I Confess

I Confess (1953)

  • 83% of critics liked it
    (23 reviews)

  • 71% of users liked it
    (7,087 ratings)

Based on the turn-of-the-century play Our Two Consciences by Paul Anthelme, Hitchcock's I Confess is set in Quebec. Montgomery Clift plays a priest who hears the confession of church sexton O.E. Hasse. "I...killed...a man" whispers Hasse in tight closeup--and, bound by the laws of the… More

Play Trailer

Unrated,
Directed By
Written By
George Tabori, William Archibald
Genres
Drama, Classics
In Theaters
Jan 1, 1952 Wide
WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES

Critic Reviews

  • Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

    The movie is more interesting than achieved: it's the most forthright statement of the transference theme in Hitchcock's work, but it's also the least nuanced.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    While Hitchcock short-changes on the expected round of suspense for which he is noted, he does bring out a number of topflight performances and gives the picture an interesting polish that is documentary at times.

  • , TIME Magazine

    A good, workmanlike thriller, I Confess is only fair-to-middling Hitchcock.

  • Bosley Crowther, New York Times

    Alfred Hitchcock's famous talent for brewing a mood of fine suspense with clever direction and cutting is spent on a nigh suspenseless script.

  • Geoff Andrew, Time Out

    It's heavy going at times...

Read all 17 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • familiar s


    Hitchcock's fans are bound to find something or another interesting in this simple crime drama, but I failed to hail any part of it. Not just the predictability, but the too-good-to-be-real love story also distracted me. Despite watching a work of fiction, I simply couldn't… More

  • Universal D


    A murderer confesses his dirt to a Catholic priest, but will the priest keep his vow of silence ... even after the priest is accused of the crime? Like The Wrong Man, this (beautifully filmed in noirish black and white) is chock full of Catholic imagery and bravura performances by… More

  • Alexander D


    Not Alfred Hitchcock's best.

  • Anthony L


    I Confess raises a very good question, how far can you question certain figures and are certain beliefs above the law. It rings a little bit hollow though as Priests have a duty to report such crimes and are, and have been for a while, instructed to do so. It doesn't have the… More

  • AJ V


    I must confess, this is a fantastic movie! Any Hitchcock movie from the fifties is fantastic, really, and this movie is no exception to that rule. I love it.

Read all 13 featured audience ratings

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