Rent The Wrong Man (1956)

Good for psychologists - The Wrong Man review by JD

Henry Fonda is an actor I had heard of but never watched. He justifies his impressive reputation. The importance of this film however for me is showing the gullibility of the mind, in that once guilt has been ascribed its removal is difficult and that some are keener to scrutinise the decision than others. The other area of psychology explored is guilt absorbed by others. A strangely common phenomenon, but in this case to extreme effect. Vera Miles tries I think too hard to be a glamour actress in a role demanding much more, but just about brings off the point of the plot.

Hitchcock Realism. - The Wrong Man review by Steve

Stunning crime melodrama, which in some ways hardly feels like an Alfred Hitchcock film at all; it's similar to the wave of b&w docu-noirs which swept US cinema in the '50s, in the wake of Italian neorealism. The premise of the innocent man accused of crime is pure Hitch, but this is much more naturalistic.

During the opening credits, a woman suddenly looks into the camera, to stress that this is intended to look like a documentary and a long, long way from the Hitchworld of spectacular set pieces and sexual innuendo with an icy blonde on a speeding train. He then throws in some jump cuts....

Henry Fonda plays a night club musician wrongly accused of robbery by a negligent and mediocre judicial system. And his life and marriage fall apart. Fonda and Vera Miles give deeper performances than we expect from Hitch. And Robert Burks photographs New York on location- in that candid Weegee style- at least as well as anyone else in the period.

Hitchcock introduces the film, to emphasise this is a true story. There are familiar themes of guilt, mental instability and the imperfection of justice, and it's as suspenseful as his thrillers. But this is different. Instead of a MacGuffin, we get social realism. This is Hitchcock goes New Wave. And he succeeds completely.