Search - The Skin Game on DVD

Content Advisory: Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1931 DVD Release: 07/24/1999 Format: DVD - Black and White Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: Japanese, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 18 mins Studio: Delta Total Copies: 7 Genres: Drama, Social Problem Film See Also: The Skin Game

This uncharacteristic Alfred Hitchcock endeavor was adapted by Hitch and his wife, Alma Reville, from a play by John Galsworthy. The British countryside turns into an ideological battlefield when Hornblower (Edmund Gwenn), a wealthy, self-man tradesman, stakes his claim to a piece of valuable forest property controlled for literally centuries by the "landed gentry." The local squire (C.V. France) and his wife (Helen Haye) dig in their heels and refuse to acknowledge Hornblower's presence -- how dare he use mere money to challenge the rights of blood? Their genteel snobbery is every bit as obnoxious as Hornblower's brash effrontery, and the result is a film with virtually no heroes or villains whatever. Never in any future film did Hitchcock ever lobby so strong an attack on the smug implacability of the aristocracy -- perhaps wisely, since The Skin Game proved to be one of his least-successful films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Edmund Gwenn - Mr. Hornblower
Jill Esmond - Jill Hillcrest
Phyllis Konstam - Chloe Hornblower
John Longden - Charles Hornblower
C.V. France - Mr. Hillcrest
Helen Haye - Mrs. Hillcrest
Frank Lawton - Rolf Hornblower

The master of suspense helmed this adaptation of the Galsworthy play concerning a war between rival landowners in this Delta DVD. Presented as filmed in standard 1.33:1 full-screen and featuring an English Dolby Digital Mono soundtrack with optional Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese subtitles, this release also offers menus available in the same languages as the subtitles. This release features an introduction by Tony Curtis and a Dial M for Murder theatrical trailer, and Hitchcock completists will covet it despite the film's lack of recognition compared to later efforts. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide