Complete credited cast: | |||
Nova Pilbeam | ... | Erica Burgoyne | |
Derrick De Marney | ... | Robert Tisdall (as Derrick de Marney) | |
Percy Marmont | ... | Col. Burgoyne | |
Edward Rigby | ... | Old Will | |
Mary Clare | ... | Erica's Aunt | |
John Longden | ... | Det. Insp. Kent | |
George Curzon | ... | Guy | |
Basil Radford | ... | Erica's Uncle | |
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Pamela Carme | ... | Christine Clay |
George Merritt | ... | Det. Sgt. Miller | |
J.H. Roberts | ... | Mr. Briggs - Solicitor | |
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Jerry Verno | ... | Lorry Driver |
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H.F. Maltby | ... | Police Sergeant |
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John Miller | ... | Police Constable |
An actress is murdered by her estranged husband, who is jealous of all of her young boyfriends. The next day, writer Robert Tisdall (who happens to be one such boyfriend) discovers her body on the beach. He runs to call the police, however, two witnesses think that he is the escaping murderer. Robert is arrested, but owing to a mix-up at the courthouse, he escapes and goes on the run with a Police Constable's daughter Erica, determined to prove his innocence. Written by Col Needham <col@imdb.com>
I hold with what seems to be the majority opinion here, i.e. that this early Hitchcock effort is a neglected gem. Though certainly not as well-done as some of his more noteworthy movies, I found it to be thoroughly captivating and entertaining, with the blend of suspense and humor that one finds in, say, "To Catch a Thief" or "Family Plot". Derrick deMarney as the romantic lead does a particularly fine job; sort of a foreshadowing of the kind of thing Cary Grant later did so well.
One thought is that the title is perhaps a bit of a double entendre; we always associate the phrase "Young and Innocent" with a female, but the story is really about the attempt of the lead character - a young man - to prove his innocence. Then again, is he really the lead, or is the story about the girl after all? I'm sure Hitch intended this touch of ambiguity.
Once again I have to thank American Movie Classics for bringing us another worthy movie from the past. Hitchcock fans should not miss this one (come to think of it, the only dog that I have seen from Hitch is "The Paradine Case").