Blackmail is a 1929 British drama which was begun as a silent film, and the decision to synchronize it with sound was made during shooting of the movie. The plot is based on the play by Charles Bernett that was adapted by Alfred Hitchcock, the director of the film. A number of film historians recognize it as the first British film with sound.
The film features a story of a crime and the process of investigating it. Alice White, one of the main characters of the film, kills an artist who has been trying to assault her and decides to conceal the crime . Unfortunately, running away from the flat where the crime was committed, the girl leaves there a pair of gloves. One of the gloves is found by Alice’s boyfriend Frank, a Scotland Yard detective. Later it is cleared out that a local thief Tracey has seen Alice in the flat and is going to blackmail the couple.
In my opinion, the decision to synchronize dialogues was beneficial. It would be rather difficult to understand all the plot lines and rate them at their true value if it had been silent. Frankly speaking, I watched this film while working on an academic essay. For this reason, I could tell more about its sound than about the quality of acting. I hope to watch it one more time preparing for a customized research paper on history of British cinematography.
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