Movie spotlight
The Trouble with 'Marnie'
This hour long documentary on the making of Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" incorporates the usual melange of contemporary interviews with surviving participants and liberal helpings of film clips and production shots. It also presents a nice selection of script pages and memos as well. In the former category we find cast members 'Tippi' Hedren, Diane Baker, and Louise Latham, rejected screenwriters Joseph Stefano and Evan Hunter, final screenwriter Jay Presson Allen, daughter Pat Hitchcock O'Connell, production designer Robert Boyle, makeup artist Howard Smit, unit manager Hilton Green, Hitchcock historian Robin Wood, composer Bernard Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith, and Hitchcock fan/filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich. An entertaining account of the film's production, the participants offer loads of valuable information and anecdotes. Highly enjoyable for Hitchcock fans and the film's growing number of admirers.
Insights
Plot Summary
Director Nick Broomfield's documentary follows the story of Marnie, a woman battling drug addiction and her turbulent relationship with her abusive husband, Terry. As Broomfield delves deeper, he uncovers the complex dynamics of their lives, including allegations of Marnie's involvement in a murder.
Critical Reception
The film garnered significant attention for its raw and unflinching portrayal of addiction and abuse. Critics praised Broomfield's bold approach in confronting his subjects, though some found the intimate nature of the footage unsettling.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its intimate and often difficult access to its subjects.
Nick Broomfield's trademark empathetic yet probing directorial style is evident.
The film raises questions about exploitation and voyeurism in documentary filmmaking.
Google audience: Audience reception is not widely available on Google.
Fun Fact
During filming, director Nick Broomfield became deeply involved in Marnie's life, even intervening in her abusive relationship and helping her escape, blurring the lines between filmmaker and participant.
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