Bis aufs Messer (1931)
28KBis aufs Messer: Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. With C.V. France, Helen Haye, Jill Esmond, Edmund Gwenn. An old traditional family and a modern family battle over land in a small English village and almost destroy each other.
“I feel many writers and critics, David Sterritt, Donald Spoto to name but two are too dismissive of this movie. With the technological restrictions of the very early talkie, Hitchcock as used his artistry to compose fluidity and cinematic suture to a rather stolid Galsworthy play. Already mentioned are the innovative zip pans, he also has intelligent use of dissolve, symbolism aplenty within montage sequences, sheep v horn (Hillcrest v Hornblower). The juxtaposition in the opening sequence of the car and the horse sets the theme beautifully. Occasionally there is daring reverse shots of the same objects defying the 180 degree rule, especially noticeable as we break into the proscenium arch of theatre.”
