Young and Innocent (1937)

During Hitchcock’s early portion of his career in England, he made over 30 films including The Lodger, Blackmail, The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes and culminated with Foreign Correspondent. During this time he also made a few lesser known, but quality thrillers, including one of my favorite of his early works, Young and Innocent made in 1937.

I have found in every one of Hitchcock's films, there is always at least one scene that is a nugget, a hint at his genius. This is true during the climax of Young and Innocent.

Young and Innocent revolves around a young writer who's innocently accused of murdering a famous actress. He escapes prison by hiding in the car of the Constable's daughter. They are instantly attracted to each other and she helps him track down the real killer.

Young and Innocent stars Derrick De Marney as Robert Tisdale, the young writer on the run, and Nova Pilbeam as Erica Burgoyne, the beautiful woman who helps Tisdale prove his innocence. As with most films of the time, the plot is straight forward and simplistic... not quite believable to today's standards, but it effectively thrusts the plot into gear and lets the fun begin.

As for nuggets of Hitchcock, Young and Innocent has a few scenes that are quite effective. I love it when he utilizes silent film techniques in his talking films... for example, the killer gave an overcoat to a bum. When trying to find the real killer, the bum dresses up in new clothes so he can enter a swanky hotel. The killer spots the bum from across the room and we visually see, through dissolves, the bum go from riches to rags and back... visually showing us the killer recognizes him.

Nova Pilbeam in danger.

The killer in the film has a distinct eye tick. Tisdale finds that the killer may be hiding out at a fancy hotel. They look through the hotel, ending up in a large ballroom with a big band playing in black-face in the background. Tisdale and Erica stand on one side of the ballroom, scanning for the man with the tick. The band plays a song called The Drummer Man... in one continuous shot we move the high end of one side of the ballroom, over the diners, over the dancers, down toward the band, ending up on a close up of the drummer in black-face, where we see him slightly tick. It's a very cool shot and, in standard Hitchcockian form, lets the audience know more than the protagonists.

Beware of the "Drummer Man"

In a Hollywood world where everything is a remake of something else, the Young and Innocent is an excellent candidate. It's good Hitchcock and mostly unknown. It is also one of my personal favorites of Hitch's early works.