Lifeboat (1944)

Touches You

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Engaging. Interesting Steinbeck story. Even more interesting to note that Steinbeck dissociated himself from the film when critics were negative about a German portrayed as a somewhat positive individual. This Hitchcock film is important because of its tale as much as its filming.

This is one of the disappointing Hitchcock films. It is not that it is bad, it is just that it is not particularly good. It proudly proclaims that it was written by the then famous American author John Steinbeck. However, several other fingers were in that pie, and not all of them were called Steinbeck. (Never believe what you see on credits.) The story is simple, and there was only one set. Of course, all the cast got repeatedly drenched, because they were in a lifeboat and passed through storms, pulled themselves out of the water, etc. It was no fun for the actors to make. This film is the only Hitchcock film of which I knew the star very well personally. Of course I did not know her at the time, because this film was made before I was born. I am referring to Tallulah Bankhead, whom I knew well in the 1960s when I was in my teens and she took me under her wing for a while. This is the only film Tallulah made in her 'middle period' between being a glamorous Paramount starlet in several thirties films and making some when she was older. Tallulah dominates this film, just as she dominates the lifeboat. That was what she was like. It is important to know that she did not dominate situations for egotistical or narcissistic reasons at all. To assume that would be to misunderstand her. She did so simply from the overwhelming force and energy of her personality. She was like a human hurricane, and she could not be turned off like a fan or an air conditioner, she was simply on all the time. But she had that droll manner where she could deliver a one-liner put-down spontaneously upon any occasion, and she needed no script for her raucous life. Her close friendships with such writers as Noel Coward and Tennessee Williams were based not just upon her liveliness but upon her scintillating intelligence, razor sharp wit, gift for repartee, wide-ranging knowledge of people and events, and superb dry humour. I cannot imagine her and Hitchcock becoming friends under any circumstances. To describe them as chalk and cheese or oil and water is to underestimate the difference between them. He was essentially a neurotic, closed personality, whereas Tallulah was as open as a shattered French window. If he had let her get close to him, she would have let him know in no time that she thought he was a cowering wimp. She could be withering, but she was never cruel, and often kept her devastating appraisals of other people to herself so as not to hurt their feelings. She was really the perfect choice to dominate a lifeboat on the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of World War Two. Any German encountering her had better be worried. There is a patriotic tinge to this film, with disparaging remarks of the Nazis emphasized in a proud and flag-flying manner. In wartime it is hard to resist beating a few drums, which can throw subtlety overboard sometimes, and not just from lifeboats. The story cannot avoid being rather corny, nor is it realistic. I hesitate to call attention to what are tactfully called natural functions, but when and how did they take place over the many days in that lifeboat? What did they do with William Bendix's leg which had to be amputated? And how did they mop up all the blood? Things like that. Also, why are they all so unconcerned about getting seriously sunburned? But the film was never intended to be realistic, because Alfred Hitchcock was not Roberto Rossellini, and you went to a Hitchcock film knowing that you would get a Hitchcock film, and you always did. And this is one of them that has some holes in the curtain and is not as good as many of the others which sweep you away with his vision-of-the-day. Some of the cast are better than others. Tallulah is the best, of course. Walter Slezak is superb as the German U-boat captain whom they pick up. Henry Hull is excellent as H. J. Rittenhouse (as in the Philadelphia square), a charming multi-millionaire who has thousands of employees but cannot command a lifeboat. John Hodiak as 'the hunk' overacts and clearly suffered from Hitchcock's usual lack of directions to his actors. Canada Lee as the black man has a thankless task, since his role is to stand off to the side and take no part in decisions or events. In the script this was doubtless meant to highlight his oppressed social status, but in the film it merely comes across as his being feeble. No acting challenge there, as all he had to do was stand in the background looking powerless. Two unconvincing romances blossom during the time the cast are stuck on the lifeboat, but it is impossible to believe in either of them. Why Hume Cronyn should suddenly fall in love at the most unlikely time could not possibly be contrived, could it? This film is essentially a 'concept film' which fails its 'proof of concept' test. However, it has its moments.

Though many of Alfred Hitchcock's films are extraordinary at developing characters, that development often plays second-fiddle to suspense, drama, & even subtle comedy. In "Lifeboat", however, the characters are on center stage throughout the entire experience, with Hitchcock masterful crafting them one by one...until the ending, of course.For a basic plot summary, "Lifeboat" tells the story of a group of Americans trapped on a lifeboat after the Nazi bombing of a freighter. When a German U-boat captain is pulled aboard and portends to know the direction they should be sailing, the characters must decide whether or not to trust the enemy captain. Along the way, all the personality types and individual prejudices are the survivors are explored.In terms of a character treatise, this is an excellent film...one of Hitch's very best. I am a big fan of "bunch of people trapped in a situation" movies, so I was instantly drawn to this type of movie and was not let down. Though Hitch usually deals with personal/political topics in a very off- hand, tongue-in-cheek sort of way, he really seems to delve into them with much more gusto in "Lifeboat". Upon reaching the end, you'll feel as if you truly care about the characters and their motives/personalities.The acting is also top-notch, with a case of seasoned veterans like Tallulah Bankhead, William Bendix, Walter Slezak, John Hodiak, and Henry Hull, among others. In films of this nature (think: 12 Angry Men, for instance) the acting must be spot-in in order to generate emotion, as very few outside factors can be utilized.Minor Spoiler: Sadly, the glaring weakness of this movie (and what keeps it from being a true classic) is its horrible ending. Hitchcock has a long history of sub-par endings, but this one might be the "cream of the crop" in terms of ridiculousness. For a film screaming for character resolution, this one gives you NOTHING. It literally just ends. Perhaps that was acceptable back in the 1940s, but today it is unforgivable.Overall, though, "Lifeboat" is a very interesting character study that is easily worthy of four- stars. Had it offered a bit of resolution, this could have rocketed to the top of Hitchcock's filmography. As it is, it's just a solid effort that fails in one key area.

Lifeboat (1944) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Alfred Hitchcock lined up a terrific cast to tell the story of a group of survivors who find themselves together on a lifeboat without much hope for survival. The American and British people end up saving a German man who was on the sub that struck their boat and must decide if he's worth trusting or not.I've never really understood why LIFEBOAT never gets mentioned when critics or fans discuss the work of Hitchcock. It's certainly not a masterpiece like PSYCHO, VERTIGO or NORTH BY NORTHWEST but it's certainly a highly entertaining and very good movie that deserves to get more praise than it does. For some strange reason the movie is rarely mentioned whenever people discuss the famed director and that's really too bad because it shows what the director was able to do with just one set.I really liked the fact that the movie starts off with the boat already sunk and we immediately start on the lifeboat. A lot of times movies like this will take place on a ship where we get to know the characters then the disaster will strike and we will then see them try to survive. Writer John Steinbeck did a marvelous job at starting the acting in the lifeboat and this is where we get to know the cast as the characters get to know one another.The screenplay is quite simple as it tells a strong story and obvious there are messages scattered throughout, although we're never beaten over the head with that message. Hitchcock does a very good job at keeping the stakes extremely high and he manages to build up tension during a lot of small scenes that of course add up to something big. It certainly doesn't hurt that we've got a terrific cast of actors to bring these roles to life. Walter Slezak is wonderful as the German man plus we get John Hodiak, a terrific William Bendix, HUme Cronyn, Mary Anderson and Henry Hull. Canada Lee also deserves a lot of credit as the black man on the boat. One of the few instances where a black man was shown respect in a Hollywood film from this era.LIFEBOAT is a nice little drama that gets better with each new viewing. Again, I'm really not sure why more people don't talk about the film but it's certainly worth rediscovering to those who haven't seen it.