Review: Notorious

Set in Post-WWII era, Ingrid Bergman is the troubled daughter of a Nazi, who gets involved with American agent Cary Grant. Grant is tasked with working with Bergman, who in turn is to seduce and spy on Nazi Claude Rains (whom she was previously acquainted with). She even has to pretend to be in love with him. Problem is, she’s already fallen in love with Grant, and vice versa. Mme. Leopoldine Konstantin plays Rains’ domineering mother, Louis Calhern is Grant’s boss.

 

Popular 1946 Alfred Hitchcock (“Strangers on a Train”, “Shadow of a Doubt”, “Psycho”, “Rope”) romantic spy thriller has Bergman at the top of her game, Rains stealing his every scene, and the always terrific Calhern and unforgettable Konstantin are excellent support. Cary Grant overdoes the character’s guardedness/bitterness a tad so as to come off a bit stiff sometimes, but he undeniably has romantic chemistry with Bergman in the early and latter scenes. And even some of his curt/bitter exchanges with Bergman in the midsection are interesting. Rains’ character is particularly fascinating. He’s clearly a villain, I mean he’s a Nazi after all. However, Rains, one of cinema’s greatest players of villainy, doesn’t actually play the character as a villain. You end up, amazingly enough, feeling something for this guy at times. Pity, maybe, as he’s a pathetic mummy’s boy, really and far from the worst person in the film. He’s polite, seemingly nice, who just happens to also be a Nazi and therefore a villain (He also takes to attempted murder fairly quickly in the second half, it has to be said). In that respect, the rather diminutive and genteel Rains is perfectly cast. Calhern, meanwhile, offers up an urbane, cynical spin on the usual Leo G. Carroll role in these sorts of Hitchcock films (the later “North by Northwest”, for instance). As for Mme. Konstantin, she certainly has a helluva unsettling entrance playing one of cinema’s creepiest mums. She’s instantly creepy, as are Rains’ Nazi colleagues, all introduced in creepy close-ups.

 

However, make no mistake, this is absolutely Bergman’s film. She gives a compellingly sad, conflicted performance that, more than anything else in the film stays with you afterwards. The final 30-40 minutes are excellent, tense stuff, even if the last part is just a tad rushed. I really liked the ending, though. Some might wish to see more of what happens, I don’t think it’s remotely necessary. It’s obvious what’s going to happen. There’s also one helluva sexy (and record-setting) make-out session to boot.

 

Although a slow starter, the story itself is quite engrossing, even though I personally prefer some of Hitch’s other spy films. It’s still a damn good film, make no mistake, just not one of my Top 5 Hitchcock films (“Strangers on a Train”, “Vertigo”, “The 39 Steps”, “Shadow of a Doubt”, and “Psycho”), and probably his third-best spy thriller behind “The 39 Steps” and “The Lady Vanishes”. I can see why this is some people’s favourite Hitchcock film, even if it’s not mine. It’s definitely must-see stuff, especially for Bergman fans. The screenplay is by Ben Hecht (“Lifeboat”, “Strangers on a Train”, “Circus World”).

 

Rating: B+