Notorious - Criterion Collection (1946)

One of Alfred Hitchcock's classics, this romantic thriller features a cast to kill for: Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, and Claude Rains. Bergman plays the daughter of a disgraced father who is recruited by American agents to infiltrate a post-World War II spy ring in Brazil. Her control agent is Grant, who treats her with disdain while developing a deep romantic bond with her. Her assignment: to marry the suspected head of the ring (Rains) and get the goods on everyone involved. Danger, deceit, betrayal--and, yes, romance--all come together in a nearly perfect blend as the film builds to a terrific (and surprising) climax. Grant and Bergman rarely have been better. --Marshall Fine Amazon.com essential video

Great movie. Bergman at her best.

Excellent, well-paced and well-acted movie. The two leads work excellently together and the villians are menacing. November 28, 2008

NOTORIUS

EXELENTE, LA MANO DE HITCHCOCK ESTA PRESENTE, EL GUION, LA DIRECCION Y LAS ACTUACIONES DE INGRID BERGMAN,CARY GRANY Y CLAUDE RAINS FORMIDABLES. November 25, 2008

A Classic!

This is one of my top 5 movies of all time. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman are amazing, as is Claude Rains. Definitely 5 out of 5 stars! November 23, 2008

One of my favorites movies of all time....

...but, where is amazon coming up with the names of the principal characters in the movie?!? What about CARY GRANT & INGRID BERGMAN, two of the best actors/actresses ever? It seems as if this would be a very difficult mistake to make; it's pretty obvious on the cover of the movie even if you know nothing about the movie itself. Can't amazon do any better than this? I think a wonderful classic like this with such amazing and timeless actors deserves better. August 30, 2008

Romantic Noir

Hitchcock framed this wartime noir film around a debonair Cary Grant and the youthful beauty of Ingrid Bergman. Luxuriant black and white cinematography was added to this elegant love story set in the world of secret agents, giving it a lusciously romantic glow not found in his other films. The love story plays out against mounting suspense, making this one of his best films.

From sun-drenched Miami to exotic Brazil, this intertwined story of spies and romance is exciting to watch. American secret agent Delvin (Grant) is forced to use Alicia (Bergman) to get close to a suspected Nazi, Alexander Sebastion (Claude Rains). Alicia's father was convicted of being a German agent, and his playgirl daughter has been living fast and hard trying to forget ever since. Delvin reluctantly recruits her under orders from above and the vulnerable Alicia falls hard for him.

Her assignment must take top priority, so Delvin cannot let on that he too has fallen for her. Claude Rains does a good job as the deceptively dangerous Sebastion, in love with Alicia but growing more suspicious by the moment. His suspicions reach a fever pitch when her old friend Delvin arrives on the scene.

All Alicia wants is for Delvin to tell her not to get close to Sebastion. He can't, of course, and the romantic tension builds side by side with the suspense, creating an almost unbearable anxiety on two fronts.

The romance gets equal billing until Alicia and Delvin discover something in the wine cellar and Sebastion realizes she is a spy. Since Delvin has been reassigned to Spain, he may not be in time to save her. The famous staircase scene is just one highlight in a film filled with memorable images.

Hitchcock took an alluring Bergman, a handsome Grant, and a tightly written and suspenseful script, and made one of the most exciting and lusciously beautiful films in screen history. Ingrid Bergman is lovely and vulnerable and Cary Grant has his hands full keeping his feelings to himself so he can do his job. Don't miss this one. It is one of Hitchcock's best. August 13, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...