1920s London - the perfect atmospheric location for one of Hitchcock’s most gripping thrillers.
The film
A young woman, Alice White, is implicated in a grisly murder case which leads to a sinister blackmail plot from which there seems to be no escape. Hitchcock turns the screws tighter and tighter, driving Alice to contemplate terrible choices as she fights to keep herself - and her policeman boyfriend - out of prison.
From its opening sequence, with the police tracking down a wanted criminal, through scenes on the London Underground, Whitehall, the Lyon's Tea House at Piccadilly Circus, and on to the climactic chase in and atop the British Museum, Blackmail sees the young Hitchcock firing on all cylinders. Keep your eyes open for the great man’s trademark cameo appearance in the first reel.
The music
Pianist Jonny Best will bring the film alive with improvised music.
Doors 7pm
Duration approximately 2 hours, including an interval and a short film.
Music: Jonny Best (piano)
BLACKMAIL
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Year: 1929
Length: 2 hours incl interval and short film
Courtesy of Filmbank
