Young and Innocent (1937)

Young and Innocent (1937)

The title is appropriate to the point of being redundant, because in nearly every Alfred Hitchcock film the key theme is an innocent man accused. In this case, accused of murder, and the young man is a charming English actor, Derrick De Marney. As the police begin their hunt, he runs into the police chief's daughter, played by Nova Pilbeam, a tomboyish answer to Katherine Hepburn, and the real star of the movie.

This is a late British Hitchcock film, and it feels slightly raw around the edges, but it's so fast and likable and well constructed, you have to love it. In fact, the suspense of getting caught is balanced by some downright slapstick scenes that are brief and hilarious. And a reminder that this is a romp, the whole thing a beautiful, spritely entertainment. Never mind a killer is on the loose, because if one man is innocent of murder, another, out there somewhere, it not.

This is 1937, and by 1939 Hitchcock has moved to the U.S. to do Hollywood movies (including the amazing Rebecca in 1940), and so Young and Innocent and The Lady Vanishes (which has a similar quaint feel) wrap up his long British period. It says a lot for a movie to say I could watch it again, not because it's technically astonishing, but because it's just a joy, and very sweet. Never mind a little corniness or an inevitable ending, it's good!

Fmovies: In this near classic from director Alfred Hitchcock, a police detective's daughter and a writer get tangled up in a murder case, and the chase is on! While they are being pursued by the authorities, they themselves are searching for clues that might prove the writer is innocent. Nice Hitchcock touches elevate this film above your usual mystery romance. Nova Pilbeam and Derek DeMarney deliver charismatic performances as the two leads in the film. As usual, Hitchcock has paid careful attention to detail, continuity and pacing of the story, and the result is still entertaining decades later. This is a film which has aged rather well. There are so many delightful scenes in this movie that it is hard to pick a favorite. This film reveals all of the signs of genius that Hitchcock would continue to display for many years after this 1937 outing. "Young and Innocent" is said to be one of Hitchcock's personal favorites from the films that he made in Great Britain before his "Hollywood" era began. In my estimation, "Young and Innocent" is just a hair's width from being as good as the other two early directorial triumphs made by him in his British era which are considered classics: "The Thirty Nine Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes." For Hitchock fans, this is one of his must see films. 86/100.

I believe that this movie is very underrated Hitchcock. Young and Innocent is about another seemingly docile situation that blows up in a young man's face. While wandering the beach, he comes across the dead body of a woman he knew (we saw the brief fight the woman had with her husband at the very beginning of the movie). As he runs to go get help, two ladies think he is running away from the body. As his trial proceeds, he is able to duck out and go on the lam with the daughter of the chief of police. With her help, they go to prove his innocence.

One can't help but feel for the young couple as they go on their adventure. Mainly, Hitchcock really works the camera on this one. There is one scene in particular, a great panoramic shot that comes to focus on a single pair of eyes, those twitching eyes from the very beginning of the movie.

Maybe it is because it doesn't have a big name or didn't have any real "jump out and get you" moments that it is forgotten. It is worth a look and I recommend seeing it, especially if you like old movies.

Young and Innocent fmovies. When Christine Clay is found dead on the beach, a couple of girls see Robert Tisdall fleeing the scene. He claims to have discovered the body and have been running for help but the police think otherwise, Tisdall's missing coat and belt helping to convince them that he strangled Clay himself. It is the day of Tisdall's trial where luck and a bit of judgement help him slip away into the crowd and make a break for it. Tisdall turns to Erica Burgoyne for help and she reluctantly gives him a lift despite being the Chief Constable. Quickly he wins her over and, against her better judgement she helps him as he tries to recover his missing coat and prove his innocence.

This film opens with a wonder scene that is just one of the things that makes me love Hitchcock so much. As we look at the murder weapon (the belt) being pushed around by the sea, it forms a near perfect question mark, symbolising perfectly the mystery to be revealed behind this simple object. From here we are given a story that is similar to The 39 Steps in regards the innocent man turning to a female for help in fleeing the law. Unlike that film though, I didn't think that this mystery gripped me as much as I would have liked and it wasn't till the final third where I felt that we were getting into it.

It doesn't matter too much though because for the first sections it does have a solid pace and charm despite the lack of urgency that comes with these. It is perhaps a bit too slight for modern audiences but for me it was a delight to see Tisdall's wonderfully "English" escape (almost apologetically slipping into the viewing gallery of the court) and the way he almost carelessly "flees" across the country while flirting with Erica. It is enjoyable but I did miss the lack of mystery and was glad when we got into it near the end. Not only did it get more exciting but it also produced a brilliant "reveal" shot that deserves to be considered as one of Hitchcock's classic shot as we slowly go from a wide shot of a ballroom right into the eyes of the killer on the other side; it is a brilliant shot and made all the better by having the cheeky "Drummer Man" being sung at the same time.

De Marney struggles to inject urgency into his character in the same way as the material prefers the charming fun of the piece. He does fit the bill though – not as charming as Cary Grant (for example) perhaps but he is nicely English without being uptight or stiff. Pilbeam is a stunning woman. Her performance isn't brilliant but again it does just what the film requires and she works well with De Marney. Radford shows up in a solid supporting cast that includes turns from Marmont, Rigby, Clare and others.

Overall, a typically strong Hitchcock movie that as a total package doesn't stand up to his best films but it is enjoyable nonetheless and does have at least two scenes that should be mentioned when listing classic Hitchcock moments.

This is a good Hitchcock film, but on the lighter side. The acting may be disputed (certainly many dispute about it!), but in my opinion it is a very solid, entertaining, and well-acted picture. It does have much of Hitchcock about it (not surprisingly) and is well worth watching. All of the classic Hitchcock elements are there, and they fit together wonderfully: the musical score, the camera work, the twists and turns in the plot, the thrilling scenes, the build-up, the director himself ... and not to forget the story! This is built up very carefully, and contains many, many interesting side-glances and elements. But one needs to watch the film very carefully, or more than once, in order to find these. It is indeed a sort of '39 Steps', and a precursor to several later Hitchcock films, but in its own way it occupies a place rather different than any other Hitchcock film. I am referring to a certain 'bucolic' atmosphere, which is perhaps only equalled by 'The Trouble With Harry'. The parallels to this film have perhaps not yet been adequately explored.

Hitchcock is in a class by himself. I'll give any of his films multiple viewings. The story and structure of "Young and Innocent" resemble "The 39 Steps," with a young woman helping a young man on the run thwart the police and prove his innocence. This film is a standout, though, not because of the story or acting (both charming), but because of a virtuoso bit of directing by the Master, in which the location of the killer is revealed. As I watched the scene unfold for the first time, I remember thinking, "This is what makes Hitchcock Hitchcock." I wish I had never seen any Hitchcock films so I could watch them all again for the first time. His is a brilliant body of work, and this is an often overlooked example of his mastery of the film art.