I Confess

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I Confess

1953,

1h 35m,

Drama

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Watchlist

84%

31 Reviews

Tomatometer

76%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Father Logan (Montgomery Clift) is a Catholic priest, but he finds his faith put to the test when he is accused of the murder of a wealthy member of his parish. The real murderer was Otto (O.E. Hasse), a poor German immigrant desperate for money, and Father Logan knows this because Otto confessed it to him. However, Father Logan is bound by the secrecy of the confessional and cannot share this evidence with the police, even if it means his own life.

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Jun 7, 2022

...it says something about the limitations of Hitchcock’s work as a whole that I Confess is theologically coherent but morally rather confused...

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Jake Wilson

The Age (Australia)

Nov 9, 2018

For a believing Christian, thoughts can be as sinful as deeds...This powerful 1953 melodrama makes the point in an explicitly religious context.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Mar 20, 2012

3/5

It's entertaining, and the visuals speak volumes more than the over-cooked dialogue. Worth a look.

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Ian Kane

Epoch Times

Sep 3, 2024

3.5/5

While “I Confess” may not rank among Hitchcock’s most celebrated works, it remains an engaging film that many viewers will find both thought-provoking and worthwhile.

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Manny Farber

The Nation

Nov 24, 2020

Hitchcock's new melodrama, I Confess, has negated the realism to settle for the "effects..." [but] it had the most interesting acting of the year-by Anne Baxter.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Aug 23, 2020

6/10

In the end, the climax provides some excitement - but only due to a bit of chaos and a colossal contrivance rather than a clever form of sleuthing or justice.

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Feb 1, 2019

The best courtroom movie ever made!

Ron S

Nov 20, 2018

Often underrated Hitchcock thriller. Imbued with darkness, atmosphere and symbolic imagery this is a work of art studying guilt and conscience. Superb.

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Ron S

Oct 15, 2018

Even though it lacks the suspense that other Hitchcock movies have, I found the dilemma that I Confess revolves around fascinating.

Rey P

Sep 18, 2018

I Confess is a riveting drama with a powerful performance by Montgomery Clift as a man having a serious moral & theological crisis. O.E. Hasse also does a wonderful job as the antagonist, needling Father Logan when he feels he has the upper hand. Aside from a few minor missteps, this is a top-tier Hitchcock thriller.

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Hermione W

Feb 24, 2018

A man murders his employer and then confesses the murder to Catholic priest Montgomery Clift. Clift and old girlfriend Anne Baxter have a connection to the murdered man and end up being implicated by cop Karl Malden. Clift cannot defend himself against the charges without breaking the seal of confession. The best word to describe this Hitchcock film is "adequate". The cast all do a good job, but there's no suspense or mystery in this plot. It does engage with the moral quandary of having to break your word to defend yourself, but it doesn't engage with it very actively.

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Draco M

Oct 21, 2017

I Confess is a winner, but it is a quiet, understated mystery drama rather than the high-tension thriller of Hitchcock's greatest work. It has the structure of a whodunit, but the movie is really about some big adult themes: the sanctity of vows; friendship; loyalty; religious versus secular allegiance. It is a beautifully shot film, with good performances from Anne Baxter and OE Hasse, and great ones from Karl Malden and Montgomery Clift.

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

Montgomery Clift

Fr. Michael William Logan

Anne Baxter

Ruth Grandfort

Karl Malden

Inspector Larrue

Brian Aherne

Willy Robertson

O.E. Hasse

Otto Keller

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Synopsis

Father Logan (Montgomery Clift) is a Catholic priest, but he finds his faith put to the test when he is accused of the murder of a wealthy member of his parish. The real murderer was Otto (O.E. Hasse), a poor German immigrant desperate for money, and Father Logan knows this because Otto confessed it to him. However, Father Logan is bound by the secrecy of the confessional and cannot share this evidence with the police, even if it means his own life.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenwriter: Paul Anthelme, George Tabori, William Archibald
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 22, 1953, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 11, 2015
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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