Baseshment
I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.
Verity Robins
Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.
Caryl
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.
jacobjohntaylor1
This is s slow and boring movie. It has an awful story line. It just overrated. It not a 5.9. It is a 1. Do not waste your time. Do not waste your money. Do not see this movie. It one of the most boring movies ever.
GManfred
This couple could be the British equivalent of Ralph and Alice. Overbearing bumbling oaf and his mousy, tolerant wife. When it started I didn't think I would like it as it was so unlike a Hitchcock film. But this picture grows on you and becomes more interesting as the story develops.As other reviewers have mentioned, a shlub couple, he a dreary accountant and she a dreary housewife, come into some money and decide to spend it on the high life topped off by a world cruise. They each fall in love with a third party before realizing they were meant for each other. At least as a default position."Rich And Strange" is part romance and part comedy, and both elements are understated in the English manner. Some of the comedy parts are quite humorous and some of the romantic moments are quite touching, and the acting is solid. Henry Kendall plays the oafish husband with traces of a stage background, and Joan Barry is as sensitive and appealing as she is lovely. Percy Marmont is a stalwart Englishman with principles - but will overlook them for Ms. Barry.When it started I thought maybe a five rating, but by the end I gave it a seven. As I mentioned, it gets better, and there are some unmistakable traces of The Master. It is a valuable inclusion in the Hitchcock canon, if for no other reason than being a step stone towards Hitchcock's evolution as one of filmdom's best directors.
LeonLouisRicci
Predictably well Crafted and Visually Interesting Early Hitchcock. This is a Comedy/Drama with none of the Thriller or Suspense Traits that one would expect. But Hitch was never one to shy away from Humour and was quite good at it, and like here, it was usually Dark with a Bite of Sarcasm and Satire.A Movie that is Broad in Scope and tells the Soap Opera Tale of Infidelity and Marital Angst aboard an Ocean Cruise. There are quite a few touches from a Director who Loved the Camera and Played with it as much as the Audience. It is a good looking Film with some very Quirky Characters bouncing off the Couple as they find out things about Themselves as well as the World around Them.The Second Half brings things Home with more Drama and less Lover's Angst and the Situations are Bizarre and Intriguing. It is well worth a Watch for anyone interested in Early Cinema, Hitchcock Sidestepping (but not really) His usual Fascination with Death and its Surroundings, or for just Movie Fans in General. Keep an eye out for Cats that insist on exploring the Dinner Table. Overall, the Movie will not disappoint.
Michael_Elliott
Rich and Strange (1931) ** (out of 4) Henry Kendall and Joan Barry play a happy couple who win a large inheritance and believe that all their worries are over. The two go on a cruise across the world where he ends up falling in love with a princess and she ends up in the arms of another man. This early film from Hitchcock certainly isn't amongst his best but it is a rather nice blend of drama and some black comedy thrown in. The biggest problem is that even by 1931 standards this thing here is pretty old fashioned and rather bland storywise. Throughout the silent era we saw countless films dealing with happy couples turning sour after money is brought into their lives and the story here really doesn't add anything new. What it does add is a great final fifteen-minutes where we really get to see Hitchcock explode as a director and turn into that "Master of Suspense". The final deals with their cruise ship sinking and the couple must try and find a way to survive. How all of this plays out is extremely well directed and Hitchcock perfectly builds the suspense. I was also quite pleased with the performances especially that of Barry who easily steals the film. Barry didn't have a very long career, perhaps due to her voice, but I found her to be very pleasant here and enjoyed watching her. Overall this movie is certainly flawed but fans of the director will want to check it out at least for the final fifteen-minutes or so. A lot of these early Hitchcock movies are viewed today so people can see early touches of a future legend and they'll see plenty of that here. Also check out the dark comedy in the form of a black cat late in the film.
