Lost in Translation: odd classic film titles in Portuguese - Hitchcock edition

 

August is a very Hitchcockian month. It marks Alfred Hitchcock’s birthday- on August 13th - and also the birthday of his wife and constant collaborator, Alma Reville - on August 14th. They were both born in 1899, which means that Alfred was only one day older than Alma!

I’ve written about Hitchcock’s life and work in several occasions over the years - I even wrote the opening article for a book about the Master of Suspense. He may not be my all-time favorite director - the soft spot in my heart belongs to my almost alter-ego Orson Welles - but, like many cinephiles and most classic film fans, I hold Hitchcock dearly. Now let’s take a look at how the titles of his movies were translated to Portuguese! As always, the titles not mentioned here were translated verbatim.

 

“Downhill” (1927) became “Decadence” (“Decadência”)

 

“Easy Virtue” (1927) is here “Public Woman” (“Mulher Pública”)

 

“The Manxman” (1929) received the title “Between the Law and the Heart” (“Entre a Lei e o Coração”)

 

“Blackmail” (1929) is known as “Blackmail and Confession” (“Chantagem e Confissão”)

 

“The Skin Game” (1931) became “Dirty Game” (“Jogo Sujo”)

 

“Number 17” (1932) is here “The Mystery of Number 17” (“O Mistério do N° 17”)

 

“Sabotage” (1936) received, on the original release, the title…. “The Husband was Guilty” (“O Marido era o Culpado”)

 

“The Lady Vanishes” (1938) is known as “The Hidden Woman” (“A Mulher Oculta”)

“Jamaica Inn” (1939) became “The Damned Inn” (“A Estalagem Maldita”)

 

“Rebecca” (1940), Hitchcock’s first Hollywood movie, received here a subtitle: “Rebecca, the Unforgettable Woman” (“Rebecca, a Mulher Inesquecível”)

 

“Mr and Mrs Smith” (1941) got a slang as a title that can be translated as “A Naughty Couple” (“Um Casal do Barulho”)

 

“Lifeboat” (1944) is known as “One Boat and Nine Destinies” (“Um Barco e Nove Destinos”)

 

“Spellbound” (1945) became “When the Heart Talks” (“Quando Fala o Coração”)

 

“Notorious” (1946) received the title “Interlude” (“Interlúdio”)

 

“The Paradine Case” (1947) is here “Love Agony” (Agonia de Amor”)

 

“Rope” (1948) is known as “Diabolical Feast” (“Festim Diabólico”)

 

“Stage Fright” (1950) got the title “Terror Backstage” (“Pavor nos Bastidores”)

 

“Strangers on a Train” (1951), my favorite Hitchcock movie, is here “Sinister Pact” (“Pacto Sinistro”)

 

“I Confess” (1953), became “The Torture of Silence” (“A Tortura do Silêncio”)

 

“Rear Window” (1954), is known here as “Indiscreet Window” (“Janela Indiscreta”)

“To Catch a Thief” (1955) received the title “White Collar Thief” (“Ladrão de Casaca”)

 

“The Trouble with Harry” (1955) is here “The Third Shot” (“O Terceiro Tiro”)

 

The masterpiece “Vertigo” (1958) received the title “A Body that Falls” (“Um Corpo que Cai”)

 

“North by Northwest” (1959) is known here as “International Intrigue” (“Intriga Internacional”)

 

“Psycho” is here “Psychosis” (“Psicose”)

 

“Marnie” (1964) also received a subtitle: “Marnie, Confessions of a Thief” (“Marnie, Confissões de uma Ladra”)

 

“Family Plot” (1976), Hitchcock’s final movie, is known as “Macabre Plot” (“Trama Macabra”)