When school captain Roddy Berwick takes the blame for his friend’s scandal, he is expelled and disowned by his family. Cast out of his privileged world, Roddy drifts through a series of humiliations—from waiter to penniless actor to gigolo—descending ever further into ruin and self-disgust.
Direction
Early Hitchcock already obsessed with guilt and point-of-view shots.
Cinematography
Stunning descent imagery—stairs, shadows, literal downhill walks.
Acting
Ivor Novello's face: aristocratic pride crumbling into hollowed-out shame.
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Ivor Novello
Roddy Berwick
Ben Webster
Dr. Dawson
Norman McKinnel
Sir Thomas Berwick
Robin Irvine
Tim Wakeley
Jerrold Robertshaw
The Rev. Henry Wakeley
Sybil Rhoda
Sybil Wakeley
Annette Benson
Mabel
Isabel Jeans
Julia
Ian Hunter
Archie
Hannah Jones
Dresser
Violet Farebrother
Poetess
Constance Collier
Dance Hall Lady with Purse (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ivor Novello was Britain's biggest silent star; Hitchcock despised working with him and called the film 'awful.'
One of Hitchcock's rare 'woman's picture' melodramas, adapted from a stage hit that Novello wrote himself.
US
GB
