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NOTORIOUS (1946)


I saw this Hitchcock classic for the first time the other night and fell instantly in love with it. It plays on a smaller scale than many of this other films; although there is scandal and intrigue, the particulars of the bad guys' plot are rather inconsequential, and the initial development of the love story seems rushed. But I so thoroughly enjoyed the main characters that I forgive it any of it's minor flaws.

Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) is the notorious daughter of a Nazi spy. Her boozy, promiscuous ways conceal that she is actually an American patriot, a fact discovered by secret agent Devlin (Cary Grant). Alicia is recruited to spy on Sebastian (Claude Rains), the leader of a Nazi ring in Brazil, and a former acquaintance who was once in love with her. But before this theater of double-crosses can get off the ground, Alicia and Devlin rather spontaneously fall in love with each other. Obviously this makes her proposed mission rather complicated, but sets up a pair of delicious conflicts in which Sebastian falls in love with her, brining her further into his house and in danger of being discovered, and where Alicia and Devlin intentionally misunderstand each other to cope with their raging jealousy.

These relationships are what make the entire film work for me. Both Grant and Bergman play against type, or at least the type I had decided upon in my head. Bergman, who was so tremulous, loyal and innocent in Casablanca, brings a much harder edge to Alicia. The opening scenes where she drives drunk and plays angry were surprising to me, but a welcome departure from what I had come to expect from the actress. Once she is in love with Grant, her passion is quite consuming, but her love-struck adoration doesn't stop her from engaging in cruel barbs with Devlin. Grant, too, steps outside the bounds of his usual persona of decorum. He still has the physicality, language and demeanor of a gentleman, yet remarks attempted to hide his jealousy are often pointed and mean, putting down Alicia's character and causing her pain. But these negative qualities did nothing to deter my interest in the film, and actually made it more enjoyable because I was witnessing characters and performances I had not expected. Anyone can plainly see they are only hurting each other because they are in love, but are too stubborn to admit it.

The other surprise is the character of Sebastian himself. As played by Claude Rains, he is almost more sympathetic than either of the Americans. Trapped within a circle of vicious conspirators, and living with a mother who constantly hen-pecks, we feel genuine sympathy for the Nazi sympathizer. And the fact that he is truly in love with Alicia only makes him more of a hapless cuckold. Together, this trio of performances is always fascinating, regardless of the plot, which is of course superb.

The beginning of the film took a little time to find it's tone (we're not quite sure what to make of Alicia and Devlin for quite some time, and then, suddenly, they are in love) but most of these editing choices seem consistent with the time period in which the film was made. And once the love is ignited and the pawns are in play, Hitchcock drafts enough passion and suspense to keep you interested.

If you want to read about Notorious further, here's a link to Ebert's "Great Movies" essay on the film.