Notorious Film

Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious is an espionage thriller about a young woman (Ingrid Bergman) recruited to spy on the Nazis after her father is convicted of treason. While preparing to go undercover, Bergman's character begins a romance with her trainer, a government agent played by Cary Grant.

Though the film did not win any Academy Awards, it received two nominations. Claude Rains was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Ben Hecht was nominated for his original screenplay.

Fast Facts

1. Director: Alfred Hitchcock
2. Starring: Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains
3. Released: September 6, 1946
4. Running Time: 101 minutes
5. Budget: $2 million
6. Nominated for 2 Oscars
7. Hitchcock believed that the FBI was following him due to the film's content
8. Vivien Leigh was considered for Bergman's role

Style and Influence

Notorious was one of Hitchcock's most popular early thrillers. The film has a memorable tracking shot that descends through a ballroom to a key clenched in Bergman's hand. This shot is one of many steady shots cited as a visual benchmark in suspense cinema.

As a thriller, Notorious has had considerable influence over many films to follow. Mission: Impossible II borrows much of the plot from Notorious and uses the theme of forbidden love to further the plot.

Categories