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"Mother, Mother, I Am Ill"

Eileen Corder | West Coast | 01/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Marnie is deliciously chilly, and like the children sing at the beginning, Margaret Edgar is ill. But Marnie is more than that. She's defiant, independent, resourceful. She's a survivor and we cannot help but love her for that. Granted, her psyche is like jambalaya on a bad day (and I won't spoil the ending for you), but she does experience moments of pure happiness when she rides her horse, Forio. Not ten minutes into the film, her bad self washed down the drain, there she is with her hair loose, a youthful expression of relief on her face, riding Forio off into the distance. Yes, this is her fantasy world, but she's truly happy there. Unfortunately, and all too soon, Forio turns into a yellow cab which deposits her back where it all began.



Marnie comes from the lower class, born of a single mother, growing up during the war in a poor neighborhood on the waterfront in Baltimore. What were her alternatives? Through the film we see them. She could be a prostitute like her broken mother. She could be a secretary like the chatty, loyal gals in the washroom after work at Rutland's. In some wild scenario she could marry into money. Or...she could just take what she thinks she deserves. Certainly one or two of those wealthy folks at the fox hunt must have gotten their money in less than legal ways, considering how Hitchcock makes them look as they laugh at an animal being torn to bits by the hounds. Does Mark Rutland even know that an old, shabbily dressed and tired washer woman scrubs his floors every night? When Marnie robs the Rutland safe, we see, in a split screen, a well dressed Marnie on the right and the poor washer woman on the left. Marnie risks her precious freedom to avoid what she fears would be a dull and oppressive life. This scene embodies that split in her, drudgery or crime, and not much in between.



Along with Hitchcock's social commentary is extensive play on the prey vs. predator/territorialism/survival of the fittest theme. Color symbolism (reds and yellows), water imagery, and the endless wordplay and double-entendres of Jay Allen's (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Cabaret) terrific screenplay make Marnie a joy to watch again and again. Both Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery are equals in their command of the screen. Louise Latham as Marnie's mother heads an excellent supporting cast. One of Hitchcock's most complex films.









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Spellbound in Reverse!

Stephen Reginald | Chicago, IL United States | 11/08/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"One of the great disappointments of Alfred Hitchcock's career was the failure of Marnie to be the commercial and critical success he had hoped it would be. But some things seem to improve with age, and such is the case with Marnie. It's hard to figure out why this film wasn't immediately well received, especially when it has so many great Hitchcock elements that were winners in the past. Marnie (`Tippi' Hedren), is the portrait of a disturbed young woman who because of some, perhaps, childhood trauma cannot establish healthy relationships with men. Another part of her "psychosis" involves her being a thief as well. After Marnie establishes herself in one job, she robs her employer, changes her look and identity and then moves on to the next. When Marnie takes a job at Mark Rutland's (Sean Connery) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania publishing house (not his insurance company, as per the Amazon.com reviewer), the pattern begins again. Only this time, Connery finds himself drawn to Hedren, wanting to help, but at the same time, finding himself falling in love with her. Connery a student of zoology and human behavior, is intrigued by Hedren's problems and is determined to get to the bottom of her troubles. (This scenario is almost the reverse of Spellbound, where Ingrid Bergman is determined to find out what is causing Gregory Peck to act the way he does.) Connery convinces Hedren to marry him as a way of keeping her out of jail for her crimes (and to determine the psychological reason for her present behavior). That's when the real fun begins. Marnie is much more disturbed than Connery had originally suspected, but he is even more determined than ever to get her the help she needs. Marnie has many scenes that are reminiscent of other Hitchcock classics like Vertigo and the aforementioned Spellbound. When you see Hedren and Connery in the stables at his Philadelphia estate, you can't help but be reminded of Kim Novak and James Stewart in the carriage house scene in Vertigo. Visually, Marnie is a beautiful film. With it's wonderful matte backgrounds, the impeccable wardrobe and grooming of all the players, especially Hedren, who is absolutely stunning; Marnie has that definite Hitchcock polish. The supporting cast is first rate and includes great turns by Diane Baker as Connery's cynical sister-in-law, Louise Latham as Marnie's mother, Martin Gabel as one of Hedren's robbery victims, and Mariette Hartley as Marnie's coworker at Rutland's. The role of the complicated heroine would have been challenging for any actress (it was rumored to have been Grace Kelly's comeback picture), so it is quite remarkable that Hedren in only her second film is able to pull it off with great success. This was not the original reaction when the film was first released, but with time, most critics consider Hedren's performance a winner. Other Hitchcock touches are the great cinematography, set decoration, and that great Bernard Herrmann score. And let's not forget Connery's performance, his first "serious" role after his James Bond success. He's every bit the aristocratic Philadelphia Mainliner, yet there's a tenderness and strength that is very appealing. Marnie, although not the best of Hitchcock, is still a very enjoyable film with much to offer."