East of Shanghai (1931)
"Rich and Strange" (original title)

Believing that an unexpected inheritance will bring them happiness, a married couple instead finds their relationship strained to the breaking point.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Dale Collins (novel), Alfred Hitchcock (adaptation),

Stars:

Henry Kendall, Joan Barry, Percy Marmont

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Henry Kendall	...	Fred Hill
Joan Barry	...	Emily Hill
Percy Marmont	...	Commander Gordon
Betty Amann	...	The Princess
Elsie Randolph	...	The Old Maid

Storyline

Fred and Emily Hill are leading a boring life in London. They receive a big inheritance by a rich relative and now they can realize all their dreams. They leave for a cruise behaving as rich people....but this is the beginning of the end. Richness makes they soon forget their love and family.

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Plot Keywords:

inheritance | married couple | rain | killing a cat | fancy dress ball | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 December 1931 (UK)

Also Known As:

East of Shanghai

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British International Pictures (BIP)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min 81 min (Ontario)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title comes from Ariel's song in "The Tempest": "Full fathom five thy father lies, / Of his bones are coral made, / Those are pearls that were his eyes: / Nothing of him that doth fade, / But doth suffer a sea-change / Into something rich and strange."

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Goofs

When Fred and Emily are drinking with the Princess, at first, they are sitting far apart from each other then in the next shot, they are nearly touching.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Fred Hill: Hello Em.
Emily Hill: Hello Fred. I think you'll like me in this dress when it's done. Oh, have you broken your umbrella?

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Connections

Featured in Perspectives: Jonathan Ross: Alfred Hitchcock - Made in Britain (2013)

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Soundtracks

"For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Source music

User Reviews

Quite Interesting

This change-of-pace from Hitchcock is quite an interesting film, often pleasantly witty and at other times a bit unsettling in its observations on human nature. It won't appeal to those looking for Hitchcock-style suspense (although there is one such sequence), but it is worth watching for some other reasons.

The story is about Fred and Emily Hill, an average couple living a routine middle class life. The opening sequence, which is very nicely done using many of Hitchcock's silent film skills, immediately makes you feel the boredom and shallowness of Fred's world, while being amusing as well. Suddenly Fred receives word that a rich relative is giving him a large sum of money so that he can see the world, and the Hills are off on an extended trip to several foreign countries. The substance of the movie is in the ways that their new-found wealth and the many unfamiliar environments affect them and their marriage. Their new world is one of a couple of possible meanings of the title "Rich and Strange", in addition to the Shakespeare allusion.

The cast is very small, and consists of actors little known today, but they are generally good and make their characters believable. As the Hills encounter hazards, temptations, and adventure, the question is whether they have really changed or learned anything from their experiences - the amusing last scene gives one possible answer, and along the way there are a lot of other subtle points.

While not at all like Hitchcock's more famous films, in a different sense it is all Hitchcock - a distinctive movie, and carefully crafted. While only a minor effort among his many masterpieces, it is still worth a look for those who enjoy older comedies.