Rich and Strange (1931)

 Rich and Strange (1931)

An early Alfred Hitchcock from when he hadn’t yet found his voice that feels almost like anti-materialistic propaganda.

A middle-class couple in a rut get their hands on enough money for a trip around the world which he enjoys a bit less than expected as he suffers from dreadful seasickness.

She, being alone on deck for much too long, begins an affair with the captain.

When he feels better, and not to be outdone, he has his own affair, with a princess no less.

While it begins almost as a sort of comedy, it’s immediately apparent that this couple is done. Put a fork in them.

Neither really cares to be trying to save their relationship, (obviously, even a small amount of money ruins what may seem initially to be nice people!)

But wait!

When the day for their final parting finally comes, she gets cold feet and goes back to him; he in turn is dumped by his princess, and before any of it sinks in, the ship collides and begins to sink itself with the two trapped in their cabin!

Surviving thru further exciting adventures they eventually get back home, together again, and virtually back to the same routines (their money now all spent), except not quite, their attitudes are shown to have slightly changed.

Hitchcock does interesting things with miniature, camera techniques and composition. The opening sequence in the rain with synchronized umbrellas and one stubborn umbrella which won’t open is quite good but doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the film.

He also extensively uses mismatched stock footage.

Elements of the script, (couple splitting, cheating on each other, and getting back together by the end,) seem almost as if lifted from an American Screwball Comedy, but neither of the two leads are as charming as those from what are now considered classic examples, nor is their chemistry such that we might actually wish them to get together again.

The couples splitting up is a bit too tragic, and their behavior towards one another too despicable.

Hitch lets us forget much too soon this might be a comedy.

An interesting, if not wholly successful experiment for Hitchcock.

With Henry Kendall and Joan Barry.