Stage Fright (1950 by Alfred Hitchcock) edited by Ailen Roc

Marlene Dietrich in one of my favorite scenes of the movie 'Stage Fright ' directed in 1950 by Alfred Hitchcock.
I admire Hitchcock for his amazing ability to show a whole concept in one little scene, or even in one shot.

I think it's so interesting that actually most people only love their 'dogs' when the 'dog' loves them.
This is one reason why I prefer cats somehow, because they hardly will do what you want, and you can still love them.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Marlene
• Dietrich
• Stage
• Fright
• 1950
• Alfred
• Hitchcock
• Ailen
• Roc
• AilenRocB
• Dogs
• police
• suspect

[vivienmerchant]

This is quite wonderfully done. It shows that even a fairly small scene directed by a genius with a great actor engenders pure magic. It's one of Hitchcock's darkest moments and one of Dietrich's finest - and nobody seems to know it is there. The mastered repetitions of "Yes...sometimes it takes them that way" ( and in red!) are chilling and moving. Well done

[AilenRocB]

@vivienmerchant Thank you!! Although I have to admit I edited this clip in about 30 minutes... Normally I should have change the speed in the end of the frames, to adjust them to what she says, because this little moment for me is the WHOLE PLOT of this picture/her personality/mystery! When I saw it the first time I was maybe 10 or 11, but I remember this scene so well, esp because I saw the German version with Marlene speaking that sentence in German.

[vivienmerchant]

@AilenRocB Also, look at the smoke from the cigarette. I think frames simply slipped; they couldn't possibly get smoke to do that. The only reason they would cut would be to do the entire monologue from scratch; they wouldn't bother with a cross edit. That only happens when the actor can't do it and I don't imagine for a second that would ever occur with Dietrich.

[AilenRocB]

@vivienmerchant I think this cut in that particular moment is like a special effect working on a more subconscious level. She says 'as if my mother ...' and I think Hitchcock did this on purpose. He was known for being like an editor in his mind himself, and sometimes a little 'mistake' like this can make a scene much more powerful.

[AilenRocB]

@vivienmerchant ps: did you notice the cut on 01:36? I really wonder if Hitchcock did it on purpose, because this little 'flaw' is very effective in the end.

[JayPhilosopher]

Nice.  Marlene's best scene in the movie.

[flaminia5]

"It's not that i couldn't

It's not that i shouldn't" amazing!

[MONNO96]

hey hey! Have you ever read the ebook Public Speaking for Frankenstein ? I got some extraordinary tips from it and afterwards delivered a presentation with no fear.

[vivienmerchant]

@AilenRocB Well, it's a wonderful interpretation! I think the cut is a mistake. It may be that some frames  slipped (that could happen); it would be very difficult to match two takes unless the actor was literally frozen into the second take. Even the most technically accomplished actor (eg Dietrich) would had problems with that, given the the immediacy of the line. The spoken dialogue was a dub and I don't think there is even a small cut in the sound. Does this make any sense to you?

[AilenRocB]

@major7rm Thank you!! But most of my clips were censored because I used songs without permission= I do unstand this on one hand but on the other I think it is also kind of a comercial if people use old songs and make them public again.

[major7rm]

@AilenRocB

I will have to watch that again. I like you channel - good clips.

[AilenRocB]

@major7rm I think too it was not on purpose, but it fits quite well... In Spellbound for example there is an editing 'mistake' in the end of the movie when the murderer shoots himself which was done on purpose= one frame is in red/in colour. One hardly sees it, even if you know it is there. But Hitchcock did it on purpose to 'manipultate' the subconscious of the audience.

[major7rm]

@AilenRocB

You know I did not notice the editing mistake until you pointed it out. My guess is it was not on purpose, and that it was done in two takes.

[AilenRocB]

@major7rm ps: You know Hitch was also totally into close-ups= but I do agree: this one is a very special close-up= even for Hitchcock. Did you notice the little edting mistake when she says 'It is as if .... my mother had struck me in the face' = I wonder if he did it on purpose! What do you think?

[AilenRocB]

@major7rm ME TOOOOO! You can't imagine how often I put in on re-play...*))

My skin was screeping when she said this bottom line!!!

[major7rm]

That last line haunted me from the first time I saw the film. (This and ' I'll give ya somethin' to dream about.. Wanna kiss me ducky?' from Witness for the Prosecution) I think Hitchcock was really trying to out do von sternberg with those close-ups. The audience, while not really sympathizing with the character, at least gets some insight into her behavior