7/10
"Stand in your place, otherwise it will not come out right"
5 June 2011
'Blackmail (1929)' was not only Alfred Hitchcock's first "talkie", but also the first produced in Britain. However, it began life as a silent film, and indeed was also released in a silent version to boost its commercial potential. But the arrival of sound effectively put an end to Anny Ondra's career in English-language films. Her strong European accent made her unmarketable, which is a shame because she seems utterly charming. This rare sound test lets us hear Ondra's real voice, which in 'Blackmail' was dubbed (on-location) by British actress Joan Barry. But it's Hitchcock who steals the limelight in this historical snippet. Displaying that droll British wit, he accuses his lead actress of being a "bad woman" and sleeping with men. He then ends with what is perhaps the earliest recorded audio of what is now termed, in more vulgar circles, a "that's what she said" joke ("as the girl said to the soldier"). Ondra takes it all in good humour, of course.
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