Imagine you are a
movie critic. Write a review of the movie "I Confess" and tell
your audience why you think this movie is (or is not) worth seeing. (15 points,
300-400 words)
The main plot
is that a priest learns that man murdered someone in a confession. In Quebec City, Father Michael Logan is accused of killing a well-known
lawyer. The priest knows the murderer, but he can't reveal his identity because
the man confessed the crime to him in the confessional. The guilty person is
Otto Keller, the church sexton, who wore a priest's cassock to commit a robbery
that led to the murder. Police inspector Larrue narrows his investigation to
Logan, who had a motive for committing the crime. The lawyer was blackmailing
Ruth Grandfort, wife of a prominent politician. He had threatened to make
public a suspected liaison she had with Logan after he became a priest. Logan
is arrested and tried for murder. The jury acquits him, but doubts remain as to
his innocence. Following the trial, a crowd on the street threatens Logan and
Ruth. When Logan is physically attacked, Keller's wife Alma, tells the crowd
that her husband is the real murderer.
I don't think that
before viewing this I had ever seen a Hitchcock movie. It wasn't what I
truthfully expected it to be at all. But I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I
actually liked the movie. I thought it carried your attention the whole way
through, which is always a good sign in watching a movie. It also made me want
to see it again. For it not being what I expected it's an interesting film, I
will give it that. If you haven't seen it yet go watch it. I would definitely
recommend it.
2. Why did
the priest remain faithful to his vow to never reveal anything from a
confession when it would have been easier on him to just reveal the
information? What does the movie's resolution at the end demonstrate
Hitchcock's own view of God? How would you have ended the movie? (15
points, 300-400 words)
The priest remained faithful to his
vow to never real anything from a confession when it would have been easier on
him to just reveal the information because he wants to uphold the vows he made.
He meant it when he made the vows and does not want to be a hypocrite and go
against his honor. It would haunt his conscience if he went against hiw vows
probably. It is his duty as a priest to never real anything said in a
confession. He swore to never go against that confidentiality and he upholds it
during the movie.
Hitchcock views God as a true and
understanding God. Having faith in God is important. He knows that God will
forgive any and every sin and demonstrates that with when Otto Keller goes to
confession with Father Michael Logan. He feels guilt about the murder he
committed and believes that if he goes to confession that that guilt would just
disappear.
3. Look up Alfred
Hitchcock's biography and find some articles about his Catholic faith. How do you think his faith informs his view
of the cinema? Give examples from
"I Confess" (or other Hitchcock movies) to make your case. (400-600 words, 25 points)
Born to a Catholic family in London in 1899, Hitchcock
didn't begin his studies at a Jesuit school until he was eight or nine, but the
influence of his religious upbringing can be seen throughout his work.
Hitchcock grew up in a strict Catholic family that went to Mass regularly at a
church pastored by one of Hitchcock's cousins, a priest. Hitchcock himself was,
briefly, an altar boy. In 1908, he began attending St. Ignatius College, a
Jesuit school. Nevertheless, Hitchcock was a practicing Catholic for most of
his life. His wife Alma, a film editor, converted to Catholicism before their
marriage in 1926, and they worked and lived together until his death in 1980.
They attended Mass weekly, and they quietly made several generous donations to
Catholic churches and charities. In 1952, their daughter Patricia married the
grandnephew of the late Cardinal William O'Connell, who had been a powerful
archbishop in Boston. Though he moved to Hollywood, he did not let the glamorous
life so often filled with drugs and sex override his faith. Around the age of
5, according to Hitchcock, he was sent by his father to the local police
station with a note asking the officer to lock him away for five minutes as
punishment for behaving badly. This theme of an innocent person being punished
is seen throughout Hitchcock’s films. The most notable being “The Man Who Knew
Too Much” and “I Confess.” In “I Confess,” we see Father Logan being wrongfully
accused of a murder he did not commit. In “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” there is
a similar theme.
4. Answer the question on the movie poster:
"If you knew what he knew what would you do?" Tell me why, and compare your own reaction to
the priest in the movie. (15 points, 300-400 words)
It is hard for me to answer this question due to the
circumstances in the movie. Therefore, I have two different answers. If I was
just myself, a regular person I would without a doubt tell the police who the
real murderer was and not think twice about it. I believe that if you commit a
crime you should face the consequences. The murderer also was clearly a
heartless person as he even killed his own wife to protect his self. He had no
regard for those around him. I refuse to endure the consequences of someone
else’s actions, especially if it was deliberately malicious. For that reason, I
would tell the authorities and wash my hands of the situation. This reaction
was the exact opposite of Father Logan. He did not tell and instead chose to
possible be convicted of a crime he did not participate in any way, shape, or
form in. This brings me to my second answer to the question. If I was a priest,
I would not have told on the murderer. I recognize that priestly duties and
vows come before myself. When making that promise, you are promising to God to
uphold all the responsibilities of the priesthood, one of them being to not
tell what is said in the confessional under any circumstance. It takes courage
and strength to know who killed someone and not be able to say anything even if
it is directly affecting you. This reaction would have been the same reaction
that Father Logan had in the film. It takes God to fill someones heart in order
for one to take the blame for another persons actions.
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