Marnie (1964)

Actors: Sean Connery, Tippi Hedren, Diane Baker
Dir: Sir Alfred Hitchcock

A psychological thriller based on a Winston Graham novel. For me this is one of Sir Alfred’s best movies I have watched till now and many critics are of the same opinion.

The protagonist Marnie Edger is a kleptomaniac, a thief and a liar. She carries a bunch of social security cards and a assumes various names and identities to get a job. Once she does she vanishes, wiping off the cash box. Mark Rutland a wealthy widower employs Marnie knowing her past, out of curiosity. Soon Mark falls in love with Marnie and is out to reform her.

In the process Mark finds out the darker side of Marnie, her phobia for colors, red in particular. Her aversion towards thunderstorms and lightning & her disturbed sleeping habits and her distrust on men. Mark investigates to find her difficult childhood and her longing for the love of her mother.

The director then takes us through the thrilling journey of how Mark marries and reforms her. Sir Alfred, as usual excels in his trademark narrative style of camera usage. The camera leads the way to make the viewer explore the world of Marnie and her exploits.

Sean Connery and Tippi Hedren excel in their roles and make this movie a very interesting thriller.

Trivia: Sir Alfred appears very early in the movie. He is seen walking out of his hotel room as Marnie is being lead to her room by a bell boy, after her first loot in the film (at Strutt’s)

Grace Kelly was supposed to play Marnie but declined at the last moment

Sean Connery was fresh from the success of his latest bond movie Dr. No