Notorious (1946)
This is a stunning original one sheet poster for Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious, one of the director’s greatest works of suspense and romance. Released in 1946 by RKO, this poster features exquisite artwork of stars Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman in a moment of intimate tension, framed by the silhouette of a man’s profile—a brilliant visual metaphor for the film’s themes of espionage, surveillance, and psychological manipulation.
This vintage poster is not only a beautiful example of 1940s design and studio marketing, but a true piece of film history. Posters from the original release are increasingly rare, particularly in this condition, and Notorious remains one of the most critically revered titles in Hitchcock’s filmography.
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Cultural Significance and Cinematic Impact
Released just after World War II, Notorious was a daring blend of romance, suspense, and political intrigue. It told the story of Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), the daughter of a convicted Nazi, who is enlisted by American intelligence to infiltrate a Nazi cell in Brazil—with Cary Grant as her handler and lover, and Claude Rains as her dangerously possessive target.
Hitchcock pushed emotional and moral boundaries with this film. The famous kissing scene—lasting over two and a half minutes through clever editing to bypass the Hays Code—was revolutionary in its intimacy and tension. The film’s iconic crane shot from a grand staircase down to a key in Bergman’s hand remains one of the most studied shots in cinematic history.
Written by Ben Hecht and directed with cool precision, Notorious was one of Hitchcock’s most politically charged works. It marked a maturation of his themes: guilt, sacrifice, trust, and the terrifying thinness of the line between love and control.
Critically acclaimed then and now, Notorious helped elevate Hitchcock from a genre director to a true auteur and influenced everything from Cold War thrillers to modern spy films like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Mission: Impossible.
- Year: 1946
- Nationality: United States
- Condition: Linen-Backed
- Type: Original US One Sheet
- Size: 27 X 41 Inches
- Product Code: T5998
