kmoh-1 This is a pretty good, entertaining and suspenseful early Hitch, though for some reason it doesn't really stick in the memory. It is mainly feted now for the famous Majestic Hotel ballroom shot, and it is quite clear that after that bit of legerdemain, Hitchcock loses interest and the film is wrapped up unconvincingly in five perfunctory minutes. Lots of other good things though. Nova Pilbeam is charming (Derrick de Marney less so). Edward Rigby is on good scene-stealing form, and Basil Radford's single scene is a masterly tour de force of deadpan comic acting. The two contrasting lunches of the Burgoyne family are also highlights, providing character and comedy while subtly moving the plot along, with Erica's four brothers brilliantly realised. There is lovely photography of the Sussex countryside. The scene where Erica is rescued is genuinely scary, despite being studio-bound. There are some dreadful and wholly unnecessary model shots, but at least they are better than those in The Lady Vanishes. Nevertheless, this feels like a dry run for the latter, rather than its peer.

JohnHowardReid Producer: Edward Black. A Gaumont British Production, made at Pinewood Studios, England. Copyright 30 January 1938 by Gaumont British Picture Corp. of America. New York opening at the Criterion: 10 February 1938. U.S. release: 17 February 1938. U.K. release (through General Film Distributors): December 1937. Australian release (through G-B-D): December 1937. Running times: 84 minutes (U.K. and Australia); 70 minutes (USA). U.S. release title: The GIRL WAS YOUNG. COMMENT: A dazzling inventive and seductively entertaining thriller, outstandingly exciting in its direction from the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Of course it is in the action scenes that Hitch really comes into his own: the nimbly edited escape from the court- house in which de Marney amusingly finds himself a spectator at his own trial; the fight at Tom's Hat and the flight from the old mill; the amazingly effective juxtaposition of real people with skilfully crafted models and miniatures in the escape from the doss-house episode; the hair-raising plunge through the mine shaft; all capped by that enormous crane shot through the Grand Hotel, from the foyer through the crowded ball-room to a shattering close-up of the killer's twitching eyes.Not that Hitchcock is a slacker in the movie's less sensational sequences. There is a delicious sense of irony, both in the writing and the visuals, that runs through the entire movie. A captivating performance from Nova Pilbeam helps enormously too. Naturally she receives deft assistance from a fine roster of character players, led by Edward Rigby's superannuated tramp and J.H. Roberts' engagingly muddle-sighted solicitor.A bouncy music score, fine photography and eye-catching art direction further add to the total enjoyment of a very cleverly scripted, agreeably twisting and turning yarn.MY SECOND VIEWING: The work of no less than six writers has removed this movie a long way from Josephine Tey's "A Shilling for Six Candles". In fact it now hardly resembles the novel at all. Never mind, the result is a wonderfully taut and suspenseful, yet humorous and charmingly romantic thriller in which the hero's efforts to extricate himself from a murder rap get not only progressively more complicated and deeper into dutch, but take in a number of excitingly hairs- breadth escapes as well. True, the hero is perhaps a little wet and not at all your average macho type, but I found this to be a most agreeable novelty. Also out of the rut are some great character cameos including Edward Rigby as an ingratiatingly seedy old china-mender, Torin Thatcher as a brusquely suspicious doss-house keeper, J.H. Roberts as a not-so- soothingly "eagle"-eyed solicitor and of course the guy who plays the real murderer. Heroine Nova Pilbeam figures as a real charmer, although for a while there it looks like she's going to spend most of the action in the one costume. Fortunately she is allowed a couple of changes in the final reels. Hitchcock's mastery of staging suspense is always in evidence, and here he draws upon the expertise of a fine technical crew including art director Alfred Junge (I love his deserted water- mill), lighting cameraman Bernard Knowles (who doesn't put so much as a focus inch wrong in the climactic, justly celebrated crane shot), and film editor Charles Frend (whose scissoring throughout is a model of crispy smooth silkiness). A foot-tapping, jazzy music score too. In all, essential viewing for Hitchcock fans and marvelously enjoyable entertainment for cinema fans in general.

morrison-dylan-fan 1997:Whilst I had been a fan of cartoons and animated movies since I could remember,I had never taken any particular notice to the directing/cinematography aspects of the TV shows/movies.Catching the ending of a video that my dad was watching,I found myself being completely mesmerised by a breath-taking shot in the movie,which involved the camera moving across a dance hall until it stopped right in front of the mysterious "baddie."2014:Despite having had the chance to view 100's of amazing films over the last 10+ years,I have always found the initial excitement that I experienced when catching a small glimpse of the title to still be burning bright,which led to me deciding that for my 600th review,I would once again meet up with the young & innocent.The plot:Walking along the beach, Robert Tisdall finds the dead body of a women laying by the shore.As Tisdall rushes to get help,two near-by women spot a mysterious man (Tisdall) running away from a murder victim.Returning to the shore,Tisdall talk to the police on the scene who reveal that they have found a jacket belt near the body,which appears to be from Tisdall's (lost) coat.Being the prime suspect,Tisdall is taken to the police station.Fearing that he has a less than capable defence lawyer,Tisdall decides to sneak out undercover,and go on the run.Desperate to get away from the cops,Tisdall gets hold of Erica Burgoyne (who is the head police officers daughter) and jumps in her car,in the hope that he will track down the murderous owner of his missing jacket.View on the film:While the tremendous crane shot (which took 2 days to film!) is the set-piece of the title,director Alfred Hitchcock and cinematographer Bernard Knowles superbly build up the uncovering of the killer right from the start,with Hitchcock and Knowles using focus for the seagulls flying around the dead body,which creates an eerie feeling of vulture's circling their prey. Largely keeping away from giving the movie any hint of doom & gloom,Hitchcock perfectly matches the brisk nature of the screenplay by wrapping the title in a light 'N fluffy atmosphere,with Hitchcock using excellent,long-take tracking shots which display the deep sense of unease that Burgoyne's family have around each other.For their extremely loose adaptation of Elizabeth Mackintosh's novel A Shilling for Candles, (with the writers only following one-third of the book,and then going off in their own direction)writers (deep breath!) Charles Bennett, Edwin Greenwood, Anthony Armstrong, Gerald Savory and Alma Reville expertly balance the films frantic man on the run with a joyful comedic edge,which goes from the sly, (a group of cops sitting in the back of a tractor filled with pigs) to the more overt,as Tisdall and Burorgoyne strike with rapid-fire,almost Screwball Comedy dialogue.Along with the lively comedic dialogue,the writers always make sure to keep the delightful murder mystery bubbling along,as Burgoyne goes from bring desperate to take Tisdall to the cops,to being determined to track down the murderous owner of the missing coat.Meeting her future husband on the film,the pretty Nova Pilbeam gives an excellent performance as Burorgoyne,with Pilbeam giving the character a charming shot of sass,which shines across the screen as Buroygoyne starts to get close to Tisdall.Finding his scroll on the beach to be one that could end in a murder rep, Derrick De Marney gives a fantastic performance as Tisdall,as Marney shows desperation in Tisdall's eyes to clear his name,whilst also bouncing off fast one-liners with Burorgoyne,in a film that remains young & innocent.

illbebackreviews Following the classic Hitchcock themes that he was well known for in "The 39 Steps" and his later works, "Young and Innocent" is a well made movie with strong tension, great characters, exciting premise built up terrifically within the opening minutes and is an exciting adventure of a wrongly accused man attempting to his clear his name from wrongdoings. Nova Pilbeam and Derrick De Marney are absolutely terrific in the lead roles, having great chemistry back and forth, a romance story that is both interesting and necessary and a script that easily allows them to convey their thoughts. It is said that this is indeed Hitchcock's favourite British film and whilst this is a little far stretched, it is to me, one of his most exciting and overlooked films.