Originally made in its entirety as a silent film, Blackmail was in part dubbed and in part re-shot to become Hitchcock's--and Britain's--first sound film. As might be expected, Hitchcock not only overcame the difficulties of the situation, but triumphed over them; taking advantage of postsynchronized sound used over images shot as silent, he effected a use of sound that was far ahead of its time. A thriller that utilizes the streets and small back rooms of 1929 London to great advantage--climaxing in a chase through the British Museum--Blackmail stars Czech actress Anny Ondra (voice dubbed by Joan Barry) as a woman who murders an artist (Cyril Ritchard) in self defense, and then becomes the target of a blackmailer. Hitchcock describes his expressive use of sound in one scene from Blackmail: “After the girl has killed the painter, there is a scene showing a breakfast, with her family seated around the table. One of the neighbors is discussing the (knifing) murder.... And the talk goes on and on, becoming a confusion of vague noises to which the girl no longer listens. Except for the one word, ‘Knife, knife,' which is said over and over again and becomes fainter and fainter. Then suddenly, she hears her father's, normal, loud voice, ‘Alice, please pass me the bread knife'....” (in Truffaut's Hitchcock)