Notorious

Released Aug 15, 1946

1 hr. 43 min.

Mystery & Thriller

List

96%

51 Reviews

Tomatometer

91%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In order to help bring Nazis to justice, U.S. government agent T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) recruits Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), the American daughter of a convicted German war criminal, as a spy. As they begin to fall for one another, Alicia is instructed to win the affections of Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains), a Nazi hiding out in Brazil. When Sebastian becomes serious about his relationship with Alicia, the stakes get higher, and Devlin must watch her slip further undercover.

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Critics Consensus

Sublime direction from Hitchcock, and terrific central performances from Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant make this a bona-fide classic worthy of a re-visit.

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Rob C

Incredible movie. If you like Noir and great acting , you can't miss this. It aged like fine wine. Rains, Bergman and Grant are at the top of their game. So dang good.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/29/24

Full Review

Mark K

My time growing up in the Bronx during Biggie's era was unforgettable, filled with the incredible NYC hip hop scene. This film resonated with me, and the lead actor flawlessly portrayed the role. Kudos to the director for skillfully narrating this impeccably written story! Highly recommend it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/24

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Paul L

A true classic from the golden age of Hollywood featuring some of the greatest talents ever put on film--Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant and Claude Rains are all sublime. The groundbreaking (at the time) cinematography and stellar directing from Hitchcock make this movie a must see for any afficianado of vintage cinema.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/27/23

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Jack V

Classic Hitchcock, nothing else.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/22/23

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nick s

Excellent film. Both leads were great. The storyline had plenty of finesse and the cinematography was rich.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/16/23

Full Review

Alec B

Its one of Hitchcock's best films, and its one of the greatest thrillers ever made. He makes the trade-off of a key and the lack of champagne at a party to be some of the most unbearably suspenseful stuff ever on the screen. While Bergman and Grant are great (they have some wonderful sexual tension between the two of them), its Claude Rains as the villain who gives the standout performance

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/13/23

Full Review

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

Cary Grant

T.R. Devlin

Ingrid Bergman

Alicia Huberman

Claude Rains

Alex Sebastian

Louis Calhern

Captain Paul Prescott

Leopoldine Konstantin

Madame Anna Sebastian

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Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

It's completely hypnotic: from the twisting strands of a plot defying us fully to trust anyone, to those Hitchcock specials, the shots and scenes where the camera too is a lethal conspiracist.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 7, 2019

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

The virtuoso sequences -- the long kiss, the crane shot into the door key -- are justly famous, yet the film's real brilliance is in its subtle and detailed portrayal of infinitely perverse relationships.

Aug 5, 2014

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Production and directorial skill of Alfred Hitchcock combine with a suspenseful story and excellent performances to make Notorious force entertainment.

Feb 23, 2012

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Notorious beautifully mixes a love story and espionage with stunning performances from Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman in the 1946 classic.

Rated: 4.5/5

Feb 5, 2024

Full Review

Zita Short

InSession Film

Hitchcock is able to weave locations into scenes in which things actually happen. In the 1950s so many films featured five-minute-long montages in which audiences were bombarded with shots of landmarks in a certain city...

Feb 9, 2023

Full Review

Dilys Powell

Sunday Times (UK)

The burden on the players is heavy, and credit is due to Ingrid Bergman and in a smaller degree Cary Grant for playing which by shades of facial expression alone indicates the emotional undertones of the narrative.

Aug 8, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

In order to help bring Nazis to justice, U.S. government agent T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) recruits Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), the American daughter of a convicted German war criminal, as a spy. As they begin to fall for one another, Alicia is instructed to win the affections of Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains), a Nazi hiding out in Brazil. When Sebastian becomes serious about his relationship with Alicia, the stakes get higher, and Devlin must watch her slip further undercover.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenwriter: John Taintor Foote, Ben Hecht, Alfred Hitchcock, Clifford Odets
Distributor: Anchor Bay Entertainment, RKO Radio Pictures, Criterion Collection, Kino International Corp.
Production Co: RKO Radio Pictures Inc., Vanguard Films Production
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 15, 1946, Original
Release Date (DVD): Oct 14, 2008
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1), 35mm, 16mm