I'm Pulling for Harry

I'm not going to lie, Movie Geeks. I'm not going to pretend. I am pulling for The Trouble with Harry for next month's screening. The other four films are all great choices, as well, and I hope that everyone casts their vote with the same conviction that I do.

The Trouble with Harry is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love Hitchcock's films, and I think Harry is one of his most unique. For a change, Hitchcock finds a way to make audiences tense in a lighthearted and humorous way. So often known for the darkness of Psycho or the bun-clenching tension of Rear Window or the philosophical musings of Rope, Hitchcock presents a totally different vision of the world in Harry. He presents a utopia where villagers are at peace with the nature of things, the cycle of life. He presents a picture of people who are willing to help out those who are in need. He presents a simple place and simple people. He still manages to dig at the darker elements that make human beings human beings, but he does so subtly.

Not only is Harry a funny picture, it's also a beautifully shot picture. In Technicolor, the sweeping landscape around a small Vermont village in autumn is almost dreamlike. It's the kind of place that you know could never really exist, but secretly you wish it did and you could go there and be a part of life there. A simpler life.

Another reason I like Harry is that a lot of people haven't seen it. Even pretty well-rounded Hitchcock fans I know tend to miss this one somehow. And then when they see it, they're always surprised that it's taken them so long. So, I've cast my vote for Harry. Now, I must wait to see how the rest of you will decide to vote.

The Original Film Trailer: I'm always amazed at how different trailers used to be.