Written and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, co-written by Alma Reville and Walter C. Mycroft, a juror in a murder trial, after voting to convict, has second thoughts and begins to investigate on his own before the execution. Starring: Herbert Marshall, Norah Baring, Phyllis Konstam, Edward Chapman, Miles Mander, Esme Percy and Donald Calthrop.
While there are many directors whose ardent fans will argue that their earliest work, before their fame, is their shining glory and underappreciated, Alfred Hitchock isn’t of them. It’s widely agreed that his work didn’t hit its stride until around the mid-1930s with films like The Man Who Knew Too Much and The 39 Steps, or maybe for some it’s even later. Murder! made its appearance not long before then in 1930 and there’s a lot you can see in this film that translated into the massive success of his later pictures.
Particularly his fascination with scandal, death, affairs and psychology, not to mention his penchant for obsession. The intensity that he tries to instil with Murder! will be very familiar for any fan of Hitchcock, the way that the inner monologues heighten the atmosphere, enhance the sense of dread and foreboding. Granted, this is a much rougher example, it doesn’t have the smooth, classy edges of his later work.
It also feels slightly long for a 1930s murder mystery, coming in at over ninety-minutes, which isn’t that lengthy but the pacing is quite slow. However, the story works, there’s plenty of guilt and suspicion, it doesn’t reveal itself too early or too transparently. It’s also yet another example of how general society has always been obsessed with murder and quick to judge. There’s a sense of humour to it as well, it’s not dark or dour, there’s an air of adventure to it.
Part of that is having Herbert Marshall in the leading role of society elite actor turned detective. He has a lot of charm and an entertaining quality, he’s fiercely committed to discovering the truth and yet doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s the star of the show, the only other actor who takes away a little of the limelight is Esme Percy. In his brief scenes Percy brings an enigmatic presence, that quintessential and satisfyingly strange quality that you so often find in classic cinema.
Murder! may not be one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best and the editing and sound quality can be a touch sketchy at times but it’s a worthwhile watch for any fan. The story is very of its time but entertaining nonetheless, there’s plenty of tension, guilt, suspicion and mystery. It’s more understated at times but plays around nicely with the psychological element of murder and jury service. It’s worth the watch even purely to see the different elements that Hitchcock tinkered with here until he made them a roaring success in his later work.
Verdict: ✯✯✯ | 6/10
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