Hitchcock One By One: DOWNHILL (1927)

Who Made It?
Written by Constance Collier and Ivor Novello (under the combined pseudonym of David L'Estrange)
Scenario by Elliot Stannard
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Who's In It?
Ivor Novello as Roddy Berwick
Isabel Jeans as Julia
Ben Webster as Dr. Dowson
Robin Irvine as Tim Wakeley
Ian Hunter as Archie

What's It About?
Here is a tale of two school-boys who made a pact of loyalty. One of them kept it—at a price.

Roddy Berwick is expelled from school after taking the fall for his roommate when a local girl falsely accuses him of inappropriate behavior (the film is coy about the precise nature of the accusation; I have my own ideas about what's being said). From there, Roddy's life slides into a steady downward spiral and we get to come along for the ride.

The night before and the morning after.

Why Should I See It?

Downhill feels like a return to form after the disappointment of The Ring. The ingenuity, the creative spark, the sense that the director is fully engaged by the material, all of the elements that made The Lodger such a refreshing picture return in full force in a film that may be the best of Hitchcock's early output thus far.

Ivor Novello, who cowrote the story, does a stupendous job as the terminally naïve Roddy Berwick, getting to stretch quite a bit more than he did in the title role of The Lodger. It's a part that's deeper and more complex than is commonly seen in silent pictures; indeed, the entire cast excels. Those who think of silent-film performances as hammy mugging and histrionic gesticulating are in for a revelation: this is what great silent acting looks like.

Hitchcock develops the film's theme early and often: Roddy's story is a descent into ever deeper despair, a journey captured by the director in literal visual terms.

Going down!

As the film's antagonists deceive Roddy, so the film deceives the audience: one of the best reveals I've ever seen in a motion picture involves no fewer than three consecutive misdirections in as many minutes. I don't want to give too much away, but when the film cuts to Ivor Novello in an elegant suit with a white bow tie, it's time to pay attention.

There are a number of other visual tricks and treats, including another montage sequence (similar to one seen in The Ring) and a fun POV shot that turns the frame topsy-turvy.

Roddy's dreaming montage.

"Who's there?"

What Else?

There are also a number of fascinating mobile point-of-view shots near the end of the film that involved the use of several types of cameras and rigs: the equivalent of hand-held and steadicam shots in an era before such technology existed.

Downhill's ending may strike some as being somewhat contrived or forced. I was happy with it. See what you think.

Where Can I See It?
As of February 2011, Downhill is unavailable in the US on any home video format. It is, however, available in a good, albeit completely silent (i.e., no musical score), streaming or download version from Archive.org (click here to view).

Downhill is currently undergoing a major restoration by the British Film Institute. Here’s hoping we see a sparkling new edition soon!

What's the Bottom Line?

Downhill is a phenomenal Hitchcock silent that deserves more attention and a far wider audience. Do yourself a favor and watch this one soon.