The Manxman would be Alfred Hitchcock's last silent picture, although at the time he didn't realize his next planned project would have to be converted to sound. Shot in Cornwall, standing in for the Isle of Man, Hitchcock continues his use of ordinary people, the proletariat working class, as characters for his early movies. Beautifully photographed, it's a basic love story turned sour, but the visual trickery and expertly staged scenes elevates the material into a movie some consider his finest silent picture.The leads are played by actors Hitchcock works with again or will in the future: Carl Brisson, Anny Ondra and Malcolm Keen. Ondra and Brisson were Polish and Danish, respectfully, acting in an English movie. This occurred frequently because one of the advantages of silent movies was their universality: no language barriers.
Two exquisitely shot scenes stand out: Anny looking out over a bluff at Keen standing on the beach in front of the waves; she runs gaily, gaily down to meet him only to learn bad news when she gets there. Second shot is a master with Anny and Keen standing in front looking glum contrasted with Brisson's joyousness behind them. One does not need dialogue to know what's going on. The images tell the story and let's the audience see rather than hear the characters' emotions.
Hitchcock and the distributor were not happy with The Manxman and dismissed it. Yet - according to screenonline.co.uk, the picture was a commercial success.
The movie is adaptation of a novel by Victorian-Edwardian novelist Hall Caine who often wrote love triangle melodramas set on the Isle of Man. Though popular in his day he is forgotten like fellow Brit Somerset Maugham.
Also noteworthy: The court scene where Anny Ondra is covered in a black blanket against her blonde locks facing the judge, her former lover, noble and suffering like Maria Falconetti in The Passion of Joan of Arc.
"The Manxman" is included in a DVD package I own with 20 of Hitchcock's early British movies.
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