The Seventies

116 min., colour.
Prod: Alfred Hitchcock for Universal.
Scr: Anthony Shaffer based on the novel "Goodbye Picadilly, Farewell Leicester Square" by Arthur La Bern.
Ca: Gil Taylor.
Mu: Ron Goodwin.
Arc: Robert Laing and Sydney Cain.
Cast: Jon Finch (Richard Blaney), Barry Foster (Bob Rusk), Barbara Leigh-Hunt (Brenda Blaney), Anna Massey (Babs), Alec McCowen (Chief of Police), Vivien Merchant (his wife).
Remark: This is a very dark movie, without the same elegant style and obvious classical qualities as the principal masterpiece "Psycho" - without comparing the two movies in other respects. The movie is, however, better than it's reputation, in addition it is much better than the two previous movies, they were a disaster for the master. This movie is using the same black and macabre humour as the Tv series "Alfred Hitchcock presents", which is too much in a motion picture, but the movie is very entertaining. In addition it must have been a very personal movie to Hitchcock, considering his father - as mentioned in the biography - was a greengrocer in London's East End.

120 min., colour.
Prod: Alfred Hitchcock for Universal.
Scr: Ernest Lehmann based on the novel "The Rainbird Pattern" by Victor Canning.
Ca: Leonard South.
Mu: John Williams.
Arc: Henry Blumstead.
Co: Edith Head.
Cast: Bruce Dern (Lumley), Karen Black (Fran), Barbara Harris (Blanche), William Devane (Adamson), Cathleen Nesbitt (Julia Rainbird), Ed Lauter (Maloney), Katherine Helmond (Mrs. Maloney).
Remark: This movie turned out to be the last one in Hitchcock's very long career. The movie is fairly good, but nothing uncommon. It isn't exactly a bad movie, but it is nothing more than solid entertainment, something every competent director can do without being enthusiastic about his work. It is, however, not really the unworthy conclusion on a long and glorious career, "Jamaica Inn" was to the British era.