For lovers of Hitchcock's usual types of movies, this might have been a bit of a disappointment, but I wasn't at all upset that the movie was so different--after all, it was still an excellent film. Instead of the usual murders and suspense, the focus of the film is on the priest who receives the confession of a murderer. The priest is in a bind because when he himself is charged with the killing, he cannot divulge what he heard in confession. The priest was played by Montgomery Clift and his performance was more restrained than usual--and this worked well for this role. In some ways, while the usual tension was not there, the film made up for it in the cinematography. The film looked a lot like a Film Noir movie in style and camera-work--Hitchcock set the mood beautifully. Also, having filmed this in Quebec, it looks very European--a nice touch.

So, provided you don't start the film with expectations that it's like any of his other films (except for THE WRONG MAN, to which it has some similarity),you'll enjoy the film due to excellent writing, direction and acting. An excellent lesser-known Hitchcock film.

FYI--For those who love to spot Hitchcock in his films, he appears at the beginning--walking past the stairs. Since he's so far away, it's VERY hard to spot him.

As Alfred Hitchcock is my favourite director of course I would see I Confess. And on the most part I wasn't disappointed, for my tastes Dmitri Tiomkin's music score is too much of a drone(unusual for Tiomkin) but while not among Hitchcock's finest I Confess is what I consider Hitchcock's most underrated(Stage Fright got that honour before I saw this though). We do know who the killer is right at the start and after the first 40 minutes it is somewhat more talky and not quite as suspenseful as other Hitchcocks, there's also the unfamiliarity at the time of the Catholicism codes. It is strikingly shot, helping a lot with the atmosphere, and the settings and costumes are rendered nicely too. The dialogue is talky but is thoughtfully written and gripping, just don't expect the wit of North By Northwest and To Catch a Thief or black humour of The Trouble with Harry and Family Plot(it's not that type of film) and be thankful that it isn't overwrought and stilted like Under Capricorn, Juno and the Paycock and Paradine Case. The story is quite slow but very atmospheric with a suspenseful(in that you wonder whether Logan will betray the confessional's secrets or not) first 40 minutes and reasonably tense climax, like 39 Steps and North By Northwest it is a classic wrong man story with also the idea of guilt seen in Strangers on a Train. The idea of Logan's dilemma throughout the film is one we can relate to, no matter how unfamiliar it was at the time, and it is relevant today I think. Hitchcock's direction is fine, and so are the performances. I can see why people may not like Montgomery Clift's performance, but I loved his brooding intensity and methodical nature for the difficult role he has to do, a similar style of acting to Paul Newman in Torn Curtain but far more convincing. In fact for any of the actors who did any of the brooding intense roles for a Hitchcock film that aren't Cary Grant or James Stewart, I consider Clift one of the better ones. Anne Baxter is very good as a less likable but just as interesting character, while Karl Malden is perfectly cast and Brian Aherne does menacing and sympathetic rather well. All in all, not typical for Hitchcock but it is a great film and his most underrated. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I Confess's story takes place in Quebec City, Canada is adapted from the French story Nos Deux Consciences. And the whole thing is about a priest's conscience. Does he keep his vows even at the cost of his own freedom and maybe his life, certainly his reputation.

That is what Montgomery Clift is faced with. German actor O.E. Hasse who Clift worked with on The Big Lift is the caretaker of a church where Clift is assigned. He takes the priest's garments and commits murder in them. And then offers confession to Clift. Clift knows the murder victim as well and could have his own reason for doing him harm. Of course police detective Karl Malden suspects him.

How this all gets resolved is the plot of the story. But let me give you a hint. The title of the original story is Our Two Consciences. And the consciences referred to are Monty Clift's and someone else's.

Clift and the rest of the cast do a fine job in this minor Alfred Hitchcock film. But the acting honors in this go to O.E. Hasse, an really oily malevolent villain who is enjoying the predicament he's put the priest in. You won't forget him.

Fans of Hitchcock and Clift will be entertained and others will enjoy it as well.