Abwärts (1927)

Abwärts: Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. With Ivor Novello, Ben Webster, Norman McKinnel, Robin Irvine. Public schoolboy Roddy Berwick is expelled from school when he takes the blame for a friend’s charge and his life falls apart in a series of misadventures.

“u0026#39;Downhillu0026#39; is visually inventive and astonishing, but the story is nothing more than simple flat melodrama. Script is based on the play u0026quot;Down Hillu0026quot; written by Constance Collier and the filmu0026#39;s star Ivor Novello. Roddy Berwick (Ivor Novello) and Tim Wakely (Robin Irvine) are best buddies attending expensive private school. Soon after both boys spend an evening with waitress (Annette Benson), she comes forward and says sheu0026#39;s pregnant. She accuses Roddy, who comes from the rich family, being the father, while the real one is Tim. Roddy promises to keep his mouth to protect Tim, who might lose his scholarship. Roddy gets expelled from school, and thrown out at home by his father. Roddy falls deeper and deeper after being used by different people. Hitchcock fantastically depicts Roddyu0026#39;s descent after each dramatic episode with showing Novellou0026#39;s character going down on stairs, on escalators and with elevator.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNot the Hitchcocku0026#39;s best movie – directing is marvelous, but the story is just too simple and predictable. On the other hand, it is very easy to care about the main character and despise the cruel people who but other persons through unfair grind (even when things happen thanks to Roddyu0026#39;s own naivety). u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eP.S. At that time (in August, 2018) the filmu0026#39;s theme is still relative.”