I watched an old Alfred Hitchcock film the other night entitled I Confess. It starred a very young Montgomery Clift as a priest. The movie also stars Anne Baxter. At the beginning of the movie an immigrant murders a wealthy man from the town during a robbery on accident. After the murder he returns to the rectory where he works and confesses the crime to Father Logan played by Montgomery Clift. The next day when the murder is discovered, Father Logan must act like he knows nothing of the crime. However what the immigrant didn’t know is that Father Logan would later be accused of the crime.
When Mike Logan returned from the war his sweetheart, Ruth played Anne Baxter had married another. He did not realize this until after spending one last night with her in an abandoned gazebo. The next morning the owner of the gazebo catches them and knows the husband of his sweetheart. Upon hearing that she is married, Mike Logan leaves and joins the priesthood. The owner of the gazebo, Mr. Villette, starts to black mail the young wife. After five years, Anne meets up with Father Logan and they decide to talk to Mr. Villette about the black mail. Unfortunately, he is killed the night before.
The police find out this information and start to suspect Father Logan of the crime. The interesting part of the story is seeing a man accused of a crime he didn’t commit and knows who committed it, but is drawn to the loyalty of an oath not to reveal. Even up until the end of the movie when Father Logan is cleared and they suspect the immigrant he does not reveal who the true murderer is.
This is not one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films, but definitely worth checking out. If you enjoyed this movie I would recommend Hitchcock’s others such as Strangers on a Train or Dial M for Murder.