One of Hitchcock's best

As director, Hitchcock made many wonderous tales come to life on the screen but Marnie is one of his best.

Because of a childhood tragedy Marnie became, in her later years, a blatant liar and a thief. Although the advertisements and trailers for this film refer to her as a kleptomaniac I feel she was not a kleptomaniac, n a true sense of the word, but a premeditated thief. A Kleptomaniac as I understand it, is a person that steals for the sake of stealing and not from what they interpret as need. Marnie stole money because she wanted it for herself and to support her mother.

The film portrays a vivid picture of a young woman torn apart by vague memories that come to her in her dreams as well as when the color red appears. These are visions from her childhood. She was traumatized as a child but forgot the reason for the trauma except for these visions.

It is also a classic story of someone trying to buy another person's love regardless of what it takes to do it. Marnie is doing just that in trying to buy her mother's love which she envisions is not there for her. The mother is quite another story. She instills in her daughter the need to be pure an clean and never allow a man to touch her. As a result, in her adult life, Marnie becomes a frigid and cold woman.

The story is very deep in psychological trauma. Everyone seems to have a need to do something and their needs contribute much to the film. It is very riveting to the very end. I personally have seen it about four times and would see it again.

It is my understanding that Tippi Hedron was not the first choice for the part of Marnie but, in my opinion, she was the best choice. Audrey Hepburn was allegedly the first choice.

It is a love story but with something important to say. See it. I recommend it highly. It's one of those movies you see with a friend and spend the rest of the night discussing it.