Information
- BFI identifier23282
- Date1929 (Release)
- Production countryUnited Kingdom
- Production company
- SynopsisThe story of a girl who kills a man in self defence and is blackmailed by a man who knows of her guilt. (Synopsis) A story of murder and subsequent blackmail. From the play by Charles Bennett. Rl.1 Scotland Yard's flying squad arrest a criminal; after he has been subjected to an interrogation, identification parade, charged, finger-printed and put in the cells the men in charge of the case, including Detective Frank Webber, prepare to leave (787). Rl.2 Alice White, Frank's girl-friend, is peeved at being kept waiting; he takes her to a Lyon's Corner House; they quarrel and Frank leaves her, but subsequently observes Alice leaving the cafe in the company of another man with whom she has made an assignation (1468). Rl.3 The man, an artist, invites Alice into his studio; they are observed by Tracy, a furtive character not unknown to the artist (2272). Rl.4 The artist offers to paint Alice; whilst she is changing behind a screen he sings to her at the piano after which he brutally attempts her seduction; Alice defends herself, but unconscious of her actions she stabs him with a bread-knife (3214). Rl.5 Observed by Tracy, Alice leaves the studio and walks the streets in a daze; the landlady finds the body; the police are called and one of the investigators is Frank who finds and pockets a glove which he recognises as belonging to Alice. Alice returns home and prepares herself to meet her family (4067). Rl.6 At breakfast Alice's distress is aggravated by gossip about the murder; Frank arrives and shows her the glove; her confession is interrupted by the arrival of Tracy who produces a companion glove and proceeds to blackmail the unhappy couple (4966). Rl.7 Tracy invites himself to breakfast; at Scotland Yard the landlady identifies Tracy from a photograph and he is immediately suspected of the murder; Frank gives Tracy some money before receiving a call from the Yard (5856). Rl.8 Tracy hears from Frank that he is suspected of the crime; Alice again attempts to confess but is prevented by Frank; the police arrive and the panic-striken Tracy makes his escape through the window (6362). Rl.9 The police pursue Tracy who attempts to escape in a taxi; cornered, he takes refuge in the British Museum and after a chase through the galleries and reading room finally falls to his death from the Museum's dome where he has been cornered. Alice, the murder on her conscience, goes to Scotland Yard to make a confession; she is taken up to an inspector and finds Frank with him; her talk with the inspector is broken up by a telephone call. Alice makes her confession to the young detective and together they leave the building (7398). The End (7404). Note: The song "Miss Up-To-Date" was written for the musical play "Love Lies", produced at the Gaiety in March, 1929, and in which Cyril Ritchard appeared. Song composed by Billy Mayerl and Frank Eyton. Note: Joan Barry was Anny Ondra's vocal double. Note: A silent version of the film was also produced. See BLACKMAIL (Silent version). (NFA Catalogue)
- Work historyThe first film to use dubbing. From a play by Charles Bennett. Note: there is also a silent version of this film.
- Genre
- Subject
- CreditsDirector: Alfred Hitchcock
Production Company: British International Pictures
[Producer]: John Maxwell
view all - Cast
Title
Blackmail (Original)
Blackmail (Sound Version) (Archive)
EIDR identifier
10.5240/F7F2-F19B-6ADE-A375-8B18-HCategory
FictionThis work is included in the BFI Filmography.
- Collections
- Film / Video
35mm BW Positive - Safety - Combined - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Acetate - Combined - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Acetate - Combined - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Polyester - Combined - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - CTA - Combined - Viewing
view all - Scripts / DocumentsScript - Original story: Play by Charles Bennett - SCR-4403
Blackmail - Originally a silent thriller, shortly after released as a talkie. [After killing a man in self-defence, a young woman is blackmailed by a witness to the killing] Directed by Alfred Hitchcock; Script: Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Bennett, Garnett Weston. Michael Powell is credited as stills photographer but apparently worked uncredited as assistant cameraman and writer. Starred Anny Ondra and John Longden. In 'A Life in Movies' Powell recounts how the idea for the climactic chase in the British Museum came about. The third act of the original stage play was weak and Hitchcock had consulted Powell on an alternative ending. Powell suggested 'Let's have him slip into the British Museum at night and get chased through rooms full of Egyptian mummies and Elgin Marbles and climb higher to escape and be cornered and fall through the glass dome of the Reading Room and break his neck. Hitch, being a Londoner had never been near the British Museum Reading Room but saw the possibilities of the idea, and so I think I can make a modest claim to being the inventor of the Hitchcock climax, unveiled to the world through the chase in Blackmail' - MLP-1-1-10
view all - StillsPhotograph: print - Landscape - Black and White - bfi-00o-8js
Photograph: print - Landscape - Black and White - bfi-00o-7fr
Photograph: print - Landscape - Black and White - bfi-00o-7fq
Photograph: print - Landscape - Black and White - bfi-00o-7fp
Photograph: print - Landscape - Black and White - bfi-00o-7fn
view all - Articles
- Books
- Digital documentsBFI Southbank Programme Note: August / September 1999
BFI Southbank programme notes September/October 2014
available to view in BFI Reuben Library