I Confess (1953)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

George Tabori (screen play) and
William Archibald (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 March 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

FILMED IN CANADA'S COLORFUL QUEBEC BY WARNER BROS. (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Refusing to give into police investigators' questions of suspicion, due to the seal of confession, a priest becomes the prime suspect in a murder.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Church | Police | Murder | Lawyer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Montgomery Clift	...	Father Michael Logan
Anne Baxter	...	Ruth Grandfort
Karl Malden	...	Inspector Larrue
Brian Aherne	...	Willy Robertson
O.E. Hasse	...	Otto Keller
Roger Dann	...	Pierre Grandfort
Dolly Haas	...	Alma Keller
Charles Andre	...	Father Millars
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nan Boardman	...	Maid (uncredited)
Henry Corden	...	Det. Sgt. Farouche (uncredited)
Carmen Gingras	...	1st French Girl (uncredited)
Albert Godderis	...	Nightwatchman (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man Crossing the Top of Long Staircase (uncredited)
Renée Hudon	...	2nd French Girl (uncredited)
Ovila Légaré	...	Monsieur Villette (uncredited)
Gilles Pelletier	...	Father Benoit (uncredited)
Judson Pratt	...	Murphy (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
George Tabori		(screen play) and
William Archibald		(screen play)
Paul Anthelme		(from a play by)

Produced by
Sidney Bernstein	....	producer (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Robert Burks		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Rudi Fehr		(film editor)

Art Direction by
Ted Haworth		(as Edward S. Haworth)
John Beckman		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
George James Hopkins

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist
Agnes Flanagan	....	hairdresser (uncredited)

Production Management
Sherry Shourds	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don Alvarado	....	assistant director (as Don Page)
C. Carter Gibson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Eddie Edwards	....	props (uncredited)
Ben L. Goldman	....	props (uncredited)
Robert B. Greene	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Oliver S. Garretson	....	sound
O.H. Hudson	....	boom (uncredited)
O.H. Hudson	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Eugene F. Westfall	....	recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Richard C. Smith	....	effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Albin	....	stills (uncredited)
George Bennett	....	electrician (uncredited)
Donald O. Cedergren	....	grip (uncredited)
Joseph H. Daegle	....	grip (uncredited)
Everett Dexter	....	grip (uncredited)
Gibby Germaine	....	best boy (uncredited)
Van Mathews	....	electrician (uncredited)
Harold Noyes	....	grip (uncredited)
Joe O'Connell	....	electrician (uncredited)
Wallace Pade	....	grip (uncredited)
William H. Phillips	....	generator operator (uncredited)
Walter Robinson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
George Satterfield	....	gaffer (uncredited)
William Schurr	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Fred Sealock	....	electrician (uncredited)
Leonard J. South	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Kenneth B. Taylor	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Orry-Kelly	....	wardrobe
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Ted Kring	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Elva Martien	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Martine	....	costumer (uncredited)

Music Department
Ray Heindorf	....	musical director
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	conductor
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Taylor	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Harry Allison	....	driver (uncredited)
Kenneth Greene	....	driver (uncredited)
Harry Zubrinsky	....	transportation gaffer (uncredited)

Other crew
Barbara Keon	....	production associate
Paul LaCouline	....	technical advisor (as Father Paul LaCouline)
Carl P. Benoit	....	location manager (uncredited)
Charles Bonniwell	....	location auditor (uncredited)
Marvin Margulies	....	assistant location auditor (uncredited)
Rita Michaels	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Victor Peers	....	general manager (uncredited)
Oliver Tangvay	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (presents) (A Warner Bros.-First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1953) (USA) (theatrical) (distributed by) (A Time Warner Company)
• C. F. R. (1953) (France) (theatrical) (16 mm)
• Warner Bros. (1953) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1953) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Carlotta Films (1999) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• AFEX (1953) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Sociedade Importadora de Filmes (SIF) (????) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1953) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1985) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2004) (Finland) (DVD) (5-disc Alfred Hitchcock: Master of Suspense)
• Scanvideo (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• TV3 (1989) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD) (6-disc Alfred Hitchcock Prestige Collection)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1967) (1981) (1992) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

"Alfred Hitchcock's 'I Confess!'" - USA (promotional title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Italian | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #16036) | West Germany:12 | Spain:18 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (1988) | Brazil:16 | Canada:PG (video rating) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Eglise Saint-Zéphirin de Stadacona, quartier Limoilou, 972 rue Saint-Jean, Québec, Québec, Canada

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

In the 1953 French-dubbed version, the Montgomery Clift character is called 'Marcel' instead of 'Michael'.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Father Logan walks up to the crime scene, there is a woman in the background laughing and hamming it up for the camera. Everyone else in the shot is very solemn.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Fr. Michael William Logan:Who's there?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Hitchcocks on Hitch (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Veni Creator Spiritus

The new DVD is excellent.

This may not be one of Hitchcock's greatest movies, but it's still a great film, since it was made by the master, who somehow managed to survive beautifully in Hollywood for many years. It contains many of his favorite things: lamps, the backs of people's heads, bedposts, ladies pacing in front of mantelpieces, obvious symbolism, architecture, performing arts halls, etc. More somber in tone than most Hitchcock thrillers, it should not be missed by any Hitchcock fan.

Nor by any Montgomery Clift fan. At one point Clift is juxtaposed against a statue of Christ dragging his cross, taunted by soldiers. This could be the impishly sadistic Hitchcock poking fun at the "plugged-up" persona that Clift was developing for himself, but Clift is nevertheless excellent as the brooding, sensitive priest trapped by his own devotional vows. And of course he's physically beautiful: the hair, the eyes, the eyebrows.

Less effective, although she has her moments, is Anne Baxter who was a replacement for a European actress. It's too bad, because it's hard to buy Baxter as the luscious Hitchcock blonde. Her hairdo is awful (well, it was 1953, so it's not entirely her fault)and she does that line reading that she does in every movie, including "All About Eve," where each line fades to a whisper, or starts as a whisper and stays that way. Once you become aware of it, you can't not notice it! She does, however, have at least one great Orry-Kelly dress and the way she snaps "Yes" at her husband was worth a rollback for a second viewing.

The new DVD is excellent. It has a little documentary which is enjoyable, if you can stand Peter Bogdanovich doing his Hitchcock impersonation. Hitchcock's daughter is also in the documentary. It's amazing how she seems to not really understand what her father was up to sub-textually, but she continues to enjoy his success.