The Great Movie Tournament - 1940s: Round 1 - Group 16 of 32

[mae]

During the first round of The Great Movie Tournament, please vote for up to three films you would like to move onto the next round. The top three films will be moving on. Keep in mind that the percentage of the vote a given film receives will determine its standing going forward.

The poll will run for seven days. Discussion is greatly encouraged!

The nominees are (please let me know if any video doesn't play for you):

Suspicion (1941)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Watch Trailer

Pinocchio (1940)
Directed by Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske

Watch Trailer

To Have and Have Not (1944)
Directed by Howard Hawks

Watch Trailer

Citizen Kane (1941)
Directed by Orson Welles

Watch Trailer

[fernandito]

[Tommy]

TCM is showing films directed by and/or starring Orson Welles today. CK, Othello, The Lady from Shanghai and Chimes at Midnight, some of his best stuff.

[Tommy]

If Hitch wasn't made to change the ending, Suspicion could have been one of his best works. It's still great but that ending didn't feel right the first time I saw it and not until years later did I learn it had to be changed.

SPOILERS

The Original Suspicion Ending Alfred Hitchcock Wanted Us To See

[mae]

Oh wow, Citizen Kane with just 80% in Round 1, doesn't bode well for its chances to make it to the Final.

[fernandito]

wait what wtf

who are the HATERS who didn't vote for it

[Heather19]

Citizen Kane should win the whole thing but I have a feeling it won't even make it to the semifinals. Do you guys remember our first tournament? It didn't fare well there either.

[Heather19]

If Hitch wasn't made to change the ending, Suspicion could have been one of his best works. It's still great but that ending didn't feel right the first time I saw it and not until years later did I learn it had to be changed.

SPOILERS

The Original Suspicion Ending Alfred Hitchcock Wanted Us To See

I never knew this. Thanks for sharing.

[Lurker]

I'm a hater who didn't vote for it. I think all the hand wringing over its "greatness" is codswallop.

[amd013]

I'm a hater who didn't vote for it. I think all the hand wringing over its "greatness" is codswallop.

+1 (had to look up codswallop before I could agree LOL)

[amd013]

If Hitch wasn't made to change the ending, Suspicion could have been one of his best works. It's still great but that ending didn't feel right the first time I saw it and not until years later did I learn it had to be changed.

SPOILERS

The Original Suspicion Ending Alfred Hitchcock Wanted Us To See

I never knew this. Thanks for sharing.

Yes, thanks for sharing, glade to see I wasn't unique in feeling let down by the ending.


Been watching a lot of Alfred Hitchcock Presents on Me TV lately, and the intended ending sounds just like a typical episode.

[fernandito]

I'm a hater who didn't vote for it. I think all the hand wringing over its "greatness" is codswallop.

Can you elaborate? Curious...

[Tommy]

If Hitch wasn't made to change the ending, Suspicion could have been one of his best works. It's still great but that ending didn't feel right the first time I saw it and not until years later did I learn it had to be changed.

SPOILERS

The Original Suspicion Ending Alfred Hitchcock Wanted Us To See

I never knew this. Thanks for sharing.

Yeah, it's a shame too because it could have added another dimension to Grant's career to be one of Hitch's psychopaths (his character would have been the first fully realized psychopath in Hitch's filmography instead we had to wait until Uncle Charlie in Shadow of a Doubt). The studio wanted to protect that imagine.

[Tommy]

If Hitch wasn't made to change the ending, Suspicion could have been one of his best works. It's still great but that ending didn't feel right the first time I saw it and not until years later did I learn it had to be changed.

SPOILERS

The Original Suspicion Ending Alfred Hitchcock Wanted Us To See

I never knew this. Thanks for sharing.

Yes, thanks for sharing, glade to see I wasn't unique in feeling let down by the ending.


Been watching a lot of Alfred Hitchcock Presents on Me TV lately, and the intended ending sounds just like a typical episode.

I still have never seen the TV show and that is unacceptable even to me considering the fan I am of Hitchcock. I had seen plenty of his work by the time I got to Suspicion so I was ready for a dark ending considering how the movie plays and then that tacked on BS. So frustrating.

[Lurker]

I'm a hater who didn't vote for it. I think all the hand wringing over its "greatness" is codswallop.

Can you elaborate? Curious...

I've seen it three or four times. I only like the end. I am not a expert cinematographer or director or French, so all that technical arty "stuff" means nothing to me.

My movie criteria:

Is the story interesting? Poor kid - rich adult - basic faliure at life. Not terribly original.

Do I want to (in the old days, in a theater) look at my watch? Do I want to (nowadays, at home) pause, stop or see how much is left. All of the above for Kane.

Does it surprise or leave me with something to remember? I'll give it the final scene.

Will I ever watch it again? Oh, I hope to hell not.

And remember, it didn't even win Best Picture that year.

[amd013]

I'm a hater who didn't vote for it. I think all the hand wringing over its "greatness" is codswallop.

Can you elaborate? Curious...

I've seen it three or four times. I only like the end. I am not a expert cinematographer or director or French, so all that technical arty "stuff" means nothing to me.

My movie criteria:

Is the story interesting? Poor kid - rich adult - basic faliure at life. Not terribly original.

Do I want to (in the old days, in a theater) look at my watch? Do I want to (nowadays, at home) pause, stop or see how much is left. All of the above for Kane.

Does it surprise or leave me with something to remember? I'll give it the final scene.

Will I ever watch it again? Oh, I hope to hell not.

And remember, it didn't even win Best Picture that year.

Pretty much the same, except even the ending "reveal" I thought "so ....? should I care?"

[Tommy]

If you know the backstory, "Rosebud" takes on a whole other meaning.

[Lurker]

If you mean Mrs. Hearst, I've read he denied that.

[Tommy]

I would too. I think Marion Davies got a rough deal.
Both Davies and Hearst reportedly said they never saw the film.

[fernandito]

I've seen it three or four times. I only like the end. I am not a expert cinematographer or director or French, so all that technical arty "stuff" means nothing to me.

I mean... that's one of the most important aspects of the film. If you don't appreciate it then that goes a long way towards explaining why it doesn't appeal to you.

Is the story interesting? Poor kid - rich adult - basic failure at life. Not terribly original.

Oversimplification, but sure. Maybe it's not original now, but during that time, and especially the revolutionary way in which it was told (again, for that time) helped cement it as a trailblazer.

And remember, it didn't even win Best Picture that year.

Yeah and Vertigo wasn't even nominated for BP, and is now considered one of the all time best films. Awards aren't infallible.

[Lurker]

Citizen Kane was not a big deal when it opened or years after. It wasn't til the late 50's or 60's when some French guy said it was great that everybody jumped on the band wagon. No wine before its time, eh?

[mae]

The poll has closed. The following three titles are moving on to the next round:

1. Citizen Kane (80.00%)
2. Suspicion (60.00%)
3. To Have and Have Not (53.33%)

And the following title has been eliminated:

1. Pinocchio (46.67%)

[fernandito]

wait wtf Pinochhio?!?!

damn, not even through the first round...

[mae]

I think it's my least favorite animated Disney movie that's in the tournament. The others are probably moving on.