Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysHispanic & Latino VoicesSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Puhtauden lunnaat

Original title: Blackmail
  • 19291929
  • K-12K-12
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
11K
YOUR RATING
Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
CrimeThriller
After killing a man in self-defense, a young woman is blackmailed by a witness to the killing.After killing a man in self-defense, a young woman is blackmailed by a witness to the killing.After killing a man in self-defense, a young woman is blackmailed by a witness to the killing.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
11K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers
    • Charles Bennett(from the play by)
    • Alfred Hitchcock(adapted by)
    • Benn W. Levy(dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Anny Ondra
    • John Longden
    • Sara Allgood
  • Director
    • Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers
    • Charles Bennett(from the play by)
    • Alfred Hitchcock(adapted by)
    • Benn W. Levy(dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Anny Ondra
    • John Longden
    • Sara Allgood
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 107User reviews
    • 66Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos194

    Anny Ondra in Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Anny Ondra and Cyril Ritchard in Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Anny Ondra in Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Donald Calthrop, John Longden, and Anny Ondra in Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Anny Ondra in Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Harvey Braban and John Longden in Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Anny Ondra in Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Anny Ondra in Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Anny Ondra
    Anny Ondra
    • Alice White
    John Longden
    John Longden
    • Detective Frank Webber
    Sara Allgood
    Sara Allgood
    • Mrs. White
    Charles Paton
    Charles Paton
    • Mr. White
    Donald Calthrop
    Donald Calthrop
    • Tracy
    Cyril Ritchard
    Cyril Ritchard
    • The Artist
    Hannah Jones
    Hannah Jones
    • The Landlady
    Harvey Braban
    Harvey Braban
    • The Chief Inspector (sound version)
    Ex-Det. Sergt. Bishop
    • The Detective Sergeant
    • (as Ex-Det. Sergt. Bishop - Late C.I.D. Scotland Yard)
    Johnny Ashby
    • Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Joan Barry
    Joan Barry
    • Alice White
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Johnny Butt
    • Sergeant
    • (uncredited)
    Alfred Hitchcock
    Alfred Hitchcock
    • Man on Subway
    • (uncredited)
    Phyllis Konstam
    Phyllis Konstam
    • Gossiping Neighbour
    • (uncredited)
    Sam Livesey
    Sam Livesey
    • The Chief Inspector (silent version)
    • (uncredited)
    Phyllis Monkman
    Phyllis Monkman
    • Gossip Woman
    • (uncredited)
    Percy Parsons
    Percy Parsons
    • Crook
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Alfred Hitchcock
    • Writers
      • Charles Bennett(from the play by)
      • Alfred Hitchcock(adapted by)
      • Benn W. Levy(dialogue)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Much of this movie was originally shot silently. When sound became available during the course of shooting, director Alfred Hitchcock re-shot certain scenes with sound, thus making it his first talkie. There was one complication with this change, however. Leading lady Anny Ondra had a thick Czech accent which was inappropriate to her character, Alice White. Joan Barry was chosen to provide a different voice for her, but post-production dubbing technology did not exist then. The solution was for Barry to stand just out of shot and read Alice's lines into a microphone as Ondra mouthed them in front of the camera. This is generally acknowledged as the first instance of one actress' voice being dubbed by another, even though the word "dub" is technologically inappropriate in this case.
    • Goofs
      When Alice "unlocks" the door to the building where she lives, it starts to open as soon as the key reaches the door. It was clearly not only not locked, but not even latched. However, she goes through with the motion of unlocking it.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Det. Frank Webber: Well, we finished earlier tonight than I expected.

    • Alternate versions
      Originally filmed as a silent movie, running 75 minutes; Hitchcock later added newly shot scenes and had other existing footage dubbed to create a talkie version, running 86 minutes.
    • Connections
      Edited into Der Zinker (1931)
    • Soundtracks
      Miss Up-to-Date
      (1929) (uncredited)

      Words by Frank Eyton and music by Billy Mayerl

      Performed by Cyril Ritchard

    User reviews107

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Hitchcock's first sound film
    One of Hitchcock's early films, it was one of the first films to come out of England with sound during the end of the silent film era. An interesting film, we see several great shots of dolly's with the early staircase scene. Several well shot montages with wonderful dissolves and sound bridges. For 1929, Hitchcock shows the world with the film that he's a talented film maker. A risky scene, the audience gets to watch the main actress of the film undress behind her curtains. While the murder is never seen, the provocative and private scene of her undressing is present. Another interesting note, the main character of the film is the murderer! Throughout the film, the audience judges whether or not she is an innocent murderer or a killer. Hitchcock makes an early name for himself with this film with toying with the audience throughout the suspense of the film.
    helpful•10
    3
    • caspian1978
    • Jun 17, 2001

    FAQ3

    • Are the first eight minutes supposed to be silent?
    • Why are the picture and sound so bad?
    • Is this film really in the U.S. public domain?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 19, 1931 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kiristys
    • Filming locations
      • British Museum, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • British International Pictures (BIP)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 25 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.20 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Puhtauden lunnaat (1929)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Puhtauden lunnaat (1929) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows in September
    See the IMDb Editors' picks
    View list
    List
    IMDb's Top 50 TV Dramas
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    New & Upcoming Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-Offs
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.