Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Rainey Dawn The story of "The Ring" I personally found boring for most of the film. A love triangle: one woman and two boxers that end up duking it out over her. She was rather bored in her marriage as I was bored with this film. It surprises me that the story was rather a snore because Alfred Hitchcock not only directed it but wrote it.There are a couple of scenes I got a giggle out of and a really dramatic scene about an hour into it - good scenes when the husband has found out about his wife cheating and he confronts her, ripping off the shoulder of her dress revealing her slip top and then he grabs and rips off the upper arm bracelet that she is concealing that her lover gave her. Then the husband goes out to find the man.What is good about the film is the cinematography and editing - it's a great early Hitchcock directing piece.3/10

Edgar Allan Pooh . . . or jewelry designed to resemble the slithering reptiles, such as the near-fatal bracelet worn by Lilian Hall Davis as "Mabel" in this steamy love triangle Silent Pic. I've watched THE RING twice, and Mabel seemed more sinister the second time around. No one wants to believe that a blonde can be born bad; it's much easier to just echo Adam's mate, Eve, and blame it on the snake. THE RING's boxing hero protagonist, Jack, is faced at every turn by the epitome of Evil, pugilist Bob, Mabel's seducer. From the moment Bob insinuates the snake bracelet onto her wrist, viewers have the feeling that this story will not have a happy ending. THE RING represents director Alfred Hitchcock at his best, before he got all Fancy Schmancy with red filters on a later version of a Femme Fatale, MARNIE. Lil Mainwaring, who played Sean Connery's would-be lover in that film, says that Hitchcock literally fingered her face to achieve the exact expression he wanted her to have when she looked out the window of her "adopted" mansion at Sean and Marnie (Tippi Hedren). Hitchcock, who started in the film business writing title cards, always wanted to manipulate his actresses to the maximum extent possible, and it was a big help to reduce Ms. Davis' utterances as "Mabel" here to title cards, rather than having to deal with her vocal inflections, had this film been a "talkie."

TheLittleSongbird Of the pre-39 Steps Hitchcock films, The Ring is not quite as good as The Lodger, Blackmail and The Man Who Knew Too Much but it is better than Juno and the Paycock and Number Seventeen at least. There are some overlong irrelevant scenes and some sloppy sound, but The Ring is a good silent film that is more than just interest value. It is well made with great, clever use of editing and camera work- evidence of Hitchcock's distinctive style coming in even early in his career- and some very powerful symbolic images that are open to interpretation in some way. The music is very fitting and well-synchronised to everything else, particularly good in the final boxing match. Hitchcock also writes as well as directs, he directs with a very assured touch and he takes care in making the characters identifiable and not making the melodrama and love-triangle too hammy or turgid. The final boxing match is very exciting, getting increasingly rapid and intense, helped by it being it cleverly edited and scored. In a way though, the film does end on a slightly anti-climatic note. The acting is very good, Carl Brisson is excellent even and Lillian Hall-Davies is charming and graceful. Ian Hunter is a strong, commanding opponent and Gordon Harker brings some well-timed comic relief. In conclusion, interesting watch and a good film in general. 8/10 Bethany Cox

wes-connors While carnival boxer Carl Brisson (as Jack Sander) earns a living knocking around willing stooges, in one round or less, girlfriend Lillian Hall-Davis (as Mabel) flirts with potential opponents, like athletic Ian Hunter (as Bob Corby). After Mr. Hunter, who turns out to be another boxer, defects Mr. Brisson in the ring, Ms. Hall-Davis seems to switch allegiance. Obviously, she likes it rough. So, Hall-Davis marries one boxer, but continues to carry on with the other… Director Alfred Hitchcock makes the obvious symbolic connections between the boxing ring and women's jewelry, along with some more creative visuals.Brisson is very good in the lead role; and, the supporting cast does well. Brisson returned for Hitchcock's next (and last) silent "The Manxman"; in both films, he outshines his arguably more "romantic" male rival. Note that dark-colored shorts are clearly worn in a scene Hitchcock is obviously setting up as Brisson's "nude" scene. And, watch for comic-relief trainer Gordon Harker (after picking his nose) to give "the finger" during the wedding, after being asked for the time.****** The Ring (10//1/27) Alfred Hitchcock ~ Carl Brisson, Lillian Hall-Davis, Ian Hunter, Gordon Harker