Hitchcock's Character Study

Rating: 7/10 (10 March 2017)

Though many of Alfred Hitchcock's films are extraordinary at developing characters, that development often plays second-fiddle to suspense, drama, & even subtle comedy. In "Lifeboat", however, the characters are on center stage throughout the entire experience, with Hitchcock masterful crafting them one by one...until the ending, of course.
For a basic plot summary, "Lifeboat" tells the story of a group of Americans trapped on a lifeboat after the Nazi bombing of a freighter. When a German U-boat captain is pulled aboard and portends to know the direction they should be sailing, the characters must decide whether or not to trust the enemy captain. Along the way, all the personality types and individual prejudices are the survivors are explored.
In terms of a character treatise, this is an excellent film...one of Hitch's very best. I am a big fan of "bunch of people trapped in a situation" movies, so I was instantly drawn to this type of movie and was not let down. Though Hitch usually deals with personal/political topics in a very off- hand, tongue-in-cheek sort of way, he really seems to delve into them with much more gusto in "Lifeboat". Upon reaching the end, you'll feel as if you truly care about the characters and their motives/personalities.
The acting is also top-notch, with a case of seasoned veterans like Tallulah Bankhead, William Bendix, Walter Slezak, John Hodiak, and Henry Hull, among others. In films of this nature (think: 12 Angry Men, for instance) the acting must be spot-in in order to generate emotion, as very few outside factors can be utilized.
Minor Spoiler: Sadly, the glaring weakness of this movie (and what keeps it from being a true classic) is its horrible ending. Hitchcock has a long history of sub-par endings, but this one might be the "cream of the crop" in terms of ridiculousness. For a film screaming for character resolution, this one gives you NOTHING. It literally just ends. Perhaps that was acceptable back in the 1940s, but today it is unforgivable.
Overall, though, "Lifeboat" is a very interesting character study that is easily worthy of four- stars. Had it offered a bit of resolution, this could have rocketed to the top of Hitchcock's filmography. As it is, it's just a solid effort that fails in one key area.