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 (as O. E. Hasse)
Roger Dann	...	Pierre Grandfort
Dolly Haas	...	Alma Keller
Charles Andre	...	Father Millars

Storyline

Otto Kellar and his wife Alma work as caretaker and housekeeper at a Catholic church in Quebec. Whilst 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:

Eglise Saint-Zéphirin de Stadacona, quartier Limoilou, 972 rue Saint-Jean, Québec, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,000,000, 31 December 1953

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

Alfred Hitchcock: crossing the top of a staircase during the opening sequence.

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Goofs

The bailiff carries the mace as he precedes the judge into the courtroom for the final verdict and places it in a ceremonial holder. The reverse view from the judge's bench shows the bailiff inserting the mace and seating it again.

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Quotes

Otto Keller: I have abused your kindness. You who gave my wife and me a home - even friendship, so wonderful a thing for a refugee, a German, a man without a home.

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Connections

Featured in Destination Hitchcock: The Making of 'North by Northwest' (2000)

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Soundtracks

Veni Creator Spiritus
(uncredited)

User Reviews

Unappreciated Hitchcock

I watched this recently and am somewhat perplexed by the relatively low score (for a Hitchcock film) that it has received. I thought the performances by Anne Baxter, Karl Malden, and especially Monty as the tortured priest were pitch perfect. The stark black and white photography also contributed greatly to the gloomy almost defeatist mood of the film. The extended flashback interlude of the past romance between Logan and Madam Grandfort was also very moving. The 'villain' Keller (Hasse) was sympathetic to a slight degree and the understated tension of his encounters with Logan were spine tingling. All in all, this is yet another gem from The Master, 9/10.