Plot: What’s it about?
Marnie (Tippi Hedren) seems like a wonderful person to hire, since she’s very attractive and friendly, but not all is as it seems with this young woman. When she starts a new job, she quickly becomes friends with her bosses and fellow workers, but then one day she just disappears. But she is not alone in this disappearing act, as the money from the business’ safe joins her as well. That’s right, this seemingly sweet and innocent young lady robs her employers blind before skipping out, not exactly a stable thing to do, I wouldn’t think. But it seems to work well for her, since she’s pulled that stunt several times in the past. She uses some of the money to support herself, then sends the rest off to her mother, and of course whenever she needs money, she repeats the entire scam. Marnie soon hires on at Rutland’s, where a handsome fellow named Mark Rutland (Sean Connery) is the head honcho. Once the two meet, sparks begin to fly and an affair begins, which forces Marnie to face the choice of finally opening up to someone, or just doing what she always does, running away.
This release marks another fine collector’s edition effort from Universal for one of Alfred Hitchcock’s films. Universal knows the importance of these films, and it shows with the overall quality found within this, and previous releases. This is one of the lesser known titles in Hitchcock’s resume, but it is still deserving of the wonderful treatment it receives here. While I like this movie, I feel it is best to approach it with the normal expectations you might have with a Hitchcock film. It’s a very good movie, but it lacks the depth and detailed layers Hitchcock was famous for using in his films. The performances are quite good, but Tippi Hedren stumbles at times when trying to carry the film. I’ll discuss the acting a little later, but I do feel her performance is the weakest in the movie, for sure. While I say this film is somewhat weak by Hitchcock standards, I’m not saying the film is bad, because it’s not. There are moments here and there when you can see Hitchcock’s fingerprints and trademark skill, but those segments are sparse. But this is a wonderful movie, worth checking out for sure. And with a fantastic disc like this, you’re money will be well spent with a rental or purchase.
This film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, a master filmmaker who truly needs no introduction here at all. With such an impressive and storied career, Hitchcock deserves the respect he gets the movie business, but with such high expectations for his films, some of them are bound to fall short. This is one of those examples, a film which is solid, but lacking when compared to other Hitchcock movies. So it’s not that Marnie is a bad movie, it’s just that it pales when lined up against Vertigo or other psychological films he made. But fans of his work will still want to look this film up, it’s well worth your time and effort. The lead in this film is played by Tippi Hedren, who was given this role by Hitchcock after her performance in The Birds. While she is a fine actress, she doesn’t fulfill this character’s potential, which could be the reason I don’t hold the film in my highest of regards. But her work is good here, it’s just that the role is so complex and prominent, she tends to fall short in it. Sean Connery (a.k.a. The Man) is excellent here, as per usual, as steals the show most of the time. The supporting cast includes Diane Baker (The Net, Murder At 1600), Martin Gabel (M, Lord Love A Duck), Louise Latham (Firecreek), and of course, a cameo by Alfred Hitchcock himself.
Video: How does it look?
Marnie is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. While the image sometimes shows its age, for the most part the print looks superb, with few nicks, flecks, or other wear signs. The colors appear bright, based within a more natural spectrum, and flesh tones seem normal and consistent. The contrast also looks sharp, with very high visible detail level and well defined shadows. I couldn’t spot any compression errors either, another great transfer from Universal.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is presented via the original mono format, but the audio has no real problems to discuss. I mean, mono is going to limit the audio from the start, but that doesn’t mean the film will sound poor or inadequate. This track is about as good as you can expect from mono, with clear dialogue and decent sounding music. There is very little distortion and the patented mono hiss is not present here either.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is part of Universal’s Collector’s Edition line, so you know you’re getting some good supplements. The usual production notes, talent files, and theatrical trailer start us off, but there’s more to come as well. This disc includes “The Marnie Archives,” which is a gallery of all sorts of stuff, such as production photos and advertising materials. These stills are accompanied by a segment from the musical score, to make it a more enjoyable experience while viewing them. The main supplement is an almost hour long documentary, The Trouble With Marnie, which is a must see for fans of the film, and Hitchcock in general. This piece gives an in depth look at the production of this film, in almost every aspect you can think of. From the writing of the screenplay to casting to the musical score and beyond, this documentary has everything you need to know about this film.
