IMDb > Blackmail (1929)
Blackmail
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Blackmail (1929) More at IMDbPro »

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Blackmail (1929) -- A Scotland Yard inspector deals with a blackmailer who knows his fiancee killed an artist.

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Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   2,921 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 34% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Charles Bennett (play)
Alfred Hitchcock (adaptation)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Blackmail on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 October 1929 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
See and Hear It - Our Mother Tongue As It Should Be Spoken
Plot:
Alice White is the daughter of a shopkeeper in 1920's London. Her boyfriend, Frank Webber is a Scotland... more | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
Pretty good for its time more (57 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Anny Ondra ... Alice White
Sara Allgood ... Mrs. White
Charles Paton ... Mr. White
John Longden ... Det. Frank Webber
Donald Calthrop ... Tracy
Cyril Ritchard ... Mr. Crewe (the artist)
Hannah Jones ... Mrs. Humphries (the landlady)
Harvey Braban ... The Chief Inspector (sound version)
Ex-Det. Sergt. Bishop ... The Detective Sergeant
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Additional Details

Runtime:
84 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Photophone System)
Certification:
Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-12 (1995) | Sweden:15 (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | Spain:T | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1989) | Iceland:L

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In one key shot, the villain Cyril Ritchard is photographed with a thick shadow (caused by the arm of an overhead chandelier) across his upper lip. Hitchcock wanted the image to evoke the old-fashioned, heavily mustached villain found in many silent films. He later called this touch "my farewell to silent pictures". more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Alice first asks Crewe to button the dress, her hands are behind her back holding the dress. In the next shot, her hands are on her hips. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Det. Frank Webber: Well, we finished earlier tonight than I expected.
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Lodger (2009) more
Soundtrack:
Miss Up-to-Date more

FAQ

Are the first eight minutes supposed to be silent?
Why are the picture and sound so bad?
Is this film really in the public domain?
more
10 out of 14 people found the following comment useful.
Pretty good for its time, 14 August 2005
7/10
Author: Reverend_Summerisle from Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.

I watched Blackmail last night on BBC Four having hard it was Britain's first 'talkie' and an Alfred Hitchcock classic. A really good thriller for the early-mid 20th century and is obviously directed by Hitchcock. Not to mention a good opportunity to see London as it was in 1929! Quite a simple story lines with Anny Ondra who stars as our sweet timid heroine, Alice White, who is blackmailed after she killed man who tried to rape her.

The beginning is rather weird as you'll see when watch it and because of this, for one reason or another, I failed to understand it. Hitchcock performs a similar trick as he did later on in his career in Psycho, introducing Alice after he introduces the supporting characters.

The film sadly lacks action scenes as there is a pretty long build up and after the murder takes place we are more focused upon the psychological damaged inflicted upon Alice as she deals with the fact that she has taken another man's life. It is very obvious she is being dubbed, as her mouth and Joan Barry's flawless, girly English accent do not clash at some points during the movie. Ondra was may I add a very pretty lady for her time and I couldn't help but notice a jaw-resemblance to Meryl Streep. Most people won't know what I mean, but I could see it.

Hitchcock was a perfect choice to direct and did it considerably well, taking advantage of all the possible SFX's that were available in the late 20s. He also has a very clear cameo appearance – on a train being annoyed by a child early on in the picture.

A real treat and an enjoyable way to spend my Saturday night!

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This movie should be more famous picasso2
Dreadful. dinosaurs-will_die
KNIFE! blablabla...KNIFE! blablabla...KNIFE!!! manferot
Maybe little underrated Freku
What Do You Think Is The Best Hitchcock Cameo? Catfishbunter
Fingerprints ddaanntt
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