Rich and Strange (AKA “East of Shanghai”)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Written by Alfred Hitchcock, Alma Reville and Val Valentine from a novel by Dale Collins
1931/UK
British International Pictures
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/YouTube
Emily Hill: Love is a very difficult business, Mr. Gordon… You’d be surprised. It makes everything difficult and dangerous… You know, i don’t think love makes people brave like it says in books… I think it makes them timid. I think it makes them frightened when they’re happy and sadder when they’re sad… You see, everything’s multiplied by two… sickness, death, the future.
I don’t think Hitchcock ever made a good non-suspense comedy. Certainly, this isn’t one though it has its points.
Fred Hill (Henry Kendall) works a boring job in the City of London. Furthermore he is having a very bad day. His wife Emily (Joan Barry) stays at home and is currently sewing her own dress. Fred is extremely fed up and seems to want to depress Emily as well. The couple think the knock on the door will be yet another bill. Instead, it is a letter from Fred’s uncle saying he has decided to give Fred his inheritance now so Fred can sample the high life.
The couple book a round-the-world luxury cruise.
Fred rapidly succumbs to the charms of a Princess (Betty Amman) and pretty much ignores his wife thereafter. Emily is courted by a Commander (Percy Marmont). She remains loyal to Fred however.
Further developments will make the two yearn for their flat in London.
There are some good visuals in this, particularly the opening montage showing Fred dwarfed by the crowd in London. And the rest of the filmmaking is fine, I guess. But it’s inferior Hitchcock.
