When Boys Leave Home (1927)

Public schoolboy Roddy Berwick is expelled from school when he takes the blame for a friend's charge and his life falls apart in a series of misadventures.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Constance Collier (as David L'Estrange), Ivor Novello (as David L'Estrange)

Stars:

Ivor Novello, Ben Webster, Norman McKinnel

Cast

Cast overview:
Ivor Novello	...	Roddy Berwick
Ben Webster	...	Dr. Dawson
Norman McKinnel	...	Sir Thomas Berwick
Robin Irvine	...	Tim Wakeley
Jerrold Robertshaw	...	The Rev. Henry Wakeley
Sybil Rhoda	...	Sybil Wakeley
Annette Benson	...	Mabel
Lilian Braithwaite	...	Lady Berwick
Isabel Jeans	...	Julia
Ian Hunter	...	Archie
Hannah Jones	...	Dresser
Barbara Gott	...	Madame Michet
Violet Farebrother	...	Poetess
Alf Goddard	...	Sailor

Storyline

Public schoolboy Roddy Berwick is expelled from school when he takes the blame for a friend's charge and his life falls apart in a series of misadventures.

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Plot Keywords:

expelled from school | schoolboy | actor | theatre | father son relationship | 

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Taglines:

A College Hero round whom is woven a picture of Love and Treachery. (Print ad- The recorder ((Port Pirie, South Australia)) 3 July 1928)

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Release Date:

1928 (USA)

Also Known As:

When Boys Leave Home

Filming Locations:

Maida Vale Underground Station, Maida Vale, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gainsborough Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min 106 min (2012) (theatrical) 105 min (2012 restoration)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White (sepia/black & white)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

After Roddy returned the cigarette case to Julia, the placement and the manner in which he holds his hat changes between shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. Dawson: I wish you had more boys like Roddy to send us, Sir Thomas.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: Here is a tale of two school-boys who made a pact of loyalty. One of them kept it - at a price.

The World of Youth.

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Connections

Referenced in Paul Merton Looks at Alfred Hitchcock (2009)

User Reviews

Early Silent Hitchcock is Worthy Viewing

Classmates and close friends at an English public school, Roddy Berwick and Tim Wakely compete for the affections of a local shop girl. When the girl falsely accuses Roddy of getting her pregnant, he is expelled. However, Roddy remains silent to protect Tim, who was the guilty party, and the friends make a pact to keep silent. Outraged at his expulsion, Roddy's father does not believe his son's claims of innocence and throws him out. Thus, Roddy strikes out on his own, and his life begins a downward spiral from stage acting to a disastrous marriage to taxi dancing to the Marseilles waterfront. "When Boys Leave," also known as "Downhill," was Alfred Hitchcock's fifth completed film, and, early on in his career, the master director explores his oft-repeated theme of the wrongfully accused.

Shot in 1927, the film is silent with inter-titles, and the black-and-white cinematography is often well lit with striking visual compositions. However, Hitchcock generally holds the camera steady, and movement occurs within the frame. The film lacks the camera fluidity common among movies of the late silent era, although Hitchcock is already a master of visual story-telling, and the inter-titles are brief and sparse. As Roddy's life reels out of control, he is dwarfed by his surroundings in rooms with impossibly high ceilings and doors that are more than twice his height. Fortunately, Hitchcock elicits naturalistic performances from his cast, and none indulges in the grand style of acting that negatively stereotyped silent movies. Ivor Novello, a Welsh matinée idol best known for his musical talents, plays the suffering Roddy quite well. Isabel Jeans as Julia Fotheringale, a spendthrift actress, and Ian Hunter as Archie, Julia's shady lover, provide amusing support during one colorful episode in Roddy's descent.

"When Boys Leave" is from Hitchcock's apprentice period in England, when he was still learning the craft. While the story is thin, and the motivations vague, this short silent film shows flashes of the genius to come, and, for students of the master, every Hitchcock film is worthwhile viewing.