Rich and Strange
Encyclopedia
Rich and Strange is a film directed by Alfred Hitchcock
during his time in the British
film industry. It was adapted by Hitchcock, his wife Alma Reville
, and Val Valentine
from a novel by Dale Collins. The film is most notable for the techniques utilized by Hitchcock that would reappear later in his career. Most notable are the sets, including a recreation of a full-sized ship in a water tank used in the final act of the film. The director also experimented with different camera techniques and shot compositions.
) and Emily Hill (Joan Barry), living a mundane middle-class life in London, are given a small fortune by an uncle as an advance against their future inheritance so that they can enjoy it in the present. Immediately Fred takes leave from his job as a clerk and they leave on a cruise for "the Orient
". Fred quickly shows his susceptibility to sea-sickness
while crossing the English Channel
. While in Paris
both are scandalized by the Folies Bergères
, demonstrating their shared lack of sophistication.
Fred's sea-sickness manifests itself day after day during the cruise. During this time, Emily begins a relationship with a Commander Gordon (Percy Marmont
), a dapper, popular bachelor. Finally feeling well enough to appear on deck, Fred is immediately smitten with a German
"princess" (Betty Amann
) who encounters him while retrieving the rope ring used to play deck tennis
, a combination of tennis
and quoits
which was at the time widely played shipboard. Both begin spending their time on board with their new paramours to the virtual exclusion of each other, and each plans to dissolve the marriage in order to pursue these newfound loves.
Events come to a head when the ship arrives in Singapore
. Here, Emily leaves with Gordon for a home he has near there, only to realise while en route that she cannot go through with it and instead returns to Fred and their Singapore hotel
room. Simultaneously, Fred prepares to leave for Burma with the princess, only to learn that she has embezzled
£
1000 from him and taken off for Burma alone. Upon further investigation, he learns that she was merely the daughter of a Berlin
laundry owner and a common adventuress who often undertook to relieve wealthy men of their money. Warning Emily not to tell him, "I told you so", he advises her not to attempt to utilise her apparently morally superior position. The loss has left the couple with only enough money to be able to clear their hotel bill and to book passage home to England on a "tramp steamer".
However, Fred and Emily's troubles have not ended, as the tramp soon is involved in an at-sea collision while they sleep, and they awake to find the ship derelict and themselves alone, the other survivors having all been rescued during the night. As it seems inevitable that the steamer will sink, the crew of a Chinese
junk
arrives to salvage
the ship, employing tactics that suggest that they are in fact little more than pirates
. However, they do take it upon themselves to rescue the Hills, who nonetheless face a harrowing several days aboard the junk before it arrives in port and they are finally allowed to proceed home. In the film's last scene the pair are seen arguing in a manner most reminiscent of the scene immediately prior to the arrival of the fateful telegram.
's The Lodger
and his breakthrough hits The Man Who Knew Too Much
and The 39 Steps
, Rich and Strange was a consummate failure at both British
and American
box office
s. The film's lack of commercial and critical success is often attributed to the fact that dialogue is only present for a quarter of the film; many features of the silent era, including scene captions, remain, and the acting style of silents, with its exaggerated movements, is retained. Also, the exaggerated makeup typical of the silent era is readily in evidence. An early scene of Fred leaving work for home via the London Underground
is very reminiscent of Chaplin
and highly dissimilar to typical Hitchcock staging. Hitchcock's experiment in pre-sound emotive performances over dialogue was another contributing factor, in addition to the film's seemingly rambling plot and a general lack of Hitchcock's trademark suspense exhibited in previous and subsequent films.
In 2005, the French
media company Canal+
obtained the rights to Rich and Strange and nine other early Hitchcock films. Lionsgate Home Entertainment
licensed at least five of the films and released Rich and Strange in a collection of early Hitchcock films on February 6, 2007. The five films have been digitally remastered with improved sound and video.
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
during his time in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
film industry. It was adapted by Hitchcock, his wife Alma Reville
Alma Reville
Alma Reville, Lady Hitchcock was an English assistant director, screenwriter and editor. She was the second daughter of Edward and Lucy Reville....
, and Val Valentine
Val Valentine
-Selected filmography:* The Vagabond Queen * Elstree Calling * Why Sailors Leave Home * The Rocket Bus * The Compulsory Husband * The Yellow Mask * Almost a Honeymoon...
from a novel by Dale Collins. The film is most notable for the techniques utilized by Hitchcock that would reappear later in his career. Most notable are the sets, including a recreation of a full-sized ship in a water tank used in the final act of the film. The director also experimented with different camera techniques and shot compositions.
Plot
A couple, Fred (Henry KendallHenry Kendall (actor)
Henry Kendall, born in London on 28 May 1897 was an English stage and film actor, theatre director and an immaculately stylish revue artiste. He died on 9 June 1962.- Early life :...
) and Emily Hill (Joan Barry), living a mundane middle-class life in London, are given a small fortune by an uncle as an advance against their future inheritance so that they can enjoy it in the present. Immediately Fred takes leave from his job as a clerk and they leave on a cruise for "the Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
". Fred quickly shows his susceptibility to sea-sickness
Sea-sickness
Seasickness is a form of motion sickness characterized by a feeling of nausea and, in extreme cases, vertigo, experienced after spending time on a craft on water. It is typically brought on by the rocking motion of the craft. Some people are particularly vulnerable to the condition with minor...
while crossing the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. While in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
both are scandalized by the Folies Bergères
Folies Bergères
The Folies Bergère established in 1869 in Paris, France, is a music hall which was at the height of its fame and popularity from the 1890s through the 1920s. the institution is still in business.-History:...
, demonstrating their shared lack of sophistication.
Fred's sea-sickness manifests itself day after day during the cruise. During this time, Emily begins a relationship with a Commander Gordon (Percy Marmont
Percy Marmont
Percy Marmont was an English film actor. He appeared in over 80 films between 1916 and 1968. He is best remembered today for playing the title character in Lord Jim the first film version of Joseph Conrad's novel, and for playing one of Clara Bow's love interests in the Paramount Pictures film...
), a dapper, popular bachelor. Finally feeling well enough to appear on deck, Fred is immediately smitten with a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
"princess" (Betty Amann
Betty Amann
Philippine "Betty" Amann was a German-American film actress. She began her film career in the United States with the film The Kick-Off .-Career:...
) who encounters him while retrieving the rope ring used to play deck tennis
Deck tennis
Deck tennis is a sport that was played on the decks of passenger and cruise ships and is still practiced to a small extent. This sport is also known by the names Tenni-Koit, Tenniquoites or Ring tennis...
, a combination of tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and quoits
Quoits
Quoits is a traditional game which involves the throwing of metal, rope or rubber rings over a set distance, usually to land over or near a spike . The sport of quoits encompasses several distinct variations.-The history of quoits:The history of quoits is disputed...
which was at the time widely played shipboard. Both begin spending their time on board with their new paramours to the virtual exclusion of each other, and each plans to dissolve the marriage in order to pursue these newfound loves.
Events come to a head when the ship arrives in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Here, Emily leaves with Gordon for a home he has near there, only to realise while en route that she cannot go through with it and instead returns to Fred and their Singapore hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
room. Simultaneously, Fred prepares to leave for Burma with the princess, only to learn that she has embezzled
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
£
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1000 from him and taken off for Burma alone. Upon further investigation, he learns that she was merely the daughter of a Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
laundry owner and a common adventuress who often undertook to relieve wealthy men of their money. Warning Emily not to tell him, "I told you so", he advises her not to attempt to utilise her apparently morally superior position. The loss has left the couple with only enough money to be able to clear their hotel bill and to book passage home to England on a "tramp steamer".
However, Fred and Emily's troubles have not ended, as the tramp soon is involved in an at-sea collision while they sleep, and they awake to find the ship derelict and themselves alone, the other survivors having all been rescued during the night. As it seems inevitable that the steamer will sink, the crew of a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
junk
Junk (ship)
A junk is an ancient Chinese sailing vessel design still in use today. Junks were developed during the Han Dynasty and were used as sea-going vessels as early as the 2nd century AD. They evolved in the later dynasties, and were used throughout Asia for extensive ocean voyages...
arrives to salvage
Marine salvage
Marine salvage is the process of rescuing a ship, its cargo, or other property from peril. Salvage encompasses rescue towing, refloating a sunken or grounded vessel, or patching or repairing a ship...
the ship, employing tactics that suggest that they are in fact little more than pirates
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
. However, they do take it upon themselves to rescue the Hills, who nonetheless face a harrowing several days aboard the junk before it arrives in port and they are finally allowed to proceed home. In the film's last scene the pair are seen arguing in a manner most reminiscent of the scene immediately prior to the arrival of the fateful telegram.
Cast (in credits order)
- Henry KendallHenry KendallHenry Kendall may refer to:*Henry Kendall , British stage and film character actor*Henry Kendall , Australian ornithologist*Henry Kendall , Australian poet...
as Fred Hill - Joan BarryJoan BarryJoan Barry is an American politician. She was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1996 and was re-elected in 1998, and 2000. In 2004 she was an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Congress losing the Democratic primary election to Russ Carnahan. Barry is also a Registered Nurse who has...
as Emily Hill - Percy MarmontPercy MarmontPercy Marmont was an English film actor. He appeared in over 80 films between 1916 and 1968. He is best remembered today for playing the title character in Lord Jim the first film version of Joseph Conrad's novel, and for playing one of Clara Bow's love interests in the Paramount Pictures film...
as Commander Gordon - Betty AmannBetty AmannPhilippine "Betty" Amann was a German-American film actress. She began her film career in the United States with the film The Kick-Off .-Career:...
as The Princess - Elsie RandolphElsie RandolphElsie Randolph was an English actress, singer and dancer. Randolph was born and died in London.She is best remembered for her partnership with Jack Buchanan in several stage and film musicals...
as The Old Maid
Reception
Released during Hitchcock's meager period between 19271927 in film
-Events:*January 10 - Fritz Lang's science-fiction fantasy Metropolis premieres in Germany.*April 7 - Abel Gance's Napoleon often considered his best known and greatest masterpiece, premiers at the Paris Opéra and would demonstrate techniques and equipment that would not be used for years to...
's The Lodger
The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog
The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog is a silent film directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1926 and released on 14 February 1927 in London and on 10 June 1928 in New York City. The film, based on a story by Marie Belloc Lowndes and a play Who Is He? co-written by Belloc Lowndes, concerns the hunt for a...
and his breakthrough hits The Man Who Knew Too Much
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934 film)
The Man Who Knew Too Much is a British suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, featuring Peter Lorre, and released by Gaumont British. It was one of the most successful and critically acclaimed films of Hitchcock's British period....
and The 39 Steps
The 39 Steps (1935 film)
The 39 Steps is a British thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on the adventure novel The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan. The film stars Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll....
, Rich and Strange was a consummate failure at both British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
s. The film's lack of commercial and critical success is often attributed to the fact that dialogue is only present for a quarter of the film; many features of the silent era, including scene captions, remain, and the acting style of silents, with its exaggerated movements, is retained. Also, the exaggerated makeup typical of the silent era is readily in evidence. An early scene of Fred leaving work for home via the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
is very reminiscent of Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
and highly dissimilar to typical Hitchcock staging. Hitchcock's experiment in pre-sound emotive performances over dialogue was another contributing factor, in addition to the film's seemingly rambling plot and a general lack of Hitchcock's trademark suspense exhibited in previous and subsequent films.
In 2005, the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
media company Canal+
Canal+
Canal+ is a French premium pay television channel launched in 1984. It is 80% owned by the Canal+ Group, which in turn is owned by Vivendi SA. The channel broadcasts several kinds of programming, mostly encrypted...
obtained the rights to Rich and Strange and nine other early Hitchcock films. Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Lionsgate Home Entertainment is the home video and DVD distribution arm of Lions Gate Entertainment and most former Artisan Entertainment releases. Its library of more than 8000 films owes some of its size to output deals with other studios...
licensed at least five of the films and released Rich and Strange in a collection of early Hitchcock films on February 6, 2007. The five films have been digitally remastered with improved sound and video.
Title origins
The film's title comes from Ariel's Song in Shakespeare's The Tempest:- Full fathom five thy father lies,
- Of his bones are coral made,
- Those are pearls that were his eyes:
- Nothing of him that doth fade,
- But doth suffer a sea-change
- Into something rich and strange.