell	....	producer

Cinematography by
Jack E. Cox		(as John J. Cox)

Art Direction by
C. Wilfred Arnold		(as Wilf Arnold)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Mills	....	assistant director

Art Department
Michael Powell	....	set designer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Powell	....	still photographer

Production Companies

• British International Pictures (BIP)

Distributors

• Wardour Films (1928) (UK) (theatrical)
• Timeless Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Critics' Choice Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Grapevine Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Mappemonde Film
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

UK

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

British International Pictures (BIP)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Man in lifeboat: You'd better hurry, Miss, before she sinks.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Trouble with Harry Isn't Over (2001) (V)

Mine's a beer, garçon

There's not much to this film of Hitch's, a bit like champagne itself but not so mirth-inducing. Maybe you already know it but he went on make better films than this – many of 'em in fact, but notwithstanding that I still find this one an enjoyable watch.

Spoilt little rich girl Betty Balfour is taught a salutary if convoluted lesson by her Wall Street father ably played by Gordon Harker on how to behave as befits the daughter of a millionaire. In this exercise he sorts out the problem of the genuineness of Betty's suitor too. Some of the sets were as flimsy as the plot (almost diaphanous!) but would have made do for the audience that would only see it the once, and some of the photography and ideas were excellent with some, like the view through the bottom of the glass re-used by Hitch years later. Gurning through a wide range of emotions Betty Balfour kept on Bouncing Back in the same manner as Squibs, her famous role, whilst Gordon Harker excelled at playing this type of role before he started parodying himself in the '30's and playing up his down to Earth voice and mannerisms. And even Claude Hulbert made a 3 second appearance on the club stairs in one of his first film roles. If nothing else, it's worth a watch for the sinister Hitchcockian twist at the very end.

All told, not a great but an interesting film with a pleasant atmosphere, but because there's so few extant it's definitely a satisfying British silent film.