Produced in 1953, this story of a Roman Catholic priest (Father Michael William Logan) is set in a beautiful church in Quebec. Based on the play by Paul Anthelme, the plot concerns the dilemma of a priest who has heard the confession of a murderer. He knows the identity of the killer; it is Otto Keller (O. E. Hasse), the caretaker of his own church. His wife, Alma (Dolly Haas), works as a housekeeper. Due to circumstantial evidence, he himself becomes a suspect.
The crux of the problem is that Father Logan remains silent. He must because the dictates of his role as a priest bind him to secrecy and the confidentiality of the confession booth. He is thus, unable to clear himself of suspicion, which puts him in jeopardy of being wrongly convicted, one of Hitchcock’s favorite themes.
The master himself can be seen during the opening credits, crossing the top of a staircase. In the original play, the character of Father Logan is hung, but Hitchcock decided against that to avoid the anger of his censors. George Tabori wrote the screenplay, which also stars Anne Baxter as Ruth Grandfort, Karl Malden as Inspector Larrue, Brian Aherne as Willy Robertson and a host of others.
Some critics claim the film is too dependent on the priest’s particular dilemma to sustain itself as a true thriller. Montgomery Clift is fine and passionate as Father Logan, and his predicament is felt by all who view the action unfolding before their eyes.
For many, this is not the all-time favorite of Hitchcock’s films, but it is still very much worth seeing. The durable performances of the wonderful cast and the beautiful cinematography capture the Old World quaintness of Quebec and its beautiful churches. The film is not without its exciting moments, even if it might disappoint some diehards. See it for yourself and you be the judge.