STUFF YOU GOTTA WATCH - Rich and Strange

RICH AND STRANGE

(1931)
With Henry Kendall, Joan Barry, Percy Marmont, Betty Amann, Elise Randolph
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Black and White
Reviewed by JL

One of the better studio-enforced projects from Alfred Hitchcock's early period, RICH AND STRANGE is a comic melodrama about a young couple whose faith in one another is tested when they receive a large inheritance, which they use to sail the world and indulge in some illicit pleasures. The film's mix of silent and sound scenes is a bit off-putting, and Hitchcock has trouble maintaining the tone of a picture that veers from broad comedy to soap opera. But an extended shipwreck scene offers some opportunities for his trademark suspense, and he indulges in some creative imagery -- in particular, the highly stylized and choreographed opening scene of commuters during rush hour. Not a great film by any means, but interesting in its own quirky way. ½ - JL