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Henry Kendall, Joan Barry, Percy Marmont, Betty Amann, Elsie Randolph ... see more see more... , Aubrey Dexter , Hannah Jones

This atypical Alfred Hitchcock effort is a cautionary fable which lends credence to the old saw "Love flies out the door when money flies in the window." Joan Barry and Henry Kendall play a young marr... read more read more...ied couple who suddenly come into an inheritance. Bored with their working-class existence, hero and heroine embark upon a world cruise, and it isn't long before Barry gets romantically involved with a landed-gentry gentleman. Meanwhile, Kendall is swept off his feet by a phony princess, who tricks him out of all his money. Broke and miserable, Barry and Kendall head home on a shabby cargo boat, only to find themselves in the middle of a shipwreck. The couple is rescued by a Chinese junk, where the solemn crew members dine on their pet cat. By the time Barry and Kendall have returned to their humble suburban lodgings, they've both learned the sagacity of remaining in their own back yard. Partly a sophisticated sex comedy, partly a grim seafaring melodrama, Rich and Strange had the negative effect of confusing the public in general and Hitchcock's fans in particular, and as a result the film, which remains one of Hitch's best early talkies, died at the box office. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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33% liked it

1,937 ratings

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70% liked it

10 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Release Date: January 1, 1931

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Stats: 103 reviews

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Rich And Strange - when Hitch was less of a misogynist and almost a feminist! Rich And Strange
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Flixster Reviews (103)

  • cosmo313
    December 21, 2011
    cosmo313
    Early atypical Hitchcock. Be prepared to see me review more of this type of stuff during the rest of this year (early Hitch, but not exclusively atypical). Besides being atypical fare for Hitch storywise, this is a curious blend of ":talkie" and silent film, which makes sense giv... read moreen when it was released. Actually, it's more silent than "talkie", with spoken dialogue being used maybe only a quarter of the time. That's fine though, because it gives the film a unique flavor, especially if you're interested in early cinema.

    The story is a romantic melodrama concerning a young working class couple who, after coming into an inheritance, decide to get a taste of the good life by going on a cruise. The trip tests their relationship though, with both man and wife being tempted to leave the other, and both having to learn the hard way that money doesn't always make life better.

    What the film lacks in originality or depth it makes up for with style and a couple really cool sequences. The shipwreck scene in particular is neat, especially if you can give it a pass given the time the film was made. There's also a particularly great shock moment near the end that is as horrifying as it is darkly funny.

    All in all, not bad, but not that great or interesting either. It's not a totally boring film, but there could have been some more really great sequences throughout to make it worth giving it a complete recommendation.
  • bbcfloridabound
    March 28, 2011
    bbcfloridabound
    Very early Hitchcock, this one came from the Alfred Hitchcock Legends of Hollywood, which are 12 Public Domain Films by BCI, This is long before Hitchcock started producing great films. About a couple who are struggling to survive when a rich Uncle gives them all the money they n... read moreeed to travel and find happiness, what they find is each cheats on the other and lost there money along with there return voyage ending in a sinking at sea, but they survive only to go back to London to have what they started with, Nothing. This one was made between silent films and Sound and this movie has some of both in it. 2 Stars
  • McKittrick
    August 30, 2009
    McKittrick
    Rich and Strange really is not very good at all. But it does have a couple of exciting Hitchcockian sequences. The visual story telling of the opening scenes is typical Hitch and is clever and very funny. Also the ship sinking sequence is an early example of his mastery of suspen... read morese: Filmed entirely from inside the cabin, he wrings out the claustrophobic panic of our heroes - the panicky pandemonium of the passengers is only heard, the sea bubbling outside the port-hole then the lights go out as water seeps through the bottom of the door. It's a rather dark, quite moving and spooky sequence in what is an otherwise upbeat and rather clunkingly bad film.
    The film is also rather gently subversive (for it's time at least) in the sense that Emily (Joan Barry) is very much in charge here. And during and after the ship sequence she takes on what is typically the man's role, that of the protector, because her husband, Fred (Henry Kendall) is actually rather a weakling. Add to this the fact that many commentators believe the leads are autobiographical of Hitch and Alma (they were great travelers and very much the naive innocents abroad - at one point even finding themselves at an orgy!). So maybe the Hitchcocks' are sending themselves up?
  • matertenebraum
    August 10, 2007
    matertenebraum
    This 1931 movie is of interest simply because it is one of Alfred Hitchcock's early films that he made in Great Britain. It is also of interest because of the titles between sections of this film as though it were a silent film. That makes us very aware that silent movies had jus... read moret been replace by 'talkies'. The copyright date is shown as 1931 on the film, not 1932 as IMDB has it listed. A man whose life has become mundane and tiresome is given money by a relative to enjoy life with. He and his wife set off on a cruise around the world. "Rich and Strange" begins well and certainly has its interesting moments. However, it bogs down after about the first half hour and doesn't recover until the last few minutes. Far too much time is spent aimlessly following the relationships outside the marriage by both the husband and wife of the couple. It seems that this part of the film is overblown. A highlight of the film is the spinster played by Elsie Randolph who is quite hilarious. Joan Barry is also very watchable as Emily. However, "Hitch" had not quite hit his stride yet and his best work was yet to come. This movie is mainly for diehard Hitchock fans.
  • danperry17
    July 30, 2007
    danperry17
    This is a great movie that, it would appear, next to no one has seen. What a shame - I'm only the 90th Flixster review? My first Hitchcock - that's right, not Vertigo, Psycho, Rear Window, Birds or anything later. Though the acting in this one is a little rough, it's a movie with... read more a decent plot device (though it takes some time to unfold), and you can see the early development of some of the suspense builders the filmmaker will make his trademark in his late career. I can't wait to watch him mature over the course of his work.

    Please, I know most members on this site are too young to know who Alfred Hitchcock is, and alas, there are no robots or doomsday scenarios, but watch this movie!
  • NobleKnight
    January 14, 2011
    NobleKnight
    Rich and Strange is a strangely put together film, although it does point out some of the strange things and people you run into when one is rich.
  • cdasloon
    July 24, 2009
    cdasloon
    It is an early talkie, and it shows. The movie is based more on physical action and scenario than developing the dialogue and character. A couple receive money from a relative to see the world the way the husband wants. He gets seasick and the wife becomes intrigued by the shi... read morep captian. The husband recovers and falls for a princess on board. There are reasons that Hitchcock is not known for his romance films. I only think people who are trying to see all of Hitch's films should see this.
  • scrambledegg7
    May 2, 2007
    scrambledegg7
    The movie itself is not very interesting, except for some interesting early directing from Hitchcock. There were a few moments that made me sit up and say, "Ooh, that was interesting." Like much of his early work, definitely more for fans of Hitchcock or the genre.

View All Rich and Strange Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr
September 4, 2004
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

And so it is: this early (1932) Hitchcock film shows more signs of the artist to come than any of his other British movies. Full Review

Sean Axmaker
May 9, 2009
Sean Axmaker, Turner Classic Movies Online

... a mature exploration of personal disappointment and longing for a fantasy that doesn't exist and an adult confrontation of wandering affections and romantic betrayal... Full Review

Amber Wilkinson
December 7, 2007
Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film

The film seems uncomfortable in either the silent or sound camp. Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
February 23, 2007
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

A film very worthy of its title. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
February 28, 2005
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Slight but pleasant film that has some of the Master's later touches but disappoints more than it pleases. Full Review

Ken Hanke
November 5, 2002
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Not really good, but fascinating departure for Hitchcock

Ted Prigge
January 1, 2000
Ted Prigge, rec.arts.movies.reviews

Definitely not one of Hitch's best films, but it is definitely worth a viewing or two. Full Review

Cole Smithey
November 4, 2007
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

No review available.

Jake Euker
February 18, 2007
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
June 23, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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