I would never have thought that Alfred Hitchcock had a strict Roman Catholic upbringing, including training with the Jesuits. It's one of the interesting things revealed in a special feature on the DVD release of "I Confess". The movie allows Hitch to explore the sanctity of the Catholic sacrament of Penance, and a priest's holy vow to maintain the confidentiality of the confessional. At times, the way Father Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift) remains true to that vow seems awkward and hesitant, casting suspicion on himself as a murderer, especially when it's revealed that he had a personal relationship with one of the church's parishioners before he became a priest.

There was one point when I thought Hitchcock was throwing the audience a curve when the real murderer Keller (O.E. Hasse) taunts Logan with - "You can't tell them as long as you are a priest, can you?" It struck me at that point that the look on Logan's face might have had him consider giving up the priesthood, adding even more torment to his dilemma. Of course that was not to be, and rightly, as it would have been a cheap way out. In fact the revelation of Keller's guilt could probably not have been handled in any other way than the manner in which it occurred. But if Keller's conscience couldn't convince him that he was doomed to hellfire for the initial murder, and then setting up a priest for it, how was he going to reconcile himself with the Lord for killing his own wife?

Cleverly, Hitchcock keeps the viewer's attention shifting in different directions; when Ruth Grandfort states to Father Logan 'We're safe" after learning of Villete's murder, one imagines all kinds of clandestine intimacies between the two. The revelation of the back story clears Logan on that count, but he still remains on the hook for the crime as long as he maintains his priestly obligations.

This would not be the only film in which director Hitchcock would explore Catholic themes, his 1956 film "The Wrong Man" would make use of overt religious symbolism in telling the true story of a man accused of a robbery and how his faith was a factor in exposing the real criminal. Both movies are among Hitch's less well known, and hence under-appreciated gems. Both capture a noirish feel that isn't generally a characteristic of his American films, with a sense of uncertainty and discomfort that pervades throughout. Both are recommended, Hitchcock fan or not.

While watching, keep an eye out for the poster promoting Humphrey Bogart's "The Enforcer" at the movie house. It too happens to be a murder mystery where we know the identity of the killer up front, as the story's protagonist searches for a way to expose him.

For lovers of Hitchcock's usual types of movies, this might have been a bit of a disappointment, but I wasn't at all upset that the movie was so different--after all, it was still an excellent film. Instead of the usual murders and suspense, the focus of the film is on the priest who receives the confession of a murderer. The priest is in a bind because when he himself is charged with the killing, he cannot divulge what he heard in confession. The priest was played by Montgomery Clift and his performance was more restrained than usual--and this worked well for this role. In some ways, while the usual tension was not there, the film made up for it in the cinematography. The film looked a lot like a Film Noir movie in style and camera-work--Hitchcock set the mood beautifully. Also, having filmed this in Quebec, it looks very European--a nice touch.

So, provided you don't start the film with expectations that it's like any of his other films (except for THE WRONG MAN, to which it has some similarity), you'll enjoy the film due to excellent writing, direction and acting. An excellent lesser-known Hitchcock film.

FYI--For those who love to spot Hitchcock in his films, he appears at the beginning--walking past the stairs. Since he's so far away, it's VERY hard to spot him.

As Alfred Hitchcock is my favourite director of course I would see I Confess. And on the most part I wasn't disappointed, for my tastes Dmitri Tiomkin's music score is too much of a drone(unusual for Tiomkin) but while not among Hitchcock's finest I Confess is what I consider Hitchcock's most underrated(Stage Fright got that honour before I saw this though). We do know who the killer is right at the start and after the first 40 minutes it is somewhat more talky and not quite as suspenseful as other Hitchcocks, there's also the unfamiliarity at the time of the Catholicism codes. It is strikingly shot, helping a lot with the atmosphere, and the settings and costumes are rendered nicely too. The dialogue is talky but is thoughtfully written and gripping, just don't expect the wit of North By Northwest and To Catch a Thief or black humour of The Trouble with Harry and Family Plot(it's not that type of film) and be thankful that it isn't overwrought and stilted like Under Capricorn, Juno and the Paycock and Paradine Case. The story is quite slow but very atmospheric with a suspenseful(in that you wonder whether Logan will betray the confessional's secrets or not) first 40 minutes and reasonably tense climax, like 39 Steps and North By Northwest it is a classic wrong man story with also the idea of guilt seen in Strangers on a Train. The idea of Logan's dilemma throughout the film is one we can relate to, no matter how unfamiliar it was at the time, and it is relevant today I think. Hitchcock's direction is fine, and so are the performances. I can see why people may not like Montgomery Clift's performance, but I loved his brooding intensity and methodical nature for the difficult role he has to do, a similar style of acting to Paul Newman in Torn Curtain but far more convincing. In fact for any of the actors who did any of the brooding intense roles for a Hitchcock film that aren't Cary Grant or James Stewart, I consider Clift one of the better ones. Anne Baxter is very good as a less likable but just as interesting character, while Karl Malden is perfectly cast and Brian Aherne does menacing and sympathetic rather well. All in all, not typical for Hitchcock but it is a great film and his most underrated. 9/10 Bethany Cox