The definition of “creepy uncle.” Charlie (fem.) Newton (a brunette! in a Hitchcock!) is niece to Charlie (masc.) Oakley. The latter comes to visit his sister’s (Emma, who is just a bit dim and infatuated with her baby brother) family (which includes Charlie (fem.)) after an interesting episode in which he outwits two men who want to see him—he says to himself that they have nothing on him. Dum dum dum. Foreshadowing? Perhaps. The family also includes the dad (Joe) who reads just a few too many murder mysteries, a daughter (Anne) that puts the precocious in precocious children who reads too much above her age level (Ivanhoe), and a son (Roger) who is just a little obnoxious in an exasperating way, and Herbert, Joe’s friend who likes to dabble in crime fiction in a way that’s a little too tangible (what he could put in coffee, mushrooms which could kill someone, etc). Throughout the whole movie is an odd and way creepy sexual tension between the Charlies. Charlie (masc.) is a bit testy and very secretive, taking random pages out the evening paper and not wanting his photo taken and doesn’t want to be involved in a survey being taken by two men (of course, suspenseful music tells us this is odd behavior). Those men (surprise!) aren’t survey takers but are detectives looking for “a man” in connection with the “Merry Widow Murderer” who strangles rich women. Charlie (fem.) gets involved with one of the detectives and, as a consequence, become suspicious of her funny-acting uncle (but not due to the off-putting sexual tension). It doesn’t help that Charlie (masc.) is a tad creepy and has a whole monologue about widows and his contempt for them. Suspense and danger ensue . . . .
Strangely interspersed throughout the scenes is a cut to couples in ball gowns and tuxedos dancing. I’m guessing this is connected to the fact that Charlie (fem.) hums the “Merry Widow Waltz” to which Charlie (masc.) reacts negatively, not allowing anyone to come to any definite conclusion about its title when Charlie (fem.) mentions the song being stuck in her head. And then later Charlie (fem.) gets testy when her mother hums the same song.
Overall a good movie in the Hitchcock tradition. An annoyance of a different sort, after being spoiled by my beloved Turner Classic Movies, this one was on American Movie Classics, which doesn’t do the informative introductions to the movies and has, gasp, commercials! Nothing like watching a movie that’s supposed to be suspenseful to have it interrupted several times for ads about credit cards, retirement plans, and flat screen TVs (and the switch from black and white to color is a bit jarring).
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