The Lodger (1927)
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Maria Ault, Ivor Novello, Arthur Chesney
Length: 75 min
Genre: Crime / Thriller
Hitchcock's third film, he considered this his first true film. The quality of the print was pretty bad, but still watchable. The above is the first part of the movie. The entire movie is on YouTube.
The story is that of a man who shows up and rents out a room from a family. A serial killer has been on the loose, and suspicions quickly turn to the mysterious lodger. When the police search his room and find evidence against him, he runs and a mob chases him.
The movie was pretty raw, but had a lot of Hitchcock-like elements to it, including a brief cameo as a reporter by Hitchcock. The film was almost not released, but after they brought someone in to edit it, they finally decided to release the movie. In the end, the outside editor recognized Hitchcock's talent, and only reduced the number of title cards and suggested reshooting a few minor scenes. The Lodger was a success, and Hitchcock started to make a name for himself.
Had this movie been shelved for good, Hitchcock's career may have been shelved as well.
Entertainment Rating: 6/10
Historical Rating: 7/10