Murder
Laserlight (1930)
Drama, Mystery, Thriller
In Collection
#8939
0*
Seen ItYes
018111997737
IMDB   6.4
1 hr 44 mins USA / English
DVD  Region 1   NR
Herbert Marshall Sir John Menier
Una O'Connor Mrs. Grogram
Nora Baring
Phyllis Konstam Doucie Markham
Esme Percy Handel Fane
Esme V. Chaplin Prosecuting Counsel
Hannah Jones Mrs. Didsome
Amy Thomas
Marie Wright Miss Mitcham
Edward Chapman Ted Markham
Norah Baring Diana Baring
Miles Mander Gordon Druce
Donald Calthrop Ion Stewart
Amy Brandon Thomas Defending Counsel (as Amy Brandon-Thomas)
Joynson Powell Judge
Guy Pelham Boulton
S.J. Warmington Bennett
R.E. Jeffrey Foreman of the Jury
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Producer John Maxwell
Writer Clemence Dane
Helen Simpson
Alfred Hitchcock
Alma Reville
Cinematography Jack E. Cox
Musician John Reynders

One of Hitchcock's most frequent techniques was to have his characters get caught up in a web of confusion and chaos that is totally beyond their control. That concept works so very well because most people can readily identify with it. In Murder, Diana Baring is an actress who is caught standing over the corpse of a fellow actress. Even worse, she has amnesia and remembers nothing about the murder, or herself. Though she desperately tries to recall anything that can clear the fog from her mind, her amnesia is complete, as is the evidence against her. She is convicted of murder and sentenced to die. Only one person believes she is innocent, but can he prove it in time to save her?

In addition to many inventive cinematic techniques created by Hitchcock for Murder was the director's presentation of a character's thoughts on the soundtrack, the first time this had been done in a sound film. Hitchcock achieved this effect by improvising brilliantly: he had Marshall prerecord his lines on a wire tape recorder, and the director played the recording back while shooting a scene of the silent Marshall shaving. Behind the bathroom wall was hidden a live 35-piece orchestra playing the prelude to "Tristan and Isolde," the music supposedly coming from the radio.
Edition Details
Edition Special Edition
Distributor Delta
Chapters 21
Release Date 2/2/2000
Packaging Keep Case
Screen Ratio Standard 1.33:1 B&W
Subtitles Chinese; Japanese; Spanish
Audio Tracks ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Mono
Layers Single Side, Single Layer
No. of Disks/Tapes 1

Features
Includes an Introduction by Tony Curtis and a bonus clip of the original theatrical trailer from Hitchcock's 1948 film, Rope, Starring James Stewart and Farley Granger.