I Confess

Plot synopsis:
Father Michael Logan (Clift) is a devout Catholic priest in Ste. Marie's Church in Quebec City. He employs German immigrants Otto Keller (O. E. Hasse) and his wife Alma (Dolly Haas) as caretaker and housekeeper. Otto also works part-time as a gardener for a shady lawyer called Villette.
The film begins late one evening, as a man wearing a priest's cassock walks away from Villette's house, where Villette lies dead on the floor. Shortly afterward, in the church confessional, Keller confesses to Father Logan that he accidentally killed Villette while trying to rob him. Keller tells his wife about his deed and assures her that the priest will not say anything because he is forbidden from revealing information acquired through confessions.
The next morning, Keller goes to Villette's house at his regularly scheduled gardening time and reports Villette's death to the police. Father Logan also goes to the crime scene after hearing Mrs. Keller mention that her husband is there.
At the police station, two young girls tell Inspector Larrue (Malden) they saw a priest leaving Villette's house. This prompts Larrue to call Father Logan in for questioning, but Logan refuses to provide any information about the murder. Now suspecting Logan, Larrue orders a detective to follow Logan and contacts Crown Prosecutor Robertson (Brian Aherne), who is attending a party hosted by Ruth Grandfort (Baxter) and her husband Pierre (Roger Dann), a member of the Quebec legislature. Ruth overhears Robertson discussing Logan, and Larrue's detective discovers her identity by following her home the next day after she meets with Logan to warn him that he is a suspect.
Larrue calls Ruth and Logan in for questioning, and Ruth explains what happened, narrating a series of flashbacks: She and Logan fell in love when they were childhood friends, but he went off to fight in World War II with the Regina Rifle Regiment and eventually stopped writing to her, so she married Pierre. The day after Logan returned from the war, he and Ruth spent the day on a nearby island. A storm forced them to shelter for the night in a gazebo, and Villette found them there in the morning, recognizing Ruth as being Mrs. Grandfort. The next time Ruth saw Logan was several years later, when he was ordained as a priest.
Villette recently asked Ruth to persuade her husband to help him escape a tax scandal, and when she refused, he tried to blackmail her by threatening to publicize the night she spent with Logan. She met with Logan on the night of the murder, and they agreed to visit Villette in the morning.
Ruth's meeting with Father Logan almost provides him with an alibi, but Larrue has evidence showing that the murder occurred after their meeting, and the blackmail suggests a possible motive for Logan to have killed Villette.
Knowing he will be arrested, Logan turns himself in the next day at Larrue's office. Keller has planted the bloody cassock among Logan's belongings, and when Logan is tried in court, Keller testifies that he saw Logan enter the church after the murder, acting suspiciously.
The jury barely finds Father Logan not guilty, but the crowd outside the courthouse harasses Logan as he leaves. This upsets Keller's wife so much that she starts to shout out that her husband is the murderer, but he shoots her, resulting in her death. He then runs away and is pursued by police officers. Larrue finally guesses that Keller is the murderer, corners him in the grand ballroom of the Château Frontenac, and unknowingly tricks him into confessing his sins as well as his previous reconciliation. A police sharpshooter kills Keller when Keller tries to shoot Logan, and Keller calls out to Father Logan in extremis and dies immediately after Logan absolves him of his sins.

Tags: melodrama, romantic, suspenseful, murder, flashback

Review:
"I Confess" is one of Alfred Hitchcock's least famous films, and it's easy to see why: there is no mystery (we know who the killer is right from the start); there is some suspense but no major set-pieces; there is very little humor (no Cary Grant-type wisecracks here).
I wouldn't rank it among Hitchcock's best, but it certainly has some of the best acting you can find in a Hitchcock film: Montgomery Clift is superb in a difficult role, Anne Baxter is warm and utterly believable as the woman who is consumed by her love for him, and Karl Malden is perfectly cast as the nosy (no pun intended) inspector on the case.
In fact, there isn't much of "real" suspense at all, but well-sketched characters, fine acting performances, and captivating plot development are more than compensating matters."I Confess" is a very interesting piece of film making and should be viewed by any Hitchcock fan..
Montgomery Clift is intriguing as "Father William Logan," a Catholic priest from Quebec who hears a murder confession, is charged with the crime himself, and never wavers from his vow to keep confessions private.The question Hitchcock apparently poses with this is is, "Is that still morally right when it means you leave a killer out on the loose?"Complicating the matter is an old girlfriend, played by Anne Baxter, who still loves the priest.
However, once again the cleric remains true to his vows and doesn't get involved with her.Karl Malden, meanwhile, plays a gung-ho cop out to solve the crime.This movie could use a little more suspense and action, plus a bit of the old Hitchcock humor, but still is more than passable..
(Besides, I've never had much time for the objection that a lead character is "too good".)  The one thing some people don't know about the seal of confession is that the priest can't mention the sin even to the guilty party, but this is made clear enough in the film in one of the confrontations between Keller and Logan.
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).
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 .
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 .
While it is true that having a priest as the lead character in what was essentially marketed as a suspense thriller may have been a storytelling trait slightly ahead of its time, (the religious connotations must have no doubt caused some mumblings of discontent back in 1953) but it does lead to a simply brilliant and unique story premise: Father Michael Logan (Clift) hears the confession of a murder from a man working in his rectory, but due to the sanctity of confession, can break his trust and tell no one, even when he himself is framed for the murder, unable to clear his own name.
Hitchcock is in familiar territory here as he revamps his trademark "wrong man" plot, but with the interesting tweaking of the lead role - instead of the protagonist fighting to clear his name when he is wrongfully accused, Father Logan must instead struggle in silence, dutifully refusing to breach the confidentiality of confession.
This submission of the lead character did not sit well with audiences, nor Hitchcock himself when the film was first released,but this is ultimately what makes I Confess stand out among so many of Hitchcock's similar thrillers, without ruining the plot in the slightest - the suspense element is still there, albeit slightly more serious (there are no light heated wisecracks here) and subdued, as the audience still clings to the edge of their seats, wondering how Father Logan's name will be cleared without him personally attempting to clear it.
Hitchcock handles his subject matter, (including the priest character being suspected of murder and having an alleged love affair) with just as even a hand, and as careful and classy a touch as in all his other efforts.Also, I Confess proves to be not only Hitchcock's last film in black and white (except for Psycho seven years later) but also one of his strongest films in terms of visual style and feel for the film.
Don't let the alleged religious connotations and occasional bad reviews steer you away - this is one of Hitchcock's strongest works, as the unique variation on his time worn themes, combined with a visually sumptuous look, a quick and intelligent script and a consistently impressive cast easily make the film worth a watch.
Roger Ebert in the Great Movies series has plenty of good things to say about Notorious, Strangers on a Train and other films of this period, but nothing on the only film Hitchcock made with Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter and Karl Malden.
A typical Hitchcock story has characters who seem to have no past at all--they seem to spring to life to fulfill the demands of the script.I Confess starts as a typical thriller, then at the 42 minute mark, the story comes to a halt in Robertson's office as Ruth recounts the story of how she fell in love with Michael Logan, who was not fully in love with her (an obvious parallel with Gene Tierney and Tyrone Power in The Razor's Edge).
The verdict (it should be noted that this is one of the only Hitchcock movies to feature a good portion of the trial, and not just the verdict/sentencing), the verdict sparks public outrage and the ensuing events are shocking indeed.Overall, Montgomery Cliff is excellent as the falsely accused priest, and Hitchcock - although unspectacular - is still the closest thing to a perfect director the film world has seen.
The basic story is established early: Catholic priest Father Logan (Montgomery Clift) hears a confession from the church caretaker, who has just killed a man.
Father Michael Logan is a young priest in the late 1940s Quebec who hears a confession from Otto Keller (Otto Hasse), a poor German refugee who works as a caretaker at Father Logan's church, who tells him that he has just committed a murder of a lawyer by the name Vilette, in whose home he broke in with the intent to rob a big sum of money that would improve his, and most importantly his wife Alma's life, whom he can't stand seeing working hard anymore.
Father Logan (Clift) listens to the confession of a murderer but soon he becomes the prime suspect.I confess is a riveting suspenseful crime drama owing to a tantalizing script, a bravado performance by its central star and some majestic craftsmanship by the master of suspense, who starts the film in a wonderful cameo, no one else does crime quite like Alfred Hitchcock.The opening sees the Brit walking silently through the streets as we flicker through the deserted streets and eventually see one man walking away, silently to the church where Father Logan is and this start sets the picture in motion.The man in question is Otto Keller, a man who confesses to murder and when the body is found and Logan knows the truth he is bound by the rules of the church and we see the police suspicions grow and the script and action getting edgier as the plot builds and builds on glorious suspense.Perhaps comparing this to The Da Vinci Code would do The Hitch an injustice, given the way the Ron Howard picture was rejected.
The rules of the church and his belief allows Logan no freedom to express what he really knows but adds an extra dimension to the character's belief and faith, reflecting well the projecting of right and wrong.Montgomery Clift is finely shot as the Priest, giving this belief system a true working through hard expressions when his personal life coincides with the murder case.
In Quebec, the exiled German Otto Keller (O.E. Hasse) confesses to the Catholic Priest Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift) late night in the church that he has just killed the lawyer Villette that employed him as gardener to steal US$ 2,000.00 dressed like a priest.
The plot itself is already very interesting, ans it's so well-written that doesn't make the viewer bored at all, with great character development and a few clever twists, it's but Alfred Hitchcock's directing makes it even more interesting, with some clever shots at interesting angles, and a film-noir style to it.Montgomery Clift stars here as the priest.
"I Confess" ranks high on my Hitchcock list, with the outstanding Montgomery Clift as Father Michael William Logan, and the under-utilized Anne Baxter as Ruth Grandfort.
This, in turn, is the plot's genius: a priest becomes suspected of murder because he cannot say who the real killer is -- the killer has confessed, thus striking Logan to silence as part of his priestly duties.Clift is a great lead, with an imposing stature.
Supporting him in this interesting movie of murder and confession, are Anne Baxter, as a blonde (Hitch has to have his blonde leading lady), Karl Malden and Brian Aherne.
And, the non-event leading to a blackmail plan amounts to nothing the husband wouldn't have accepted; really, it was nothing.******* I Confess (1/12/53) Alfred Hitchcock ~ Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, Karl Malden, O.E. Hasse.
Starring Montgomery Clift with Anne Baxter, Karl Malden, & O.H. Hasse.Unlike many Hitchcock films, this is not a thriller but there is suspense.Logan (Clift) and Ruth (Anne Baxter) grow up in the same Quebec city neighborhood and are longtime boyfriend & girlfriend before WW-II.
It is interesting that Hitchcock combined his Catholicism with his strong suspicions of the police who in this film, victimize a man who is a model of good conduct, as a friend of the woman he once loved and as a Catholic priest.
This all happened when the church handyman German refugee Otto Keller, O.E Hasse, confessed to Father Michael in the church confession booth that he in fact killed Ottawa lawyer Villette, Ovila Legare, in a blotch robbery attempt.What makes Villette's murder even more shocking is that he-Villette-had been blackmailing Michael's former girlfriend, before he became a Catholic priest, Ruth Grandfort (Anne Baxter) for some five years knowing that she's married to Ottawa legislator Pierre Grandfort, Roger Dann.
Knowing that he can't break the vows of the confession booth Father Michael is left out in the cold leaving it up to Keller to tell the truth about him killing Villette or else be forced to face the hangman's noose if convicted!Ruth risking disgrace and public humiliation breaks the ice by confessing to Ottawa police Inspector Larrue, Karl Malden, her secret relationship with the then just Michael Logan, and being with him at the time of Villette's murder, before the war, WWII, broke out back in 1939.
Upright Canadian Priest (Montgomery Clift) is suspected of murdering a lawyer with a `past' after hearing his presbytery's handyman confess to it, will he break the sanctity of the Confessional to save his own life?The whole thing doesn't work, because there is not much suspense in the machinations of plot and character, only because of Hitch's direction and camerawork.
Although filmed in Quebec City with some nice atmospheric mood and given a cast that includes MONTGOMERY CLIFT, ANNE BAXTER and KARL MALDEN, I CONFESS turns out to be a mediocre Hitchcock film hurt by a script that lacks logic and a pace that is too slow for a story calculated to build suspense.MONTGOMERY CLIFT is unable to do much more than appear confused and hesitant in his role as a priest who is torn by the knowledge he has that a killer has confessed his guilt--but the rules of the confessional means he has to keep his lips sealed.
Alfred Hitchcock directed this drama that stars Montgomery Clift as Father Michael Logan, a catholic Priest in Quebec who finds himself caught up in a murder investigation when the church caretaker(named Otto), after murdering a man whose home he was robbing, flees to the church for sanctuary after confessing the crime to Logan, who tries to convince him to turn himself in to the police, though he refuses.
Much like "The Wrong Man", another Alfred Hitchcock gem, "I Confess" is a classic "what if?" scenario, this time involving a Catholic priest and a confession that completely changes his life.For a basic plot summary, "I Confess" sees Father Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift) hear the confession of murderer Otto Keller (O.E. Hasse).
"I Confess" is a Hitchcock film from 1953 film starring Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, Brian Aherne, Karl Malden, and O.E. Hasse.The film is based on a French story, Nos Deux Consciences and takes place in Quebec City, Canada.
Feeling guilty about his crime, he confesses his crime to Father Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift), a young Catholic priest known for his willingness to help people.
Without too much comedy and a darker tone than his best known movies, "I Confess" is definitely Hitchcock playing by the rules of Film Noir (pretty much like he would do in another forgotten gem, "The Wrong Man", some years later).
When Ruth goes to provide Larrue with an alibi for Logan, things don't work out as planned..........Clift is very good in the lead as a priest struggling to do the right thing (his face says everything) and it's a very well acted film by the rest of the cast as well, except for 2 young French girls who sound like they are affecting terribly false French accents.
one of the hugest hole in the screenplay is the mystery solved in the second scene and whats left for the audience is to wait through, because you know one of the 2 things would happen in the end and, watch the fate of the poor priest.the script is weak for a thriller, don't why he, Hitchcock, chose it, Montgomery Clift is stiff as a stick, he's always except for one or 2 films of his....he's good looking but, can't act, now the plot, a maintenance guy kills a certain Villette, who's his part time employer too besides the church, accidentally, apparently, and he leaves all the evidence behind, he went in to steal but, guess what, he leaves all the cash intact and takes only 2 thousand dollars to start a new in 1953, why did he wore that robe and the hat when he went to kill him??
However looked closely there are many problems with the film as the screenplay has to overreach to make the priest a suspect, the murderer is a man who the audience has little sympathy for and you do not buy that the priest would himself go to jail to save the snivelling rat.Hitchcock does his best with the thriller genre but the story line hampers him, especially with the flashback scenes with Clift and Anne Baxter whose past relationship returns to haunt them both.Karl Malden is effective as a dogged detective but as a good catholic himself you would have thought that he might have sensed there were other reasons why the priest was not forthcoming..
How about this?I view "I Confess" as being a black comedy about the Catholic religion where Hitchcock wants us to laugh at how preposterous this whole business is when it comes to a priest not being allowed to break the seal of silence from a confessional (even when this concerns the matter of bringing the identity of a murderer to the attention of the law).Anyway - Speaking about slasher films - I really think that "I Confess" needed a psycho of its own to liven things up.
In a brilliant twist of fate Ruth tries to give Michael an alibi to the police but instead gives them a motive for the murder.While there are some common themes by Hitchcock in the movie (the wrong man accused, the final shooting) there are also differences from his other films.
I was also impressed by Otto Hasse who plays Keller as a very creepy and schizophrenic murderer who constantly affects the guilt feelings of Michael Logan.So I Confess is a movie that would be a classic if it was directed by anyone but Hitchcock.
Thus forced into complicity with the murderer, Father Logan behaves as though he is guilty despite his innocence in much the same way Guy Haines takes on some of Bruno's guilt in Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train." The film's tension derives from the audience's knowledge of the cleric's ethical problem and its desire to see him break his vows to save his own life...Montgomery Clift makes the clergyman's inner torment apparent simply by the anguished expression in his eyes, and creates sympathy for a man who could be an object of mockery by maintaining his dignity...
Basically in Quebec City, late one night in a his local church devout Catholic priest Father Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift) has a visit from exiled German Otto Keller (O.E. Hasse) who wants to confess a sin, and he confesses that he has murdered lawyer Monsieur Villette (Ovila Légaré).
It's just a question of how the priest will handle a murder confession...particularly when it indirectly involves him in a love triangle that makes him a suspect.Ironically, the best thing about the film is the acting by Montgomery Clift...and Hitchcock reportedly hated Clift's method acting style.
Montgomery Cliff plays Father Logan, a stone-faced priest who hears a confession of murder.