Number 13 (1922)

The story was about low-income residents of a building, financed by The Peabody Trust, founded by American banker-philanthropist George Foster Peabody, to offer affordable housing to needy Londoners.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writer:

Anita Ross (unconfirmed)

Stars:

Clare Greet, Ernest Thesiger

Cast

Cast overview:
Clare Greet	...	Mrs. Peabody
Ernest Thesiger	...	Mr. Peabody

Storyline

The story was about low-income residents of a building, financed by The Peabody Trust, founded by American banker-philanthropist George Foster Peabody, to offer affordable housing to needy Londoners.

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Plot Keywords:

two word title | unfinished film | number in title | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Sir Alfred Hitchcock's directorial debut. The story was about low-income residents of a building. It was written by a woman employed at Islington, her precise identity unknown. Even the title is unclear: Islington Studios' records listed it as being "Mrs. Peabody", but Hitchcock always referred to it as Number 13 (possibly because it was the thirteenth film he was involved in making, in some capacity) Hitchcock's uncle Joseph invested in this movie, and when the funds ran out, Clare Greet also pitched in funding. But the filming was ultimately shut down with only two reels of film completed. Despite the fact that several people have rated it here on IMDb, this movie was never completed or shown, but Adrian Brunel claims Hitchcock showed it to him in an unfinished state. The footage filmed is now long-lost, and nothing else is known about it, apart from Hitchcock's alleged assertion that it wasn't very interesting.

User Reviews

Information about this lost film of Hitchcock's

Source: "The Life And Times Of Alfred Hitchcock" by John Russel Taylor, 1978, page 42 "Lady who came up with the idea was Anita Ross, at the time, a publicity woman for Famous Players-Lansky. She carried a certain weight because back in Hollywood she had worked with Chaplin, and that impressed everyone enormously. The exact circumstances of how this film was made, and how far it was made (it was certainly never finished), remain obscure. Even its title presents something of a mystery. In the records of Islington Studios it is called Mrs. Peabody; Hitchcock refers to it as Number Thirteen.

When studio wound down, among the other production in the works was a modest two-reeler variously titled Number 13 and Mrs. Peabody, written by Anita Ross, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It seems to have been a comedy; It featured American film star Clare Greet, and English stage-actor Ernest Thesiger. Even as modest as it was, film was never finished and seems to not exist today ("Thank heavens", says Hitchcock) ; it had the misfortune of being in production at the time Famous Players-Lansky was winding down operations, and studio was left deserted except for a skeleton crew, including Hitchcock."

Source: "Hitchcock, A Life In Darkness And Light" by Patrick McGilligan, 2003, on page 753/ 4: "Number 13 is unfinished; also referred to as "Mrs. Peabody". The picture dealt with London low-life, the number thirteen of the title referring to the number of a tenement flat in a Peabody Building (a poor-person's dwelling). In a letter, Ernest Thesiger comments on the fact that Clare Greet was persuaded to put up some of the money towards the making of the picture, which was never actually shown. Adrian Brunel, however, remembers Hitchcock showing it to him, in an incomplete state, in 1922." Special supplement to Sight And Sound, May 1949.

For whatever this may be worth, is it listed on http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/M/MissusPeabody1922.html under the title Mrs. Peabody, with "Scenario by Anita Ross". It should also be noted that Hitchcock was involved in the making of twelve films prior to this film, making it his thirteenth film. That could be why Hitchcock referred to it as Number 13, rather than its correct title, Mrs. Peabody.

Details

Country:

UK

Also Known As:

Number Thirteen

Filming Locations:

The Angel - 101 Bermondsey Wall East, Rotherhithe, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gainsborough Pictures

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1