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Number Seventeen follows an assorted group of people that converge on the titular house after a jewel robbery. The first two that are introduced are Fordyce (John Stuart) and Ben (Leon M. Lion), a homeless man that was looking for a place to spend the night. Soon they are joined by criminals, companions, police officers, and relatives, all trying to outsmart the other in some way.
This is one of a bunch of early 1930s Hitchcock films; a period where he was, in a way, trying to find his voice and style. However, it still includes most of the trademarks that would accompany him through his career: mystery, suspense, lies, deceit, humor, and lots of stairs. Unfortunately, the whole is not as great as the sum of its parts.
Some of the film's assets are in the performances and characters. Most of them do a solid job, although it would've been good if Stuart had stood out more as the mysterious lead. As it is, he's a bit on the bland side. On the other hand, Lion crafts a really colorful and fun character in Ben. His whole demeanor and attitude help to maintain a certain level of humor that keeps the film alive.
The rest of the cast is solid, and Hitchcock does his best in trying to keep you guessing who is who and what is what. Unfortunately, he doubles down on it as the film tries to be more clever than it really is. But a dozen zigs and zags does not necessarily equate to a clever film. There are also some character dynamics and transitions that kept me wondering "why?"
Despite those narrative flaws and some choppy editing, Number Seventeen might still be a fun watch for fans of Hitchcock and/or twisty stories. In addition, a breezy runtime of 60 minutes plus change makes it easy to digest, and Lion's performance should make it worth your while.
Grade:
NUMBER SEVENTEEN
(1932, Hitchcock)
(1932, Hitchcock)
"Means for half past twelve, something is going to happen... at number 17."
Number Seventeen follows an assorted group of people that converge on the titular house after a jewel robbery. The first two that are introduced are Fordyce (John Stuart) and Ben (Leon M. Lion), a homeless man that was looking for a place to spend the night. Soon they are joined by criminals, companions, police officers, and relatives, all trying to outsmart the other in some way.
This is one of a bunch of early 1930s Hitchcock films; a period where he was, in a way, trying to find his voice and style. However, it still includes most of the trademarks that would accompany him through his career: mystery, suspense, lies, deceit, humor, and lots of stairs. Unfortunately, the whole is not as great as the sum of its parts.
Some of the film's assets are in the performances and characters. Most of them do a solid job, although it would've been good if Stuart had stood out more as the mysterious lead. As it is, he's a bit on the bland side. On the other hand, Lion crafts a really colorful and fun character in Ben. His whole demeanor and attitude help to maintain a certain level of humor that keeps the film alive.
The rest of the cast is solid, and Hitchcock does his best in trying to keep you guessing who is who and what is what. Unfortunately, he doubles down on it as the film tries to be more clever than it really is. But a dozen zigs and zags does not necessarily equate to a clever film. There are also some character dynamics and transitions that kept me wondering "why?"
Despite those narrative flaws and some choppy editing, Number Seventeen might still be a fun watch for fans of Hitchcock and/or twisty stories. In addition, a breezy runtime of 60 minutes plus change makes it easy to digest, and Lion's performance should make it worth your while.
Grade: