When a priest hears a murderer’s confession, he becomes bound by his vow of silence—even as circumstantial evidence turns suspicion toward him. Torn between faith and self-preservation, he faces public scandal and trial for a crime he cannot reveal the truth about.
Acting
Montgomery Clift's face IS the movie—anguish in every close-up.
Direction
Hitchcock's tracking shots through Quebec City are quietly devastating.
Cinematography
Confession scenes so shadowy you'll check your own conscience.
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Montgomery Clift
Fr. Michael William Logan
Anne Baxter
Ruth Grandfort
Karl Malden
Inspector Larrue
Brian Aherne
Willy Robertson
O.E. Hasse
Otto Keller
Roger Dann
Pierre Grandfort
Dolly Haas
Alma Keller
Charles Andre
Father Millars
Nan Boardman
Maid (uncredited)
Henry Corden
Det. Sgt. Farouche (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock
Man Crossing the Top of Long Staircase (uncredited)
Ovila Légaré
Monsieur Villette (uncredited)
Gilles Pelletier
Father Benoit (uncredited)
Judson Pratt
Murphy (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Hitchcock wanted the priest to break his vow in the original ending. The Catholic Legion of Decency threatened to condemn the film, so silence prevailed—ironically.
This was Montgomery Clift's first film after his disfiguring 1956 car crash—wait, no, this was BEFORE. His pre-crash face here is almost unbearably beautiful, like Hitchcock knew he was capturing something fleeting.
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