Grade: D+
Synopsis: After voting guilty, a jury member has second thoughts and begins an investigation of his own before the execution is carried out.
Murder! is notable as one of director Alfred Hitchcock’s first talking pictures, and as such, is a little rough around a few edges.
More than a few scenes feel a little stagy, especially during the film’s first half. Also, Hitchcock seems a little too enamored with the novelty of sound, as many scenes seem to feature noise only for the sake of noise, and the ending is far too talky.
Compounding these missteps is a stale and overlong script that lacks any real character development, a problem that becomes more and more apparent as the 100-minute running time wears on. And that’s not even mentioning the egregious plot hole where a man who personally knows the accused makes it on to her jury in a murder trial.
Still, despite these problems, Murder! does feature more than a few moments that foreshadow Hitchcock’s later successes. From his technical achievement in presenting Herbert Marshall’s character’s inner monologue, to his innovative camerawork, there’s ample evidence of Hitchcock’s talent.
Bottom Line: Despite a few hiccups, Murder! should please those Hitchcock fans looking to chart the evolution of the Master of Suspense’s signature style.
