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Young and Innocent

Young and Innocent

Promotional poster

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Produced by Edward Black

Written by Gerald Savory(dialogue)

Alma Reville(continuity)

Screenplay by Charles Bennett

Edwin Greenwood

Anthony Armstrong

Based on A Shilling for Candles

by Josephine Tey

Starring Nova Pilbeam

Derrick De Marney

Music by Jack Beaver (uncredited)

Louis Levy (uncredited)

Cinematography Bernard Knowles

Editing by Charles Frend

Studio Gaumont Film Company

Distributed by GFD

Release date(s) November 1937(London)

17 February 1938(USA)

Running time 83 minutes

Country United Kingdom

Language English

Young and Innocent (American title: The Girl Was Young) is a 1937 British crime thriller film directed by Alfred

Hitchcock and starring Nova Pilbeam and Derrick De Marney.[]

Based on the 1936 novel A Shilling for Candles by

Josephine Tey, the film is about a young man on the run from a murder charge who enlists the help of a woman who

must put herself at risk for his cause. It is notable for an elaborately staged crane shot Hitchcock devised towards the

end of the film, which identifies the real murderer.

Plot

Christine Clay (Pamela Carme), a successful actress, argues passionately with her jealous ex-husband Guy (George

Curzon), who makes particular reference to Robert Tisdall, a young man staying near her at her retreat on the

English coast. Christine slaps him several times across the face, but he hardly reacts, choosing instead to depart

without a word.

The next morning, Robert Tisdall (Derrick De Marney) happens to be walking along the seaside cliffs when

Christine's body washes ashore. He runs to get help and call the police, but two young swimmers arrive just in time

to see him racing away from the corpse. A belt from his raincoat, which had just recently gone missing, is found next

to the body, further implicating him in her strangling. He is subsequently arrested and becomes the main suspect,

partly because of a large sum of money Christine left to him in her will, a gift he was unaware of. Saddled with a

despondent barrister, Tisdall doubts if his innocence will ever be established. He elects to take advantage of a

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barristerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barristerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Derrick_De_Marneyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Curzon_%28actor%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Curzon_%28actor%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Josephine_Teyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Derrick_De_Marneyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nova_Pilbeamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfred_Hitchcockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfred_Hitchcockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=General_Film_Distributorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gaumont_Film_Companyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Frendhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bernard_Knowleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Derrick_De_Marneyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nova_Pilbeamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Josephine_Teyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Bennett_%28screenwriter%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alma_Revillehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gerald_Savoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edward_Black_%28producer%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfred_Hitchcock

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crowded courthouse and make his escape.

Tisdall coerces Erica Burgoyne (Nova Pilbeam), daughter of the local police Chief Constable, to give him a ride in

her Morris car. Though she is initially unsure about her passenger, Burgoyne eventually becomes convinced of his

innocence and elects to help him in any way that she can. They are eventually spotted together, forcing both to stay

on the run. Tisdall tries to prove his innocence by tracking down the stolen coat.

The duo succeed in tracking down Old Will (Edward Rigby), a sociable china-mender and bum that was known tohave received Tisdall's coat. He agrees to help them find the man who gave him the coat; unfortunately, all that Old

Will can remember about the man is his distinctive eye twitch.

Upon searching the pockets of the coat, Erica finds a box of matches from the Grand Hotel, a place Tisdall has never

been to. She is separated from the group, however, and taken in by the police. Upon realizing that his daughter has

fully allied herself with the murder suspect, her father chooses to resign his position as Chief Constable rather than

arrest her for assisting Tisdall. Nonetheless, Erica and Old Will go to the Grand Hotel together, hoping to find the

true murderer. In a memorably long, continuous sequence, the camera moves forward through the hotel ballroom,

finally focusing on the drummer in a dance band performing in blackface. Recognizing Old Will in the audience, and

seeing policemen nearby (unaware that they have followed Old Will in the hopes of finding Tisdall), the man

performs poorly due to fear and a drug he has been taking to try to control the twitching, and is berated by the

musical conductor. Eventually the drummer faints in the middle of a performance, drawing the attention of Erica and

the policemen. Immediately after being revived and confronted, he confesses his crime and begins laughing

hysterically.

Changes from the novel

There were significant changes made in adapting the book for the film. The team of screenwriters took the main

suspect of the novel, Robert Tisdall, and his unexpected, initially reluctant supporter, Erica Burgoyne, and left out all

the other characters, including Tey's Inspector Alan Grant and even the original murderer (who is not the same

character as in the film). In other words, the episode focusing on Tisdall as a fugitive from justice was elaborated andblown up into a full-length film, whereas the subplots and distractions of Tey's novelwhich make it a

whodunitwere omitted.

Hitchcock's cameo

Alfred Hitchcock cameo is a signature occurrence in most of his films. He can be seen outside the courthouse,

holding a camera at 16 minutes into the film.

References in Popular Culture

On the Mike Oldfield album Five Miles Out, on the track "Orabidoo", at 9'12" there can be heard a sample of the

conductor criticizing the drummer: "Don't come in again like that. It isn't funny and I pay someone else to make the

orchestrations!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Five_Miles_Outhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Oldfieldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Hitchcock_cameo_appearanceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Whodunithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Musical_conductorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blackfacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ballroomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edward_Rigbyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Morris_Motorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chief_Constablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nova_Pilbeam

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Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and ContributorsYoung and Innocent Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=551401966 Contributors: 12637man, Abato piscorum, Andrea.gf, Andrzejbanas, Ap, Aspects, Bede735, Before My

Ken, Betacommand, Bryan Derksen, Caiaffa, Cammoore, Chimeric Glider, ChrisGualtieri, Clarityfiend, Cleduc, Conversion script, Cooksi, Cop 663, CyberTalos, Cyrius01, Danny, Darkhorse82,

Davepattern, Deanlaw, Delldot, Doug butler, Dreaded Walrus, Dutchmonkey9000, EdX20, Eddaido, Feydey, Fluffernutter, Glemlyn, GnomeV, HalJor, Iantresman, Ida Shaw, Invertzoo, Irishguy,

Jay-W, Jeff Fries, Jon Rob, JustAGal, JzG, KF, Labelephant, Lady Aleena, Lord Cornwallis, Lugnuts, MER-C, MachoCarioca, Magioladitis, MarnetteD, Meco, NeilFraser, Noirish, Ohconfucius,

Palmieri2, Rich Farmbrough, Rlquall, Rossrs, Seasider7, Skier Dude, Smith03, Sugar Bear, Supernumerary, Template namespace initialisation script, Th1rt3en, Tim Starling, Toby Bartels,

Venomviper, Welsh, Who, Wmahan, 16 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Young and Innocent 3.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Young_and_Innocent_3.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: film screenshot (Gaumont British

Picture Corporation)

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