I Confess (1953)

A priest, who comes under suspicion for murder, cannot clear his name without breaking the seal of the confessional.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

George Tabori (screen play), William Archibald (screen play)

Stars:

Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, Karl Malden

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited 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

Storyline

Otto Keller and his wife Alma work as caretaker and housekeeper at a Catholic church in Québec City, Québec. While robbing a house where he sometimes works as a gardener, Otto is caught and kills the owner. Racked with guilt, he heads back to the church where Father Michael Logan is working late. Otto confesses his crime, but when the police begin to suspect Father Logan, he cannot reveal what he has been told in the confession.

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Plot Keywords:

priest | church | catholic | confessional | safe full of money | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English French Italian German

Release Date:

28 February 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alfred Hitchcock's 'I Confess!'

Filming Locations:

Maison Hearn, Grande Allée Est, Quebec, Canada

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the original play, the priest and his lover had an illegitimate baby, and the priest was hanged at the end. These elements had to be eliminated to avoid the wrath of the censor.

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Goofs

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.

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Quotes

Otto Keller: I must confess to you. I must tell someone. I want to make a confession.

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Connections

Referenced in The Confessional (1995)

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Soundtracks

Veni Creator Spiritus
(uncredited)

User Reviews

Intriguing and thrilling movie by the Master of Suspense in which a good priest is accused of killing

Entertaining suspense movie packs thrills ,intrigue , tension and ordinary Hitch touches . Indispensable seeing this quintessential Hitch movie , demanding various viewings . Classic and haunting suspense by the master himself , Hitchcock , dealing with tragic events when a priest (Montgomery Clift) takes confession from a man who coincidentally killed a blackmailer who he knew of pre-vows relationship with a married woman (Anne Baxter). Refusing to give into police investigators' questions of suspicion, due to the seal of confession, the Father becomes the prime suspect in a murder. The murderer is called Otto Kellar (O.E.Hasse) and his wife Alma (Dolly Haas) work as caretaker and housekeeper at a Catholic church in Quebec . Meanwhile , the priest named Fr. Michael Logan walking through the town, passes in front of a cinema showing ¨The enforcer¨.

Interesting Hitch film shot in Canada's colorful Quebec by Warner Bros , being based on the 1902 play "Nos Deux consciences" by Paul Anthelme, but little is known about any production of the play. However , in the original play, the priest was hanged ; this scene had to be eliminated and replaced with another scene to avoid the wrath of the censor. Alfred Hitchcock's films have become famous for a number of elements and iconography : innocent men wrongfully accused, blonde women , long non-dialogue sequences, etc . Hitch apparently decided to leave this movie location unspecific and without recognizable landmarks and filmed it in the city of Quebec . In spite of some shortcoming , this is the picture that best reflects many of Hitchcock's puritanical ethics . Hitch plays on the senses and keeps the suspense and action in feverish pitch . All the elements for a suspenseful evening are in place and things move at an intelligent pace . The story is typical Hitch fare , an issue of wrong accusation , dual guilt , and treason that embroils a man in murder . Hitch had two of most charming actors of all Hollywood as Montgomery Clift and Anne Baxter . As a pretty good acting by Montgomery Clift as a priest falsely framed of killing and Anne Baxter as his old friend who cannot handle the situation wrought in her life by the gross injustice . Montgomery Clift drank during the shooting and his eyes appear glazed during the ferry scene , Hitchcock was a very non-confrontational director and delegated an assistant director and Karl Malden to talk to the actor about it . Supporting cast is frankly excellent such as Karl Malden as Inspector Larrue , Brian Aherne as prosecutor Willy Robertson , O.E. Hasse as Otto Keller , Roger Dann as Pierre Grandfort and Dolly Haas played Alma Keller in this film ; Haas was selected to play "Alma" Keller, because of her physical resemblance to Hitchcock's wife Alma Reville . As usual , Hitch's cameo as man walking , as he is uncredited crossing the Top of Long Staircase . Atmospheric and moody cinematography in evocative style by Robert Burks , Hitch's ordinary . Very good sets and production design by Haworth and Beckman . Riveting and thrilling musical score by classic Dimitri Tiomkin .

The motion picture was well directed by Alfred Hitchcock , he was famous for making his actors follow the script to the word, but in this movie the Hitch's method filmmaking clashing with Clift's method interpretation and the result falls short of the Master of Suspense's best pictures and never quite comes off at all . This is one of Hitch's most stylish and discussed films and will keep you riveted and excited until the edge-of-your-seat .