I went back to the Stanford Theater and saw two more classic movies. These were more in the suspense department and both reminded me of Hitchcock at his best.
The first was "The Spiral Staircase" (1945) starring Dorothy McGuire (best known as the mother in many Disney films like "Old Yeller" and "Swiss Family Robinson"). Here she plays a mute troubled by some malady that keeps her from speaking. Of course, as is typical for all of these types of movies, there's murder going on and she suddenly finds her voice at the appropriate time.
It is very well done and also stars George Brent, Ethel Barrymore and Elsa Lanchester ("Bride of Frankenstein").
The second film "Hangover Square" (1945) stars Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell and George Sanders. Cregar is a song composer who murders when he hears loud noises. It's slightly less good than "Spiral", but still riveting and has another great ending.
If you want to purchase these on DVD, "The Spiral Staircase" is available separately, while "Hangover Square" is part of the "Fox Horror Classics Collection" along with "The Lodger" and "The Undying Monster".
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