I Confess

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I Confess

Released Mar 22, 1953

1h 35m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

81%

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32 Reviews

77%

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5,000+ Ratings

Father Logan (Montgomery Clift) is a Catholic priest, but he finds his faith put to the test when he is accused of the murder of a wealthy member of his parish. The real murderer was Otto (O.E. Hasse), a poor German immigrant desperate for money, and Father Logan knows this because Otto confessed it to him. However, Father Logan is bound by the secrecy of the confessional and cannot share this evidence with the police, even if it means his own life.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

...it says something about the limitations of Hitchcock’s work as a whole that I Confess is theologically coherent but morally rather confused...

Jun 7, 2022

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Jake Wilson

The Age (Australia)

For a believing Christian, thoughts can be as sinful as deeds...This powerful 1953 melodrama makes the point in an explicitly religious context.

Nov 9, 2018

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

It's entertaining, and the visuals speak volumes more than the over-cooked dialogue. Worth a look.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 20, 2012

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Ian Kane

Epoch Times

While “I Confess” may not rank among Hitchcock’s most celebrated works, it remains an engaging film that many viewers will find both thought-provoking and worthwhile.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 3, 2024

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Manny Farber

The Nation

Hitchcock's new melodrama, I Confess, has negated the realism to settle for the "effects..." [but] it had the most interesting acting of the year-by Anne Baxter.

Nov 24, 2020

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

In the end, the climax provides some excitement - but only due to a bit of chaos and a colossal contrivance rather than a clever form of sleuthing or justice.

Rated: 6/10

Aug 23, 2020

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Micah H

They knew how to make good Christian films in the 50s.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/02/24

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Ted B

3.0 stars. I have seen every Hitchcock movie at least twice. He is the all-time master moviemaker to me. He found his niche in intense thrillers, but his movies were more than that. They delved into the psyches of people, mainly on the dark side. He was the master not of what you saw, but of what you didn't see. It's when there's a ticking time bomb about to go off in a crowded venue, and you're the only one who knows about it. Unfortunately for me, this film did not rise to the top level of his masterworks. But it did have its own level of tension. In this case, a priest is about to be convicted of a murder that he didn't commit but knows who the murderer is because of their confession to him. I was a big Montgomery Clift fan but have to admit this was not one of his highlight films.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/20/24

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Aldo G

If you're Catholic be prepared to feel guilty.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/07/24

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Russ G

The second film I've seen featuring Montgomery Clift and I can't understand what all the fuss over him is about. He's playing the exact same character here as in "From Here to Eternity." Another problem for modern audiences is that it's impossible to watch Karl Malden without seeing him as the cop on "Streets of San Francisco" opposite a young Michael Douglas.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/15/25

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marvin n

The religion is essential to the movie, but to me it's a huge distraction 🙁

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/29/23

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Paul D

Fantastic movie and one of Hitchcock's best films. Highly underrated.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/31/23

Full Review

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

Montgomery Clift

Fr. Michael William Logan

Anne Baxter

Ruth Grandfort

Karl Malden

Inspector Larrue

Brian Aherne

Willy Robertson

O.E. Hasse

Otto Keller

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Synopsis

Father Logan (Montgomery Clift) is a Catholic priest, but he finds his faith put to the test when he is accused of the murder of a wealthy member of his parish. The real murderer was Otto (O.E. Hasse), a poor German immigrant desperate for money, and Father Logan knows this because Otto confessed it to him. However, Father Logan is bound by the secrecy of the confessional and cannot share this evidence with the police, even if it means his own life.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenwriter: Paul Anthelme, George Tabori, William Archibald
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 22, 1953, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 11, 2015
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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