Instant Favorite.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

The acting in this movie is really good.

This is a pretty good, entertaining and suspenseful early Hitch, though for some reason it doesn't really stick in the memory. It is mainly feted now for the famous Majestic Hotel ballroom shot, and it is quite clear that after that bit of legerdemain, Hitchcock loses interest and the film is wrapped up unconvincingly in five perfunctory minutes. Lots of other good things though. Nova Pilbeam is charming (Derrick de Marney less so). Edward Rigby is on good scene-stealing form, and Basil Radford's single scene is a masterly tour de force of deadpan comic acting. The two contrasting lunches of the Burgoyne family are also highlights, providing character and comedy while subtly moving the plot along, with Erica's four brothers brilliantly realised. There is lovely photography of the Sussex countryside. The scene where Erica is rescued is genuinely scary, despite being studio-bound. There are some dreadful and wholly unnecessary model shots, but at least they are better than those in The Lady Vanishes. Nevertheless, this feels like a dry run for the latter, rather than its peer.

Nova Pilbeam plays plucky chief constable's daughter Erica Burgoyne, who becomes involved in a murder case when she helps prime suspect Robert Tisdall (Derrick De Marney) to prove his innocence. In the search for Tisdall's missing raincoat, a piece of evidence that might clear his name and point the finger of blame at the real killer, the pair risk life and limb while narrowly avoiding the law.Chock full of terribly, terribly plummy British actors, loaded with terribly, terribly overwrought melodrama, and with just a little evidence of the terribly, terribly stylish direction Hitch would become known for, Young and Innocent is a quaint little mystery from a much simpler time. As such, some of Hitch's film-making techniques are a little crude compared with his later movies, and the story creaks at times (a children's party scene is interminably dull), but for fans of the master of suspense, the film provides enough fun and intrigue to make it worth a watch.Especially enjoyable moments include a terribly, terribly exciting scene in which Erica almost comes a cropper in an old mine, and a well executed finale in which the beastly killer is identified, Hitch using a particularly impressive crane shot to close in on his face (which, incidentally, is blacked up as part of a minstrel show. How times have changed!).

Following the classic Hitchcock themes that he was well known for in "The 39 Steps" and his later works, "Young and Innocent" is a well made movie with strong tension, great characters, exciting premise built up terrifically within the opening minutes and is an exciting adventure of a wrongly accused man attempting to his clear his name from wrongdoings. Nova Pilbeam and Derrick De Marney are absolutely terrific in the lead roles, having great chemistry back and forth, a romance story that is both interesting and necessary and a script that easily allows them to convey their thoughts. It is said that this is indeed Hitchcock's favourite British film and whilst this is a little far stretched, it is to me, one of his most exciting and overlooked films.

A man is seen running away from a dead body, when in fact he going to get help. So he says, in this tale of murder, courtesy of director Alfred Hitchcock. In fact, we do see him first encountering the body, and only after that do two young ladies, going for a walk on the beach, find it as well and him running away from the scene of the crime. The body had apparently washed up on shore. But, when the circumstances look bad for the young man (it didn't help that he knew her, but of course), he manages to escape so that he find out who really did it. Of course, he meets the chief constable's daughter, who is "Young and Innocent." There was also another title for which this film was known, The Girl was Young, but by changing it for whatever reason, the title could now be construed to mean both of the leads, but presumably more him, due to the fact he's accused of murder. But also, she's young and naive, which probably was the original meaning. At first, she feels her duty to turn him in and all that good stuff, but of course he gets to her. They travel together with means of looking for his raincoat, which was stolen from him and of which its belt was the means by which the murder victim was strangled. The chemistry between the leads are very good and believable, which makes the film very enjoyable. Despite the fact this older Hitchcock film has gotten overlooked by other Hitchcock films with more stature and shock value, like Vertigo, The Birds and Psycho, this little winner should be seen more often. If you find "Young and Innocent," you won't be disappointed. Let's be young and innocent together!