Marlene Dietrich Arrives in London for Alfred Hitchcock’s Stage Fright – Original PA-Reuter Press Photograph – 1949

Description

A particularly evocative original 1949 black-and-white PA-Reuter press photograph of Marlene Dietrich, taken on her arrival in London to begin work on Alfred Hitchcock’s Stage Fright.

The photograph shows Dietrich in a full-length seated portrait, elegantly dressed in a dark tailored outfit with a dramatic pale fur or feathered collar, high heels and cigarette in hand. The image has tremendous period atmosphere and captures Dietrich not in a later studio recreation, but at the precise moment she arrived in Britain for the production.

The lower margin carries the contemporary credit:

“P.A.-Reuter Photo”

The reverse retains an exceptionally informative original typed press caption headed:

“MARLENE IS HERE”

and dated 28 June 1949.

The caption identifies Dietrich and records that she had arrived at London Airport the previous night to make Stage Fright. It states that she was to play a musical-comedy star, names Jane Wyman and Michael Wilding as her co-stars, and records that she was due to begin screen tests with Wilding.

The surviving caption therefore places this photograph at an unusually precise moment in film history: Dietrich’s arrival in Britain immediately before work on her only film with Alfred Hitchcock.

Marlene Dietrich and Alfred Hitchcock

Stage Fright occupies a distinctive position in both Dietrich’s and Hitchcock’s careers.

The BFI records the film as a British production directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich and Michael Wilding. Dietrich played the glamorous stage actress Charlotte Inwood, whose involvement in a murder investigation drives much of the plot.

It was the only film Dietrich made with Hitchcock. The BFI notes that Hitchcock afforded her unusual freedom over matters such as her lighting and camera angles, recognising the considerable technical knowledge she had acquired during her long career in front of the camera.

Contemporary photographs confirm Dietrich was in London during the summer of 1949 for the production. Picture Post photographed her at the Savoy Hotel in July while she was in Britain filming Stage Fright.

The present photograph predates those July sessions and documents her arrival for the production on 27–28 June 1949.

An Original Arrival Photograph

This is materially different from an ordinary Stage Fright scene still.

It documents the production itself beginning, with its original PA-Reuter caption recording Dietrich’s arrival in Britain and the work she was about to undertake. The photograph therefore has appeal across several collecting fields:

Marlene Dietrich
Alfred Hitchcock
Stage Fright
British cinema
1940s Hollywood
Press photography
PA / Reuters material
Film-production history

The fact that the original caption survives is especially important. Without it, the photograph would remain an attractive 1949 Dietrich portrait; with it, the print can be securely placed within the contemporary British press coverage surrounding Stage Fright.

Condition

Very good condition overall for an original working press photograph dating from 1949.

The image remains sharp and strongly contrasted, with particularly good detail to Dietrich’s face, costume and accessories.

There is light age-related toning, minor surface and handling wear and modest edge and corner wear consistent with contemporary newspaper use.

The lower margin retains the P.A.-Reuter Photo credit.

The reverse retains the original green typed press caption, Shields Gazette Library stamp and contemporary manuscript archive notation. There is some age-related toning and normal handling wear to the verso and caption.

Please study both photographs carefully as they form an integral part of the description.

Subject: Marlene Dietrich
Film association: Stage Fright
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Role: Charlotte Inwood
Co-stars: Jane Wyman and Michael Wilding
Date: 28 June 1949
Agency: PA-Reuter
Caption heading: “Marlene Is Here”
Photographer: Uncredited
Provenance: Shields Gazette photographic archive
Size: 20.7 × 10.6 cm
Format: Original black-and-white press photograph
Verso: Original contemporary typed PA/Reuter caption and Shields Gazette Library markings
Modern reproduction: No

Authenticity

This photograph has been handled, inspected and catalogued in-house at Hornseys.

Its identity, date and purpose are supported directly by the contemporary PA-Reuter photographic credit and original press caption dated 28 June 1949, which records Dietrich’s arrival at London Airport to work on Stage Fright.

It is an original 1949 working press photograph and not a later reproduction.

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