It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

The title says it all.
 
Intro.
It's finally here - my 100th film review.  I've thought a lot about which film I'd write about and finally chose something that is in keeping with the season and happens to be one of my all time favorite movies.  It took me awhile before I first saw It's a Wonderful Life.  During my high school English class, I found out that I was the only student not to have seen this seemingly essential holiday classic.  As a fan of old movies, I felt quite ashamed.  Looking back on it now, however, I think seeing it for the first time just prior to that transition from high school to college really had an influence on what I thought of it.  It also made the movie one of my all time favorites.        

Overview
It's a Wonderful Life opens with the voices of unseen people in a little town called Bedford Falls all praying for help for a man named George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart).  It's Christmas Eve and George is in trouble.  Up in the starry sky, St. Peter assigns angel second class Clarence (Henry Travers) to the case.  First Clarence gets to see George grow up, from the time he saves his little brother from drowning up through his other good deeds and his courtship with Mary Hatch (Donna Reed).  Time and again George gives up his dreams in order to help others.  First he puts off going to college in order to save his family's building and loan business after his father's death.  Then when his brother Harry returns from college to take over the business, George says he doesn't have to since Harry has a great job offer from his father-in-law.  Miserable at being stuck in his family business in the small town, the only thing George can really take comfort in is Mary.  They marry but before they can get away on their honeymoon, there's a run on the banks and on the Bailey Brothers Building and Loan.  George and Mary give away their honeymoon cash in order to keep the place from closing.  As time passes, the couple has four children and fixes up a beautiful house on Sycamore Street.  All the while George struggles to keep the business going and out from under the thumb of local tyrant Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), a bitter old man bent on owning the whole town.  Well, that Christmas Eve, George's Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) goes to the bank to deposit some $8,000 for the Building & Loan.  He accidentally drops the envelope into Mr. Potter's newspaper and all heck breaks loose when he realizes that he's lost it and can't remember where it went.  Mr. Potter, being the perfect movie villain that he is, won't say a word about it.  George tries to find the money too, but after all his efforts, he faces financial ruin, scandal and a possible jail term.  It seems like his whole life has been a failure and the only good he can do is die and leave Mary his life insurance money.  So George finds his way to the bridge over the river and tries to kill himself, only to find Clarence.  He tells Clarence that everything would be better off if he'd never been born.  Clarence in turn accompanies George back to town, where George slowly realizes his wish has been granted - George Bailey never existed.  In his absence, Bedford Falls has turned into the corrupt town of Pottersville, filled with bitter, lonely and angry people.  George goes through the town realizing that his life has in fact made a difference, a much bigger difference than he had thought.  Each person's life touches so many others, Clarence explains, that his absence creates quite a void.  Overcome by what he sees, George discovers that all he needs are the people that he loves and prays to return to his life.  George gets his wish and returns home ecstatic to be alive, even cheerfully greeting the attorney at his house who comes bearing a warrant.  Then a real Christmas miracle happens - Mary comes home with a giant collection basket.  Following her are dozens upon dozens of George's friends, family, and neighbors, each giving what they can to save George.  The overwhelming support saves them all in the end, and Clarence at last earns his wings.               

Highlights

 It's a Wonderful Life has some truly unforgettable characters.  Even if you've never seen the film, you probably know something of the story and the people in it, as it's become such a staple in American culture.  I knew about George Bailey and Clarence long before I had seen the film.  In addition to them there's also the incredible Donna Reed (who makes motherhood look way too easy!), the great Thomas Mitchell, and of course the legendary Lionel Barrymore.  In addition to these great characters, there's also Bert the cop (played by one of my favorite supporting actors, Ward Bond) and Ernie the cab driver (played by Frank Faylen), who would inspire the naming of another unforgettable pair - Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street.  The acting and the relationships between characters is very good and contributes to the feeling that the film is timeless.  There are some outstanding lines from this film as well, ones I'm sure we all know by heart.  For example, the line "every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings" is from Clarence.  This time as I watched, I was struck by Ma Bailey's line about Mary: "she's the kind of girl who will help you find the answers, George."  Truer words were never spoken, for it is Mary that George sees last in his dream with Clarence and it is Mary who goes around asking for and receiving help that snowy Christmas Eve.  Mary (and through her, their children) is George's lasting dream: the one that means the most to him and the one that has come true.

I also got to thinking that few actors probably could have pulled off the role of George Bailey.  Jimmy Stewart is often called the "everyman" hero of Hollywood, and nothing emphasizes that title better than this film.  I think one of the reasons it remains such a classic is that we can all relate to George Bailey.  His sacrifices are more than admirable, but we can still see his frustration and disappointment throughout his life.  I'm sure we can all relate to some turning points in our own lives.  Over on his blog, Better Living through Beowulf, my former film professor Robin wrote about It's a Wonderful Life and some of the turning points in his grandfather's life.  He also talks about how dark this movie is, both in filming techniques and in tone.  After you've seen it, it's hard to remember how bleak the film is because the ending far outweighs the sadness.  When I first saw the film, I felt this crushing blow when I saw George Bailey seriously contemplating suicide.  Here is America's everyman hero, a far greater man than anyone we know, hopelessly pushed to the brink of despair.  George's decision to live again is one of the most moving scenes in all the films I've ever seen.  It was so moving that when Capra was filming the first shot of that scene, Jimmy Stewart began sobbing for real.  Instead of forcing Stewart to do a second take to get the close-ups, Capra used enlargements of the original shot.  It gives the film genuine emotion and makes the story hit closer to home. 

I've read a lot about the morality of this film too.  George Bailey is a hero in every sense, always giving of himself and making sacrifices for the sake of his family and the town.  Then this horrible event happens to him and there's no way out (or so he thinks).  I always thought it a bit upsetting that Mr. Potter gets away without punishment.  One review I read suggested that, as the film was made after WWII and both Capra and Stewart had seen much of the war, they both knew that life wasn't always so clearly black and white (pardon the pun!). Looking at it now though, I think Potter does receive punishment.  He's played out his final hand by keeping the misplaced money only to see George Bailey again rise up victorious.  You can't keep a good man, down, Mr. Potter, especially a man like George Bailey.  Potter's envious of the kind of riches that George has, the treasure of family and friends.  In the end, Potter is left alone while George is surrounded by people.  It's appropriate that the film takes place at Christmas too, for it is a time when families and loved ones are supposed to come together and bring light to the darkest and coldest nights of the year.     

Returning to memorable lines from the film, I'm going to end with my favorite, a line that is in a note from Clarence to George: "Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."  I can't tell you how many times that line has comforted me over the years.  I've had those dark moments where everything looked hopeless, but I've been lucky enough to have some very steadfast friends to bring some light back into my life.  I think we all have those times where we look at all the choices we've made and wondered if the path we've chosen was the right one.  I know I'm not alone in having foregone some dreams for one reason or another, and like George we may all feel frustrated and disappointed at times, maybe even hopeless.  But George finally realizes that life isn't about material things or dreams left unfulfilled; it's about the dreams that do become reality and the enduring strength of love and friendship.  His epiphany gives all of us hope. 

Review and Recommendation
I could write a lot more about the details of this film and why it all works together so well to make something so timeless, but I'm getting more emotional and a bit corny as I write, so I think it's best I wrap it up.  If you have yet to watch It's a Wonderful Life, I can't recommend it enough.  There are some films for which a short review just can't do justice, and this is one of them.  To all of my friends and readers out there, thank you for your comments and your support this year as I worked to chronicle my classic movie obsession.  Here's to 2011 and another year of movie memories!

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

A heartbreaking yet hopeful look at life in post-WWII America.

Intro.
There are war movies and then there are post-war movies - the ones about the men and women of the military coming home after the battle.  I've seen several like The Men and It's Always Fair Weather and even The Deer Hunter (though that's more of a war/post-war film).  Each one focuses on one question - what happens to our members of the Armed Forces when they come home?  It isn't all roses and parades, and there are so many stories we've yet to hear.  I think that's what really drew me to The Best Years of Our Lives.  Not only does it follow three men coming home from WWII, but it also won the Oscar for Best Picture.

Overview
The Best Years of Our Lives opens with three men returning from WWII and sharing a small military plane back to their hometown of Boone City.  There's older sergeant Al Stephenson (Frederic March), bombardier Fred Derry (Dana Andrews) and sailor Homer Parrish (Harold Russell) who has lost both his hands in the war and had them replaced with hooks.  They share a cab together and we get to see how each is received at home.  Homer comes back to a family who, although overjoyed to see him, are unsettled by his missing hands.  Next is Al, who comes back to his high class home and a loving wife Milly (Myrna Loy) and his two now-grown children, Rob (Michael Hall) and Peggy (Teresa Wright).  Finally comes Fred, who goes home to his parents in a very poor neighborhood.  He had married a girl he met just before he left; they had only been married 20 days before he deployed.  However, she's moved out and as it's almost evening, she's at work at a nightclub.  Fred spends the evening trying to find her; finally giving up he goes to a bar run by Homer's uncle.  Meanwhile, Al, Milly and Peggy go out on the town to celebrate his homecoming and also wind up at the same bar.  Homer spends a painfully awkward time at home with his family and their next-door neighbors, which include his girlfriend Wilma (Cathy O'Donnell).  When he just can't stand their staring and sorrow, he leaves and also goes to the bar.  The guys all meet up again, but have to call it short.  Milly drives her family and Fred home.  They stop at Fred's wife's apartment, but he can't get in as she is still not home.  So he goes home with the Stephensons.  Fred has nightmares during the night and Peggy comes to comfort him; the next morning she also doesn't mention it.  Her kindness means a lot to Fred and stands in contrast to his wife, whom he finds that day.  His marriage starts out happy, but his wife Marie (Virginia Mayo) is selfish and upset that he can't find a job.  Quite in contrast to their unhappy marriage is the support that Milly gives to Al, who gets a promotion at his old bank and heads up the small loans department, granting loans particularly to service men.  Homer doesn't want anyone feeling sorry for him, as he is more than capable of taking care of himself.  What's worse is that he keeps pushing Wilma away because he doesn't want her to pity him or to be horrified by him.  The movie is quite long and a lot happens as each of the men try to adjust to civilian life again, including finding a job and reconnecting with friends and family.  To complicate matters, Peggy falls in love with Fred.  What results is a wonderful movie about what happens when our military men and women come home and start living the best years of their lives.

Highlights
I think what makes war and post-war films so powerful is how they draw from real life.  The Best Years of Our Lives does an amazing job of that.  Not only do they feature three men from different backgrounds coming back to different situations, but they don't shy away from the harder parts of returning home.  Homer's disability plays an important part and reminds us of the physical sacrifices, while Fred's troubled dreams remind us of the psychological ones as well.  Al seems to adjust the best, but is nonetheless troubled by the reactions of his bank managers when he gives a service man a loan without sufficient collateral.  Al defends himself in a wonderful speech at a big banquet: "There are some who say that the old bank is suffering from hardening of the arteries and of the heart. I refuse to listen to such radical talk. I say that our bank is alive, it's generous, it's human, and we're going to have such a line of customers seeking and GETTING small loans that people will think we're gambling with the depositors' money. And we will be. We will be gambling on the future of this country."  He also has a lot of trouble accepting how his children have grown and become independent (Peggy in that she is supporting herself; Rob in his new free thinking ways).  Unlike Al, who has a job to come back to, Fred has a lot of trouble finding a job.  Most jobs have been filled by men who couldn't enlist and by women.  He finally lands one as a soda jerk and he and Marie go broke (she still spends as if he's earning his Army pay of $400 a month instead of $32.50 a week).  Their marriage starts to crumble and doesn't get any better when he discovers that she hasn't been faithful (and still isn't).  What really got me was the guy in the drugstore who sits next to Homer while Fred's behind the counter.  The guy looks at Homer and starts to go off about how they fought the wrong people and wrong war.  Fred loses his patience as the guy gets heated about the topic of Communism.  When the guy says that Homer lost his hands for nothing, Fred comes over the counter and decks him.  It's hard to imagine anyone talking like that to veterans of WWII, but it did happen.  What's worse is to think about what was said to veterans from Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf Wars.  I went with a group of people from the American Legion to the airport a few years ago around Christmas to welcome home a bunch of local soldiers returning from Afghanistan.  One of the men I went with was an older veteran himself and in a very quiet voice he told me about how when he came home from Vietnam, there was nothing like this - no fanfare, no support.  I can't even imagine.

A word about the acting and other film stuff: The acting is great in this movie.  Everyone is well cast and does a great job - I loved Myrna Loy as Milly and her relationship with Frederic March as Al.  I also really loved watching Dana Andrews, who just blew me away with his character.  I need to see more of his films!!  Finally, I loved Homer.  Casting real life veteran Harold Russell was a brave and wonderful choice that adds a lot to the film.  Again, the strain of truth throughout the film is what makes it so powerful and deeply touching.  It's even in the details.  There's one scene where Al mixes an alka-seltzer drink in two cups and then drinks from the empty one - they left it in because it's honest and real.  To top it off, you really can't get any more nostalgic than to see what the guys see in their cab - all the sights of main street America, from kids laughing on the corner to a sale at Woolworth's.  The movie captures the heart of America in the 1940s and a definite must see.  


Review and Recommendation
Watching this film next to a later film about veterans, say another Best Picture Winner like The Deer Hunter (1978), it's easy to say that The Best Years of Our Lives is too optimistic.  But I'd argue it isn't.  While it has a happy ending and hope for these people of our Greatest Generation, these men face a lot of difficulty and still have a lot of work ahead of them.  It was a different time and a different world.  A fascinating look at not only the lives of these veterans, but also a slice of life from post-WWII, I really enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it to everyone.

The Locket (1946)

Intro.

It had been a long while since I had been able to enjoy a nice relaxing evening with take out food and a bunch of great films.  I had plenty on my DVR, so I scrolled through to find one suited for my mood.  I stumbled upon this one, The Locket.  I'm not normally one for melodramas, but as this one starred Laraine Day and Robert Mitchum and added in a psychological twist, I thought it might be good.  As far as story-telling went, it was well worth watching. 

Overview
Basically, this is a story within a story within a story within a story.  The depths of the film are peeled away like onion skins.  First we meet John Willis (Gene Raymond) and his beautiful fiancee Nancy (Laraine Day) at their engagement party.  They seem to be the perfect, happy couple.  But a stranger arrives and asks to see John in private.  The stranger turns out to be Nancy's ex-husband, Dr. Harry Blair (Brian Aherne).  Blair warns John he's making a huge mistake - that Nancy has already ruined the lives of three men.  His story launches a flashback to when he had met Nancy and their lives together.  However, this flashback gets interrupted when Blair explains that he too had been warned about Nancy - about how she alone was responsible for a man being wrongly executed in Sing-Sing.  The man to warn him was named Norman Clyde (Robert Mitchum).  Norman's story launches another flashback about how he had met Nancy.  Apparently Nancy and Norman had been at an art dealer's party (Norman was a painter) and Nancy had stolen a diamond bracelet left by some guest in the bathroom.  She told Norman it was all just her gut reaction - she just wanted it and took it.  Her teary-eyed explanation takes us to the last flashback, which takes place when she was about ten years old and living with her mother, a housekeeper to an extremely rich family.  Nancy was falsely accused of stealing the family's daughter's diamond locket and severely punished for it.  It's more of an emotional beating that leaves grown up Nancy still shaking in Robert's arms as she tells him about it.  He convinces her to mail back the bracelet anonymously.  We think all is resolved until they go to another party and the host is murdered, his prize diamond stolen.  Did Nancy do it?  We don't really know.  But she lies to the police and lets the butler take the fall for the crime (that's 2 of the 3 men whose lives she ruined, if you're keeping score).  Norman desperately tries to save the butler, hence his visit to Blair, but it doesn't do any good.  I won't go on from there except to say that Blair also comes to learn the disturbing truth about Nancy while living with her in England.  Even as a psychiatrist, he cannot help her, and their subsequent divorce leads to her returning and finding John.  It all ends back where it started - with the wedding preparations for Nancy and John.  But Nancy gets the shock of her life when she meets with her mother-in-law, and the film comes to a close.  (No spoilers here!)     

Highlights

I really enjoyed all of the layers to this film.  It was a lot of fun to keep peeling back layer after layer, just as you would to get at the heart of any person's personality.  It had a film noir quality to it as it not only had the multiple flashbacks, but also the overall dark tone.  I realize now as I write this, that there is very little evidence that Nancy killed her host and stole his diamond - the entire case is really built on suspicion and the way Norman reacts to her story.  That part is really well done and intriguing.  Laraine Day is also wickedly delightful as this angel-faced, allegedly-homicidal kleptomaniac.  All the men who surround her are helpless, and only one - Blair - manages to escape in one piece.

Apart from its noir-ish elements, the film really is a melodrama and its attempts at the "psychological drama" aren't done well.  I feel bad to admit this, but the secret at the heart of Nancy's problems didn't really seem all that devastating to me.  The only justification I could see was that perhaps she already had some psychological problems and the incident with the locket was just the trigger she needed.  I almost wish we had some more time with her as she grew up - did the incident that cost her mother's job ruin their family?  Did her mother find work again?  Did she blame Nancy constantly for her unhappiness?  It's a bit of a jump and leaves a lot of questions unanswered.  I don't want to sound cold - anyone would've been severely shaken by that business with the locket, but very few people I know would have turned to theft and purgery and possibly murder.  The ending seemed much too easy, too simple, though the irony of it has a bit of a redeeming quality.  I won't dwell on it more, just in case you decide to watch!  

Review

If you can get past the flaws with motive and psychology, you will find some things to appreciate in The Locket.  For the most part, the story-telling is wonderful.  I really enjoyed all the depths and twists each story took as we went further back into Nancy's past.  The film itself even feels like a case study - as if we are in Dr. Blair's shoes evaluating a patient.  So overall, not one of the best films I've reviewed, but still enjoyable and a good example of plot techniques.

The Harvey Girls (1946)

Intro.

This past week the sun finally came out and it felt like spring for the first time this year. And although last month was supposed to be dedicated to musicals, this is the time I really feel like singing.  So a few days ago I watched a film that had been recommended by a friend of mine - The Harvey Girls.  It was bright, enjoyable and perfect for this time of year (or any time, really).

Overview

The Harvey Girls is based on the line of restaurants founded by Fred Harvey in the 1870s which grew along the quickly expanding railroad line, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe.  The all-female wait staff was known for good looks, good manners and good food and brought a sense of civilization to the West.  These are the girls that Susan Bradley (Judy Garland) meets on a train bound for Sandrock, where she is to meet her mail-order husband.  After quite a breath-taking entrance to the town (hence the Oscar-winning song, "On the Atchison, Tokpeka and the Santa Fe"), Susan meets her intended husband Hartsey (Chill Wills) and the two realize that it isn't going to work out.  The main reason is that Hartsey had local dance-hall owner Ned Trent (John Hodiak) write those beautiful, tender letters to Susan.  Susan joins The Harvey Girls and soon their restaurant becomes a big rival to the dance hall, leading to a lot of confrontations, hold-ups and dance-offs between the Harvey Girls and the saloon girls, led by none other than Angela Lansbury.  Susan and Ned also have their own face-off, but in a sort of Pride and Prejudice way, as Susan realizes what Ned's intentions really are.  It all wraps up with the classic "this town isn't big enough for the two of us" scene where the train has to take the losers to the next town down the line.

Highlights

The music in this film is fantastic - proof that the Oscar for Best Song was richly deserved.  I also really enjoyed the color and choreography of all the dance numbers.  All the care and hard work shows in such a polished film.  Not only is Judy Garland outstanding in her singing and acting, but her co-stars shine as well. It's great to see her reunite with Ray Bolger (who has a great dance number!), and wonderful to watch her sparring with Angela Lansbury (who, believe it or not, makes a great mean-girl-turned-sympathetic-rival).  We also get some good humor from Chill Wills and Virginia O'Brien, as well as an early role for the graceful dancer Cyd Charisse.

I think what really got to me about this film was how great it was to see such strong female leads.  In typical Westerns, it's usually the men that do all the fighting, but here it's the women (okay, so some of the men set fire to the restaurant, but that's not direct confrontation).  Part of it goes back to the unusual pairing of the Western and Musical genres - something so traditionally masculine and something so traditionally feminine.  Here the male lead, Ned, is much more subdued and poetic while Judy Garland is the one throwing punches.  It's pretty neat to see such an unusual switch, but that's another topic for another day. 

Review
In Westerns, both women and music have long been regarded as signs of progress and civilization, and the Harvey Girls bring both to the little town of Sandrock.  Not only that, but they also bring great songs, dances, food and a lot of heart.  The Harvey Girls is a great film that anyone can enjoy, and I recommend it as a must-see Musical.

P.S. The story of Fred Harvery is pretty neat - you can read more here at the Kansas State Historical Society.

Notorious (1946)

Intro.
I have to admit, I've never been one for suspense films.  I've liked some Hitchcock films, but also fallen asleep on some.  But as January is Cary Grant month, I was determined to watch a few of the pictures considered his best - Notorious being one of them.  Immediately, I was drawn into the story and stayed fixated until the end.  It aired on Turner Classic Movies as one of "The Essentials" and I have to agree, as far as a stellar entry in Hitchcock's filmography, it is also one of the greatest performances of both Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant.  It also marked Hitchcock's first film as both director and producer.

Overview
Notorious refers to both of the Hubermans.  First the father, who at the film's opening, has been convicted of treason and sentenced to 20 years.  Second is his daughter Alicia (Ingrid Bergman), who is a notorious party and good-time girl with society friends and a penchant for cocktails.  After her father's trial, she is approached by Devlin, (Cary Grant), a quiet and mysterious guest at her party.  The two have instant chemistry, but when she wakes the next morning, her hang-over isn't her only source of pain - Devlin is also an FBI agent who was sent to recruit her for a special assignment.  Reluctantly she agrees to go with him to Rio, where they will get further instructions.  While they wait in Brazil, the two fall in love.  This is where the sub-plot begins: Devlin suspects that he cannot fully trust Alicia, and refuses to let go of his principle job - to protect her.  He also refuses to make her decisions, a theme that recurs several times in the course of the film.  Alicia's assignment, which she carries out well, is to reunite with Alexander Sebastian, a scientist who was friends with her father and still very much in love with Alicia.  She encourages him and they wed.  We learn, and then Alicia and Devlin learn, that Sebastian is part of a group of German scientists who are up to "suspicious" activity.  While we never hear their entire plan, we do learn that they are working with uranium, and we see them plot to kill off a member who has said too much to strangers.  When Sebastian begins to suspect his wife of espionage, both plots (the FBI vs. the Germans and Alicia & Devlin's rocky relationship) twist, turn and lead to a great ending.

Highlights
There are so many topics to bring up, but I can't cover them all, so I'll pick two.  First is the unique, beautifully coordinated cinematography.  The unusual shots and angles add to the film's feeling.  There is a scene early on when Alicia wakes up with a hangover and the camera takes on her point of view, tilting up and sideways to watch Cary Grant cross the room.  The second is when she realizes she's been poisoned and fears that she will be killed - the room tightens, characters talk but only their shadows are seen.  In effect, we become as disoriented and terrified as Alicia.  Second of all, there is the way that Hitchcock ties all the elements together like a great novel.  What I especially liked was the champagne.  When Devlin and Alicia are in Rio together and in love, Devlin goes out and buys a bottle of champagne.  On his way back to their romantic night, he is called to the office and given the news of Alicia's assignment.  In order for her to work on Sebastian, Devlin has to give her up.  He forgets the champagne at the office and returns to her to bear the bad news, and you can almost hear the passion fizz out (clearly the party is over, if you pardon the pun).  Later, the champagne plays a key role during Sebastian's party.  Alicia steals the key to the wine cellar in order to allow Devlin to snoop around and find the uranium.  She fears that Sebastian will discover this when the champagne begins to run out and he is called upon to get more.  We start to see the bottles disappearing, we see Alicia begin counting glasses of champagne the waiters present on trays.  It uses a seemingly innocent item like champagne to represent something much larger and remind us of the double layer of plot.

Not to be Missed
1) Claude Rains is wonderful in this role!  He has created a character that is detestable and evil as well as empathetic.  At times you hate him, at times you feel sorry for him.  It's a wide range, but he plays it all with a cool charm that reminds you what good acting is about.

2) Edith Head (who I love!!!) designed the gowns for Ingrid Bergman and they are all lovely!  I'm not at all a fashionista or know anything about it, but I love watching the dresses Edith Head makes.  Check out her list of films here (yes, she did Grace Kelly's amazing dresses in Rear Window and all those dozens of gowns for Shirley MacLaine in What a Way to Go!).

3) The woman who plays Madame Sebastian (Leopoldine Konstantin) is truly terrifying without trying.  I think Alec Baldwin (who introduced the film with Robert Osborne on TCM) hit it when he said the reason she's so terrifying is that she never blinks.  He's absolutely right - during all of her scenes, I think I saw her blink twice.  It's just as unnerving as the off-center camera angles.

4) Finally, the kiss.  In order to subvert the Hayes code of the day that limited on-screen kiss time to four seconds, Hitchcock had Grant and Bergman kiss for several minutes, breaking every four seconds for a quick line of dialogue.  It's one of the best and most memorable of all love scenes.

Review and Recommendation
I loved this film even though I was not expecting to do so.  It has renewed my interest in the suspense/thriller drama because it has so much complexity and such great, powerful characters.  If you've decided you're not really a Hitchcock fan, consider watching this film - it may change your mind!