Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

The Manxman Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 13, 2025

Note: This version of this film is available as part of the Hitchcock: The Beginning set from Studio Canal.

1934 seems to be some kind of invisible dividing line between Alfred Hitchcock's more recognized output and some of his arguably lesser remembered earlier films. The first version of The Man Who Knew Too Much was released that year, and was followed in relatively short order by at least a couple of Hitch's best remembered British productions like The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes, but aside from those titles and maybe one or two others (i.e., The Lodger), even diehard film fans may be relatively unacquainted with other early (or at least earlier) films of one of the most celebrated directors in the annals of cinema. Studio Canal is helping to rectify that lack of renown with an appealing collection that aggregates ten early Hitchcock films, including one that has often been cited (rightly or wrongly) as the first British feature length sound production.

The Manxman once again traffics in some of the same ménage à trois material that informs some of the other early films in this set like The Ring and Champagne. Despite the familiarity of some of the underlying plot conceits, the film has achieved a certain renown since it was the last silent Hitchcock made, at least if one discounts the silent version of Blackmail which was released more or less in tandem with the sound version. The Manxman had a literary imprimatur which was probably more visceral to 1929 audiences than it may be today, since few if any will probably know much if anything of the source novel by Hall Caine, which is perhaps ironically for modern day sensibilities advertised in the opening credits as "famous".

The star crossed love triangle involves fisherman Pete Quilliam (Carl Brisson) and up and coming attorney Philip Christian (Malcolm Keen), both of whom have eyes for local barmaid Kate Creegan (Anny Ondra). Suffice it to say that both men end up having relationships with her, with Pete seemingly triumphing in marrying Kate, only to find out Kate is actually in love with Philip. While handled somewhat discursively in this adaptation, a child born ostensibly to Kate and Pete was actually fathered by Philip. This is all on the tawdry melodramatic side, but what helps elevate The Manxman is its feel for time and place, capturing the hardscrabble lives of the inhabitants of the Isle of Mann in a way that kind of reminded me of how Marcel Pagnol captured the general zeitgeist of Provencal life in his celebrated The Marseille Trilogy.

The Manxman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Manxman is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Studio Canal with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1. While Studio Canal sent only check discs for purposes of this review, and so I'm not privy to any additional information that might be offered in an insert booklet, this bears a BFI masthead and assumedly was part of BFI's restoration project involving Hitchcock silents that were undertaken a few years ago. I did find the following information online, which may be from Studio Canal's booklet:

Three source elements were used to reconstruct the film – the original camera negative, an acetate fine grain positive and a nitrate print from the twenties. Balancing these sources without disrupting the flow of the film was a major concern in restoration.

A restoration by the BFI National Archive in association with Studio Canal. Restoration funding provided by Daniel & Joanna Friel and Ronald T Shedlo. Additional funding provided by Deluxe 142.

This is another generally great looking transfer, albeit one that, like several others in this set, can show recurrent damage in the form of nicks, scratches, a missing frame or two and the like. On the whole, though, this offers a really nicely organic appearance and some appealing detail levels in both set bound and location (Cornwall evidently filling in for the Isle of Mann) material. Fine detail is buoyed by Hitch's frequent use of close-ups throughout the story. Grain can be quite heavy, and expectedly spikes in opticals, but encounters no real resolution issues.

The Manxman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audophiles get three choices of scores on this disc, with efforts by Stephen Horne, Antonio Coppola and Andrew Earle Simpson, all delivered on LPCM 2.0 tracks. The Horne score features a small ensemble, which instantly sets it apart from the two solo piano offerings also offered. All three scores have moments of both lyricism and energy, and fidelity is fine across all three tracks. Optional German subtitles are available.

The Manxman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Melodrama a la Manx: Stephen Horne on Scoring Hitchcock (HD; 14:36) is another interesting featurette focusing on the musical underpinnings of a silent film.


• Hitch's Leading Ladies by Davina Quinlivan (HD; 24:55) offers the University of Exeter academic providing an appealing overview of some of Hitch's female leads, with an emphasis on the early films in this set.


• Hitchcock / Truffaut: Archival Audio Interview (HD; 6:24) plays to stills.


• Audio Commentary by film historian Farran Smith Nehme


• Introduction by Director / Film Historian Noël Simsolo (HD; 4:42) is subtitled in English.


• Stills Gallery (HD)

The Manxman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

You can feel Hitchcock becoming more and more secure in his technical expertise in this last fully silent film of his long career, and along with the efficiency of his direction, this story has some surprisingly visceral emotional content. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.