Young and Innocent (1937) in Color — Starring Nova Pilbeam & Derrick De Marney

Young and Innocent (1937) – Buy This Classic Thriller in Color

Experience the gripping Young and Innocent (1937) in suspenseful colorized HD. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Nova Pilbeam and Derrick De Marney, this fast-paced British thriller follows a young man wrongly accused of murder who goes on the run with the police chief’s teenage daughter to find the real killer before the law catches up with him. When a screenwriter is found murdered on the beach and all evidence points to Robert Tisdall, only the courage and resourcefulness of a determined young woman can help him clear his name in a breathless cross-country chase. Featuring one of Hitchcock’s most celebrated single shots — a stunning crane movement through a crowded ballroom to a close-up of the killer’s twitching eyes. Now available as a premium digital download for just €15.00 — DRM-free and yours to keep forever.

Plot Summary

On an English beach, the body of a murdered woman — a successful screenwriter — is discovered at the base of the cliffs. The first person to find the body is Robert Tisdall (Derrick De Marney), a young and somewhat naïve man who knew the victim casually. Robert immediately reports the discovery to the police, but his good citizenship backfires catastrophically: the police discover that the murder weapon — the belt from a raincoat — matches a coat that Robert owns, and the dead woman had recently written Robert into her will.

The circumstantial evidence is overwhelming, and Robert is arrested for murder. During a police court hearing, he manages to escape and goes on the run, desperate to find evidence that will prove his innocence. His only hope is finding the actual raincoat, which he lost days earlier and which would prove that someone else used his belt to commit the crime.

Byerica Burgoyne (Nova Pilbeam), the young daughter of the local police chief, is initially sceptical of Robert’s innocence but becomes convinced through a combination of intuition and evidence. Despite the danger to herself and the conflict with her father’s professional duty, she agrees to help Robert track down the real killer. Together, the unlikely pair embarks on a thrilling journey across the English countryside, dodging police roadblocks, following slim clues, and gradually narrowing down the search.

The investigation leads them through a series of colourful encounters — a children’s birthday party that becomes an impromptu hiding place, a night in an abandoned mill, a trucker who provides unwitting assistance — before culminating at a grand hotel where a band is playing. The real killer has a nervous condition that causes his eyes to twitch — a tell-tale sign that Robert glimpsed during the murder. In the film’s tour de force sequence, Hitchcock’s camera makes one of the most famous movements in cinema history, gliding across the vast, crowded ballroom through dancing couples and past oblivious guests to find the drummer in the band and closing in on his twitching, guilty eyes.

Cast & Crew

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Stars: Nova Pilbeam, Derrick De Marney, Percy Marmont, Edward Rigby, Mary Clare, John Longden

Nova Pilbeam, just seventeen during filming, gives a performance of remarkable poise and intelligence, creating a heroine who is resourceful, brave, and entirely believable as the driving force behind the investigation. Derrick De Marney is appealing as the wrongly accused Robert — charming, slightly hapless, and entirely sympathetic. Edward Rigby provides outstanding comic support as a tramp whose drunken testimony is crucial to the case.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

The picturesque English countryside, the atmospheric coastal settings, and the grand hotel ballroom sequence are beautifully enhanced through expert colorization. Hitchcock’s masterful visual storytelling gains wonderful new dimension in colour, with the rural landscapes, the dramatic cliff-top sequences, and the elegant ballroom set piece achieving stunning visual impact. Now also available in colour. Own this essential Hitchcock thriller for just €15.00 — the Master of Suspense at his most fleet-footed and entertaining.

Historical Significance

Young and Innocent is one of the finest films from Hitchcock’s British period, demonstrating the mastery of suspense techniques that would make him the world’s most famous director. The celebrated ballroom crane shot — a single continuous camera movement that crosses an entire room to find the killer — is one of the most admired technical achievements in cinema and a demonstration of Hitchcock’s extraordinary ability to use camera movement as a storytelling tool. The film established the “wrong man” theme that would recur throughout Hitchcock’s career, from The 39 Steps through North by Northwest and The Wrong Man. The pairing of an innocent man and a brave young woman on the run became a Hitchcock signature that influenced countless thrillers. Through colorization, this thrilling and inventive British classic has been preserved for modern audiences in a gorgeous new visual presentation.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Yes – professionally colorized from the original black-and-white
• Audio: Original English mono soundtrack
• Runtime: Approximately 83 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes – no restrictions on playback
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Where does this rank among Hitchcock’s British films?
A: It is considered one of his best British-era films, alongside The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes. Its lighter, more romantic tone and youthful energy give it a distinctive charm, and the famous ballroom crane shot is regarded as one of the greatest technical achievements of his career.

Q: Is the famous crane shot really that impressive?
A: Absolutely. Even for viewers accustomed to modern filmmaking technology, the shot remains breathtaking. A single, unbroken camera movement travels the entire length of a crowded ballroom, past hundreds of dancers, and closes in on the crucial detail of a drummer’s twitching eyes. It is pure Hitchcock genius and a masterclass in visual storytelling.

Q: Is this a good introduction to Hitchcock?
A: Excellent. The film is fast-paced, accessible, and combines suspense with romance and humour in a way that showcases Hitchcock’s skills without the darker psychological intensity of his later work. It is a thoroughly enjoyable entry point into the filmography of cinema’s greatest thriller director.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as a high-quality MP4 file in 720p HD resolution, compatible with all major devices and media players.

Q: Is there DRM on this download?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free, meaning you can watch it on any device without restrictions or expiration dates.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchasing?
A: Your download link is available immediately after payment. You can start watching within minutes of completing your purchase.

Related Colorized Classics

• The 39 Steps (1935)
• The Lady Vanishes (1938)
• Sabotage (1937)
• The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
• Secret Agent (1936)