Previously, Balladeer’s Blog examined star vehicles and genre films from the age of Silent Movies. This time around I’m taking a very brief look at Alfred Hitchcock’s pre-sound films.
NUMBER THIRTEEN (1922) – This film marked the first time that Hitchcock worked as a director on a movie, but was the thirteenth film project he had worked on in some capacity, hence the title. The production went unfinished from lack of funds and the original title may have been Mrs. Peabody but even that is uncertain.
The movie was intended as a comedic (?) look at the Peabody Trust, an organization founded by American philanthropist George Foster Peabody to provide affordable housing to needy Londoners. Hey, I’m laughing already! (I’m kidding!) Only two reels of footage were completed and Alfred Hitchcock himself dismissed the aborted film project as insignificant. Clare Greet and Ernest Thesiger starred.
ALWAYS TELL YOUR WIFE (1923) – Hitchcock started out as a co-director of this 20-minute comedy short but had to step into the top spot when the original director quit over creative differences with the studio. Though Alfred’s previous directing effort had gone unfinished, this comedy short was completed but he was not credited since he had not directed the entire film.
The storyline involved Ricardo and Mertz-style wackiness between two families, but with the more adult theme of infidelity.
THE PLEASURE GARDEN (1925) – The third time was almost the charm as this 75-minute movie was not only completed, but Hitchcock was credited as the director!
His bad luck lingered, however, and after one public showing, the movie was shelved and not released again until after Alfred’s film The Lodger became a hit a few years later.
The title establishment was a music hall, where chorus girl Patsy Brand gets the struggling Jill Cheyne a job as a dancer (Showgirls 1925!) and fixes her up with her fiancé’s friend. Continue reading
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