Not the usual kind of Hitchcock that I'm used to seeing, but a damn fine piece. Amazing how a 97 minute movie on a boat can be so exciting. A true testament to how much of a Genius Alfred was.
Hitchcock made several "limited setting" films throughout his career, Lifeboat stands well on its sea legs against many of his classics. The cast is well chosen and the plot works its way to every good plot point that one could come up with on a stranded lifeboat. Tallulah Bankhead was a brilliant pick and mirrors her character's preposterous appearance on a Lifeboat in the Atlantic perfectly.
I couldn't believe when Tallulah Bankhead of all people was giving Smith (Schmidt) the sappy speech about
Rosie and how heartbroken she would be if he didn't trust her enough to come home to her with or without both legs. I wasn't buying it from her although I could see how the lovable working-stiff "Joe" type guy like Smith would. I almost died laughing when Bankhead turned around, raised her eyes to Heaven and whispered, "Heaven, forgive me." Yeah, she didn't buy it either!
A ship of merchant marine is sunk by the u-boat. The survivors, people from all walks of life, find themselves on the same craft in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat. As you can imagine from the master of suspense, tension mounts. Having been written by John Steinbeck, you should also be ready for some of them not surviving to the last reel. A nice little claustrophobic thriller that pretty convincingly creates the sense that we're out on the ocean, Lifeboat's cast of characters features many villains. Some by choice, others by necessity, but no real heroes. It's just people trying to survive; morality might just get in the way. And so who can you trust? Who can you even like, given the circumstances. Hitchcock and Steinbeck deftly navigate the waters of the soul, so to speak, and provide us with an ensemble character study as well. There's a bit of a lull in the middle, but with so many personal stories to cater too, there's usually always something to look at.
Hitchcock managed to make a great thriller out of a confined type of story. Can you imagine watching a group of people so different between them in a boat being entertaining and even exciting? I couldn't!
I also liked how the story is capable to question at some level how people can stay true to themselves and to maintain their values or not in such horrific conditions.
The first Hitchcock movie ever I do not like a bit. I'm actually a little bit sad though, how come a Hitchcock and Steinbeck collaboration end up with such a shallow consequence.
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sammysin
Not the usual kind of Hitchcock that I'm used to seeing, but a damn fine piece. Amazing how a 97 minute movie on a boat can be so exciting. A true testament to how much of a Genius Alfred was.DisneyStitch
Hitchcock made several "limited setting" films throughout his career, Lifeboat stands well on its sea legs against many of his classics. The cast is well chosen and the plot works its way to every good plot point that one could come up with on a stranded lifeboat. Tallulah Bankhead was a brilliant pick and mirrors her character's preposterous appearance on a Lifeboat in the Atlantic perfectly.ClassicLady
I couldn't believe when Tallulah Bankhead of all people was giving Smith (Schmidt) the sappy speech aboutSiskoid
A ship of merchant marine is sunk by the u-boat. The survivors, people from all walks of life, find themselves on the same craft in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat. As you can imagine from the master of suspense, tension mounts. Having been written by John Steinbeck, you should also be ready for some of them not surviving to the last reel. A nice little claustrophobic thriller that pretty convincingly creates the sense that we're out on the ocean, Lifeboat's cast of characters features many villains. Some by choice, others by necessity, but no real heroes. It's just people trying to survive; morality might just get in the way. And so who can you trust? Who can you even like, given the circumstances. Hitchcock and Steinbeck deftly navigate the waters of the soul, so to speak, and provide us with an ensemble character study as well. There's a bit of a lull in the middle, but with so many personal stories to cater too, there's usually always something to look at.AdGuzman
Hitchcock managed to make a great thriller out of a confined type of story. Can you imagine watching a group of people so different between them in a boat being entertaining and even exciting? I couldn't!I also liked how the story is capable to question at some level how people can stay true to themselves and to maintain their values or not in such horrific conditions.
Laydback
Glad to FINALLY see this one make a list!daisyaday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-jCLmR5aVEGeorge Bailey
Very good!Ninjagodzilla
pretty cool movieespecially for its time
Monteyn
The first Hitchcock movie ever I do not like a bit. I'm actually a little bit sad though, how come a Hitchcock and Steinbeck collaboration end up with such a shallow consequence.mysteryfan
worst movie ever by hitchcock