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SYNOPSIS: Based on an unpublished novella by John Steinbeck (written on commission expressly to provide treatment material for Hitchcock's screen scenario), Lifeboat found the Master of Suspense navigating a course of maximal tension in the most minimal of settings with a consistently inventive, beautifully paced drama that would foreshadow the single-set experiments of Rope and Dial M for Murder.
After a Nazi torpedo reduces an ocean liner to wooden splinters and scorched personal effects, the survivors of the attack pull themselves aboard a drifting lifeboat in the hope of eventual rescue. But the motivations of the German submarine captain (played by Walter Slezak) on the eponymous craft might extend beyond mere survival...
With a cast including Shadow of a Doubt veteran Hume Cronyn and the extraordinary, irrepressible Tallulah Bankhead, this "picture of characters", as François Truffaut aptly termed the film, oscillates dazzlingly between comic repartée and white-knuckle suspense a perfect example of "the Hitchcock touch".
The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the Oscar-nominated Lifeboat in a Dual Format (Blu-ray and DVD) standard edition & limited edition Dual Format steelbook , accompanied by Hitchcock's two French-language wartime shorts, Bon voyage and Aventure malgache.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
REVIEWS: "A tremendously provocative film." Bosley Crowther, The New York Times
"He realises that peculiar Hitchcock manner with the player, in which the actor seems to be concentrating mentally on what he is about to do but never quite does it; so that his pantomime takes on a kind of sinister spontaneity." Manny Farber, The New Republic
After a Nazi torpedo reduces an ocean liner to wooden splinters and scorched personal effects, the survivors of the attack pull themselves aboard a drifting lifeboat in the hope of eventual rescue. But the motivations of the German submarine captain (played by Walter Slezak) on the eponymous craft might extend beyond mere survival...
With a cast including Shadow of a Doubt veteran Hume Cronyn and the extraordinary, irrepressible Tallulah Bankhead, this "picture of characters", as François Truffaut aptly termed the film, oscillates dazzlingly between comic repartée and white-knuckle suspense a perfect example of "the Hitchcock touch".
The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the Oscar-nominated Lifeboat in a Dual Format (Blu-ray and DVD) standard edition & limited edition Dual Format steelbook , accompanied by Hitchcock's two French-language wartime shorts, Bon voyage and Aventure malgache.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- New high-definition master, officially licensed from Twentieth Century Fox
- New high-definition transfers of Hitchcock's little-seen French-language 1944 wartime films, Bon voyage (26 minutes) and Aventure malgache (31 minutes) officially licensed from the British Film Institute
- Optional English subtitles on all three films
- 20-minute documentary on the making of Lifeboat
- 12-minute excerpt from the legendary 1962 audio interviews between Hitchcock and François Truffaut, discussing Lifeboat and the wartime shorts
- PLUS: A 36-page booklet featuring archival imagery alongside new writing by critics Bill Krohn, Arthur Mas, and Martial Pisani
REVIEWS: "A tremendously provocative film." Bosley Crowther, The New York Times
"He realises that peculiar Hitchcock manner with the player, in which the actor seems to be concentrating mentally on what he is about to do but never quite does it; so that his pantomime takes on a kind of sinister spontaneity." Manny Farber, The New Republic
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
At the beginning we see a sinking ship and debris floating in the water before the camera settles on the lifeboat where the immaculate Connie (Tallulah Bankhead) is alone. The lifeboat soon fills up with characters, including Willy (Walter Slezak) the German captain of the submarine responsible for the sinking of the ship. The film follows the quest to safety in Bermuda. However, only Willy knows the way.....
The story provides suspense as we watch Willy gradually take over control of the lifeboat. He is assured and possesses all the necessary skills that are called upon including surgery, seamanship, strength and a peculiar navigational awareness.... Do we, the audience, trust him just as the other members in the lifeboat have to? He seems nice enough.
The cast are good with Tallulah Bankhead and Walter Slezak winning the acting honours. Hume Cronym as "Sparks" has a peculiar voice and John Hodiak as "Kovac" has an unfortunate array of teeth in his mouth - he reminded me of 'Bingo' from the "Banana Splits" whenever he smiled. It's quite off-putting.
It's an entertaining film, if a little long, but it's worth seeing again. I won't go into the finer details of German Expressionism versus Soviet Expressive Realism which Hitchcock manages to combine, but I will say that he makes his usual appearance.
The story provides suspense as we watch Willy gradually take over control of the lifeboat. He is assured and possesses all the necessary skills that are called upon including surgery, seamanship, strength and a peculiar navigational awareness.... Do we, the audience, trust him just as the other members in the lifeboat have to? He seems nice enough.
The cast are good with Tallulah Bankhead and Walter Slezak winning the acting honours. Hume Cronym as "Sparks" has a peculiar voice and John Hodiak as "Kovac" has an unfortunate array of teeth in his mouth - he reminded me of 'Bingo' from the "Banana Splits" whenever he smiled. It's quite off-putting.
It's an entertaining film, if a little long, but it's worth seeing again. I won't go into the finer details of German Expressionism versus Soviet Expressive Realism which Hitchcock manages to combine, but I will say that he makes his usual appearance.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By David Hart
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
This often overlooked Hitchcock film about the survivors from a torpedoed ship in WW2 who end up sharing their lifeboat with a crew member from the U-boat that sank them is a very tight little thriller. No real big "names" apart from Ms Bankhead which makes the characters even better as you are not thinking of where you have seen them before. You can feel the tension realIy building up between then as they are confined to this small boat in the middle of the ocean and running out of food and water. I bought it purely for the dvd version in this double disc, dual format package and it was well worth it. The picture quality and sound are really clear
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Spike Owen
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Blu-ray
A merchant ship is torpedoed and sunk by the Germans, leaving only a handful of survivors in the process. Finding a lifeboat to share, the survivors are thrown into conflict when one of the survivors turns out to be the captain of the U-boat that sunk their ship.
Lifeboat is a truly fine Alfred Hitchcock picture, it's a little undervalued, and most probably under seen due to not getting a worthy DVD transfer until the new millennium. Adapted from a John Steinbeck story, Lifeboat finds Hitchcock experimenting with a single set picture that is awash with propaganda and containing a cast that are across the bows, both endearing and totally interesting. Really tho, it's with the moral posers and quandary heart that Lifeboat becomes a great picture, different classes and oddly assorted persona's are forced to survive as one unit, but invariably a fly in the ointment could turn out to be a catalyst of sorts, not only for this group's possible survival, but in mental fortitude's and their respective capabilities under duress.
Very interesting film from the maestro director, with Tallulah Bankhead, Willian Bendix, John Hodiak and Walter Slezak turning in very enjoyable performances. Lifeboat is unusual in the sense of Hitchcock's other well known pictures, but it definitely finds him very much on form and very much laying down a marker for the genius that was to come. 9/10
Lifeboat is a truly fine Alfred Hitchcock picture, it's a little undervalued, and most probably under seen due to not getting a worthy DVD transfer until the new millennium. Adapted from a John Steinbeck story, Lifeboat finds Hitchcock experimenting with a single set picture that is awash with propaganda and containing a cast that are across the bows, both endearing and totally interesting. Really tho, it's with the moral posers and quandary heart that Lifeboat becomes a great picture, different classes and oddly assorted persona's are forced to survive as one unit, but invariably a fly in the ointment could turn out to be a catalyst of sorts, not only for this group's possible survival, but in mental fortitude's and their respective capabilities under duress.
Very interesting film from the maestro director, with Tallulah Bankhead, Willian Bendix, John Hodiak and Walter Slezak turning in very enjoyable performances. Lifeboat is unusual in the sense of Hitchcock's other well known pictures, but it definitely finds him very much on form and very much laying down a marker for the genius that was to come. 9/10
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
96 minutes on a boat? Hitchcock gives his viewers sea sickness :)
Lifeboat by the master Alfred Hitchcock,
Which is probably one of Hitchcock's lesser known films, was made in 1944, and considering it's situated on a small boat... Read more
Which is probably one of Hitchcock's lesser known films, was made in 1944, and considering it's situated on a small boat... Read more
Published 16 days ago by Napalm_trickster
1.0 out of 5 stars
Problem with distributor
The DVD did not work with my player. Amazon should sell DVDs to European audiences that work with their players. Read more
Published 1 month ago by JEAN
4.0 out of 5 stars
it was a present
This was a present which seemed to go down well so I have to say it fitted the bill perfectly
Published 3 months ago by C. Steele
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mindblowing
An all time classic in mindblowing HD, a must have for every Hitchcock fan, great on Blu Ray, real HD Quality for your money
Published 4 months ago by MJ Geverinck
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not typical Hitchcock, but it works.
It's definately not a typical Hitchcock film. It's more characters driven and even with the static location it works well. The blu-ray has a very good picture.
Published 9 months ago by William C. Saul
4.0 out of 5 stars
Willie get away? (Or Willie not!) - with apologies to the Beano.
I thought that I had seen most of Hitch's output, when Amazon directed me towards this neglected gem. Read more
Published 10 months ago by D. Parkin
5.0 out of 5 stars
One lifeboat you'd go back to again and again.
Received my copy of the steelbook Lifeboat today. Amazon now send them in proper steelbook packaging to protect them. They even have a special box designed for that purpose. Read more
Published 13 months ago by R. Shore
4.0 out of 5 stars
(Some of my best friends are) Flotsam and Jetsam
In many ways this is really Tallulah Bankhead's film. She is excellent as the hard-bitten journalist who is originally best equipped to survive the period spent on the eponymous... Read more
Published on 24 May 2009 by Kenneth F. Mcara
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dying together's even more personal than living together.
What would you do if you were stuck in a lifeboat with a hodgepodge of people and limited supplies? Does this sound like one of those corporate games? Read more
Published on 26 Aug 2008 by bernie
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dying together's even more personal than living together
One of Hitchock's most fractuous screenplays (litigation was brought forth by screen-writer John Stienbeck), Lifeboat also happens to be one of his forgotten classics. Read more
Published on 24 Aug 2008 by IWFIcon
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