Stagecraft

Rating: 7/10 (8 January 2004)

This is one of only two Hitchcock movies that I recommend to anyone, film buff or otherwise. Hitchcock's method has lost its edge in the last half-century thanks to a fleet of imitators (Spielberg included) and advancements in other techniques that have created visions into the world of film.
This is one prototype vision. This is your only spoiler warning...
The world here is skewered, much like 'Truman Show'. Whereas Weir wanted reality in disguise, this is plain reality looking fake. Varying detail is spread over everything, causing the effect to less look authentic than 'West Side Story'. This almost resembles 'Streetcar'.
Here is where Hitchcock separates the film world from the stage world. This movie is only a freak mutation of both that uses Stewart as the stationary viewer. We watch Stewart. We know Stewart has a flat persona that's been continuously belted since 'Mr. Smith'.
The plot is ridiculously simple by today's standards and the photography is lethargic, but Hitchcock has another element...Kelly. She makes the movie flow, not Stewart, and when the culprit is caught, she is the winner. And so are we. Hitchcock made a mistake by using Hedren in 'Birds'.
The other Hitchcock is, of course, 'Psycho'.
Final Analysis = = Learn from this...