Good Evening.
Alfred Hitchcock is “Notorious” for his classic suspense and horror films and, as we’ve found out this year in the HBO film “The Girl”, his obsession with his leading ladies. But it turns-out the real leading lady in Hitchcock’s life was his wife Alma. And that, and much more, is explored in-depth in one of the most charming films of 2012: “Hitchcock”.
Just as “Lincoln” is not a bio-pic of President Abraham Lincoln, “Hitchcock” only focuses on one important slice of the director’s incredible career. The movie begins in 1959, just after “North by Northwest” was released to critical and box office success. Hitchcock (played to perfection by Anthony Hopkins) still has one more film left on his contract with Paramount. But he doesn’t want to make another suspense thriller. A book catches his eye that he wants to make instead: “Psycho”. He believes that he can turn that novel into a big screen hit.
Others, however, don’t agree, including the studio execs and his wife Alma (Helen Mirren). She’s been by his side for 30 years, assisting him on all his projects – from re-writing scripts to editing final cuts. Paramount thinks “Psycho” will be an embarrassing failure and the studio refuses to give Hitch the budget to make the movie. So he and Alma decide to put-up the money themselves, gambling their home and financial futures on the film. We get some amusing scenes involving Hitchcock choosing Janet Leigh (played by Scarlett Johansson) and Anthony Perkins for the lead roles. The rest of the film involves the behind-the-scenes struggles of the making of “Psycho”, both on and off the set.
First and foremost “Hitchcock” is a lot of fun. It’s a movie about the making of movies, and when those are done well, as is this case here, they’re highly entertaining. Even diehard “Psycho” fans will likely learn a thing or two they never knew about the movie. Credit to writer John J. McLaughlin for his clever script, which is based on the book “Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho” by Stephen Rebello.
As for the performances – Hopkins is simply terrific. The moment you see him on screen (in an appropriate introduction) Hopkins is Hitchcock. And not just the look – the voice and mannerisms are spot-on, without being over-the-top. And the screenplay allows Hopkins to show all sides of this fascinating figure: his obsessions (including with food – boy, did he love to eat!), his famous sense of humor and his need to be successful. Mirren is equally strong as Alma, who has her own issues. This performance nabbed her an Oscar nomination. Johansson is a good choice as Leigh, and Jessica Biel and Toni Collette are also solid in their supporting roles.
My one slight problem with the film is a subplot involving Alma and a writer named Whit (played by Danny Huston). He has a book he wants Hitchcock to read, and tries to go through Alma to get to Hitch, since the two had worked together on projects in the past. This causes Hitchcock to become suspicious that his wife is having an affair. This attempt to adds some intrigue to story is a little overdone and predictable.
“Hitchcock” has a nice balance of light and dark moments, but never takes itself too seriously. First-time feature film director Sacha Gervasi delivers an appealing and engaging profile that I didn’t want to see end (but it does go out on a high note).
“Hitchcock” is rated PG-13 for some violent images (including the shower scene) and adult content. It’s appropriate for teens and up. It was shot in only 6-weeks and rushed into theaters in time for awards consideration. And while it’s not quite Best Picture worthy, watching it was one of the most enjoyable times I had at a theater in years.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “Hitchcock” gets a B+.