Stage Fright [G]

When desperately called to help her dear friend John after he’s framed for the murder of his lover’s, theatre diva Charlotte Inwood, husband, Eve takes him to hide on her father’s boat. Whilst there, she concocts the plan to prove Charlotte’s guiltiness by posing as her maid. For a while her plan runs smoothly, until she falls for the detective investigating the case and it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the charade. What is more, the evidence she gains won’t stick and both herself and her father soon discover they’re enthralled in a horrifying spot of bother. 

Another piece of brilliance from the Master of Suspense! Stage Fright is a devilishly delightful spider’s web of dead ends, misdirected plots, unfathomable romances, dark comedy, and nail-biting suspense. It’s absolutely brilliant! 

When desperately called to help her dear friend John after he’s framed for the murder of his lover’s, theatre diva Charlotte Inwood, husband, Eve takes him to hide on her father’s boat. Whilst there, she concocts the plan to prove Charlotte’s guiltiness by posing as her maid. For a while her plan runs smoothly, until she falls for the detective investigating the case and it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the charade. What is more, the evidence she gains won’t stick and both herself and her father soon discover they’re enthralled in a horrifying spot of bother. 

From its very premise, this movie is loaded positively loaded with thrilling mysteries and plot misdirection, namely because all the central characters are having to pretend in some way or other. We’ve got our two leading ladies: both actresses so their reliability (aside really from Eve’s because she’s really the starry-eyed beginner) is questionable right from the off. Then we have John Cooper: a man framed for a murder that we only get to hear his side of the story of, so… another question mark. We then have our detective who’s inquisitive and paid to be good at keeping a straight and cool face. And the list goes on… you see? There are so many question marks about the film’s characters that every turn of the plot whether it be for good or for further peril, comes as a shock………it’s also this that makes the twist at the end so unexpected. 
Jane Wyman stars as Eve and she’s just so beautiful. She really was this wonderfully starry-eyed and fresh-faced vision of innocence and naivety and the she played the role superbly. 
But the irrepressible star of the show was Marlene Dietrich as the charismatic grand diva, Charlotte. Dietrich’s performance skyrockets into the lofty company of Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard, and Bette Davis in All About Eve: we hear of the Grand Dames of the screen and Marlene is definitely amongst them. She delivered a performance that was charismatic, glamorous, seductive, and dramatic, and her sassy and dramatic deep voice made for all the mystery and the romance. I adored her. 
Starring Michael Wilding, Richard Todd, Alistair Sim, Sybil Thorndike, Kay Walsh, Miles Mallison, and Hector MacGregor, Stage Fright is a another classic in the Hitchcock repertoire and is a must have in any diehard fan’s collection. Filled with murder, mystery, romance, drama, comedy, and suspense, it’s an absolute treasure that delivers thrills and chills.