Sadly Over-hyped

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Hitchcock has something about his filmmaking that sets him apart from all other directors. He includes so many shots, such as the long shot, medium, close up, and over the shoulder shots. However, he revolutionized some shots such as the tracking shot. For instance, the tracking shot in the lobby at the top of the stairs all they way down to show the key in her hand was a remarkable display of ingenuity. He exaggerates things, such as a zoom out at the table, as it slowly zooms in what seems like forever, slowly revealing more people at the table. The use of sound was terrific, as the film started out with a lot of non-diegetic music, but as the film progresses it becomes less and less and silence starts to fill the emptiness of scenes. The film was very high-key in lighting, and dissolve shots were common throughout. My favorite shot was with Alicia, as she gets dizzy and passes out, the camera switches to a POV shot and we see what she is currently seeing and that is a wavy, disturbed image as she loses her vision. Tremendous film, and a must see for all.

This is the only Hitchcock film I have seen other than Psycho. I have heard many times about the 'Hitchcock style' and I am still trying to identify exactly what this is. Overall I think stylistically this film hold up well other than some obvious antiquated techniques and technology, such as the projected background. It is always very clear to a contemporary audience that these people are not actually in Brazil. Despite of this, it is still a very enchanting story. I spent a year in Brazil so I particularly enjoyed seeing and hearing a fairly accurate representation of Rio. I have also grow particularly attached to Cary Grant and Alicia Huberman and I think this was another great addition to their acting repertoire. And although the style may be very different than contemporary actors I think it holds up pretty well to any one who wants it to.

Beautiful casting of Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. The chemistry they share in this film feels so natural and at points made me tear up a little. The music by Roy Webb carries the drama that is Notorious. The film itself was beautifully pictured, kudos to Ted Tetzlaff the Cinematographer. Each shot of every scene had reasoning for its angle. The deep space cinematography taken place to show Alicia's fate told us as an audience what she hadn't quite caught on to yet, poison. The film never drags on or doesn't hold the status for a great Hitchcock film. In fact, I feel as though it may have been his greatest masterpiece made!

Rains, Grant and Bergman are victims in this story, especially Rains. You have to feel sorry for Rains. I know he is a Nazi, but he seems an unusually well-mannered, agreeable, charming British-type Nazi, and he is very badly treated, not only by Bergman, but also by his evil, dominating Hitchcock-type, mother. She is also a victim, of course, since her son ends by getting done in by the other Nazis. Perhaps she is also doomed. The only one who is not a victim is Calhern. You can tell that by the way he comfortably stretches out his legs, munching his goodies, as he gives his cynical instructions to tortured Cary Grant. He makes casual use of the lot of them.Reading the negative reviews for this subtle exercise in manipulative psychology is positively hilarious. No guns ? No shoot-outs ? No devilish gadgets ? Just talk ? These complaints indicate just how far we've entered into the mindless robotic age. Thought is abolished, in favour of mechanism. The triumph of the machines is not far off. Sigmund Freud has had it. I was only going to give this film 8 stars, but I'll have to add one, to counter the cretins. Very well-acted and skilfully directed throughout.