Stage Fright

Stage Fright is a grossly underrated film, disavowed by its very own maker Alfred Hitchcock. It seems that the main reason is an opening flashback which reveals the audience events that never happened, leaving the viewer allegedly betrayed about the plot. There is, of course, truth to this and it may be considered that the director did not play by the rules but I honestly feel that this one little fault cannot possibly erase all the other qualities of the film.

First of all, the cast. Although Hitchcock complained about Jane Wyman's attitude on the set, she seems very adequate. His main problem was that the actress couldn't cope with the difference of visual treatment between her and Dietrich's character that the script called for. So she tried to improve her appearance in every way she could. In any case, no offense to Miss Wyman, but she could sit on a throne in a gold lamé dress and she would still look as plain as can be next to Marlene Dietrich in drags! Pretty accurate casting so far, then...

Her beau must have a charm that is not readily apparent to me since Michael Wilding was Elizabeth Taylor's husband! Although I don't find him extraordinarily handsome, he's a very competent actor and you can see his talent in The Egyptian that I mentioned earlier and in another Hitchcock rarity: Under Capricorn.

Richard Todd, now you're talking! I can see why the lead is supposed to be initially more attracted to him! He also appeared in Disney's The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men as the man in tights and as the queen's alleged lover in Marie Antoinette, Shadow Of The Guillotine. But his looks and talent can't make up for the fact that he was written as a weak character. And Hitchcock films where the wrong man turns out guilty aren't among his best. Oops! Spoiler right there! Well, no matter.

There are a few delightful character actors among which Eve's father Alastair Sim (Scrooge) whose interaction with her mother is truly funny. And more importantly, Joyce Grenfell and her unforgettable face as a sweet lady selling guns at the fair to shoot the "lovely ducks!". Look out for Patricia Hitchcock, the director's daughter in a cameo as "Chubby"!

However, the film would be a shadow of itself if it weren't for the divine Marlene Dietrich. The film IS her. And this marks her only collaboration with the director.

Hitchcock is of the breed of people who cannot hide their feelings towards a person, not even on-screen. And Marlene Dietrich, although she has far less screen time than Jane Wyman obviously inspired the director on a level than Wyman cannot even touch. Her entrance alone is simply magnificent. Although we have seen her before in the famous flashback, we feel we discover her in her second scene, along with Jane Wyman who enters the room with an obvious expectation. The camera then shifts to her moving point of view as the music climbs an octave and moves slowly towards Marlene fully dressed in black, surrounded with servants, trying on mourning veils in front of a mirror. The image stays with you throughout the film. If this isn't Star quality, I don't know what is!

The music by Leighton Lucas is surprisingly good and has never been released on CD (albeit a re-orchestrated medley) and the soundtrack is probably lost although I found several interesting outtakes which may indicate it is still in a vault somewhere.
First of all, a complete version of Dietrich's song "Love Is Lyrical" is still extant. Since the song was composed and recorded especially for a small introduction sequence by Marlene's friend Mischa Spoliansky, it was very short to begin with, but this recording is longer and cleaner (without the sound effects and dialog) than in the film.

And of course, the full version of Cole Porter's song "The Laziest Gal In Town", which had been sung before (I'm surprised Laurent Bouzereau let Richard Franklin claim that it was an original in the DVD documentary) It is the highlight of the film though, and was likely cut by request of censor Joseph Breen because Marlene would throw her leg up in the air a little two suggestively. So an alternate long shot of her walking towards the left of the stage was inserted to cover up the cut.

The French apparently had to work with some sort of work print for the dubbed version at the time and among the differences is this sequence in its entirety (although other scenes are reduced for no reason like the scene where Eve dresses herself as a maid). Here is the full number:

I was very surprised this wasn't offered in the DVD edition but I suppose the quality available wasn't sufficient for the format.

Another outtake that I found in the French print is a longer dialog sequence in the bar between Nellie and the patrons while Eve and Smith eavesdrop. The maid shows off in front of the company. Of course the sequence is dubbed in French. I provided subtitles.

Last but not least, in the last minutes of the film, the music cues were apparently changed. The chase sequence was scored but ultimately played without music in the final print and the end credit music was drastically reduced. Here is the original sequence as it is presented in the French copy (major spoiler here!):

I do not know if these outtakes were included in any English-speaking country but it remains a possibility.

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That's all for today, folks!