This week we return to Hitchcock's very early sound era. In fact, our focus this episode is on the very first British talkie: Blackmail. It's a terrific little picture--I don't want to spoil it for you here. Go watch it and come back and listen to our take on this surprisingly topical, nearly-century-old picture.
Details: A British International Picture released 7/28/1929. Produced by John Maxwell. Screenplay by Hitchcock and Benn W. Levy, based on a play by Charles Bennett. Starring Anny Ondra, John Longden, Joan Barry, Cyril Ritchard, and Sarah Algood. Cinematography by Bernard Knowles. Score by Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly.
Ranking: 33 out of 52. Ranking movies is a reductive parlor game. It’s also fun. And it’s a good way to frame a discussion. We aggregated over 70 ranked lists from critics, fans, and magazines Blackmail got 1,202 ranking points.