Drama

Hitchcock

- Behind every Psycho is a great woman.

Following his great success with "North by Northwest," director Alfred Hitchcock makes a daring choice for his next project: an adaptation of Robert Bloch's novel "Psycho." When the studio refuses to back the picture, Hitchcock decides to pay for it himself in exchange for a percentage of the profits. His wife, Alma Reville, has serious reservations about the film but supports him nonetheless. Still, the production strains the couple's marriage.

Release Date : 2012-11-22

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Cold Spring PicturesThe Montecito Picture Company

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho

Cast

Character Name : Alfred Hitchcock

Original Name : Anthony Hopkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Alma Reville

Original Name : Helen Mirren

Gender : Female

Character Name : Janet Leigh

Original Name : Scarlett Johansson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Whitfield Cook

Original Name : Danny Huston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Peggy Robertson

Original Name : Toni Collette

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lew Wasserman

Original Name : Michael Stuhlbarg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ed Gein

Original Name : Michael Wincott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vera Miles

Original Name : Jessica Biel

Gender : Female

Character Name : Anthony Perkins

Original Name : James D'Arcy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barney Balaban

Original Name : Richard Portnow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Geoffrey Shurlock

Original Name : Kurtwood Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joseph Stefano

Original Name : Ralph Macchio

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hilton Green

Original Name : Kai Lennox

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rita Riggs

Original Name : Tara Summers

Gender : Female

Character Name : Saul Bass

Original Name : Wallace Langham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bernard Herrmann

Original Name : Paul Shackman

Gender : Male

Character Name : PR Flack

Original Name : Currie Graham

Gender : Male

Character Name : George Tomasini

Original Name : Spencer Garrett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jack Russell

Original Name : Terry Rhoads

Gender : Male

Character Name : NY Theater Manager

Original Name : Tom Virtue

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pretty Secretary

Original Name : Karina Deyko

Gender : Male

Character Name : Crew Member

Original Name : Steven Lee Allen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Martin Balsam

Original Name : Richard Chassler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henry Gein

Original Name : Frank Collison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Margo (Perkins' Double)

Original Name : Melinda Chilton

Gender : Female

Character Name : Hedda Hopper Type

Original Name : Mary Anne McGarry

Gender : Female

Character Name : Reporter #1

Original Name : Jon Abrahams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter #2

Original Name : Gil McKinney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Blonde Fan

Original Name : Emma Jacobs

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nunzio

Original Name : Spencer Leigh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Sean MacPherson

Gender : Male

Character Name : David Kirkpatrick

Original Name : Gerald V. Casale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman Waiting in Line

Original Name : Tara Arroyave

Gender : Female

Character Name : John Gavin

Original Name : Josh Yeo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lillian

Original Name : Judith Hoag

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dead Woman in Tub

Original Name : Danielle Burgio

Gender : Female

Character Name : First Guard

Original Name : John Lacy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Party Guest

Original Name : Howard Gibson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Party Guest

Original Name : Josette Prevost

Gender : Male

Character Name : Party Guest

Original Name : Lauren Stewart

Gender : Female

Character Name : Party Guest

Original Name : Jaehne Moebius

Gender : Female

Character Name : Female Prop Assistant

Original Name : Ana Matallana

Gender : Male

Character Name : Male Prop Master

Original Name : Lindsey Ginter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hitchcock Fan

Original Name : Brett Chapin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beach Walker

Original Name : Paul Henderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beach Walker

Original Name : Kay Henderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Lisa Marie Boiko

Gender : Female

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Richard Burns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Meredith Claire

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Alexia DuBasso

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Jonn Faircrest

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Gina Fricchione

Gender : Female

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : James R. Gavio

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : James Henderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Bruce Holman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Dion W.H. Holt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Jeremiah Hundley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Michael Kurtz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Joseph Martino

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Jeremy S. Miles

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Jon Renfield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Linda Sans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : James Tappan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Jon Thibault

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Sebastian Vale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Jason Wingo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Film Crew

Original Name : Cynthia Youngblood

Gender : Female

Character Name : Premier Theatre Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Bill Blair

Gender : Male

Reviews

Matt Golden

@FarSky

2021-06-23

Good evening. Our film tonight is about a man obsessed with murder. It is a tale of violence, of lies and deceit, of envy and greed. It is, naturally, a love story. In the year 1960, the film Psycho burst onto theatre screens, beginning one of the greatest decades of change in American cinema with shrieking violins and a blood-curdling scream. The man behind the movie, director extraordinaire Alfred Hitchcock, was as much a public figure as his leading ladies and men. He managed to thrust the unsuspecting (and unprepared) public into violence and perversion that was (at the time) beyond the pale, unlike anything they'd ever seen before in a film. And they came out loving it. Wanting more. So who was the man who pulled it off? What secrets lay inside the unique mind of one of the greatest directors of all time? "Let's get the director of Anvil! The Story of Anvil to answer that question!" said...someone, apparently. That's not a knock, mind. Director Sacha Gervasi acquits himself well in this behind-the-scenes story of the making of one of the greatest films of all time. The thing is...it's not, really. Hitchcock might more accurately be titled Hitchcocks, pluralizing the name for the inclusion of one Alma Reville, Hitchcock's wife and creative partner. With the making of Psycho a backdrop, Gervasi chronicles the painful, often tumultuous, but ultimately rewarding relationship between the two British emigrants. Hitchcock was a notoriously difficult chap with which to work, his sheer talent manifesting itself in exacting, often confusingly obtuse direction of his creative staff. Alma's talent matched the great director's, and she was his lifelong editor, script doctor, confidante, and advisor. Here, the lead roles are played by Sir Anthony Hopkins and Dame Helen Mirren, with the cast of Psycho filled out by Scarlett Johansson (leading lady Janet Leigh), James D'Arcy (mama's boy Anthony Perkins), and Jessica Biel (spurned starlet Vera Miles). The actors all apply themselves whole-heartedly, particularly two: Johansson gives a fantastic performance capturing Janet Leigh's class, warmth, and intelligence, while the other supporting standout, James D'Arcy, perfectly embodies the bundle of nervous energy that was Anthony Perkins. Danny Huston, as a screenwriter and potential wooer of the neglected Alma, turns in the film's only bad performance; he seems to be trying to play to the cheap seats, as though he just wandered in from a film actually made in 1960. It's a performance that clashes mightily with the naturalistic acting on display everywhere else in the film, and doesn't work at all. But this is Hopkins' and Mirren's show, and they make their roles sing, obviously enjoying playing two of England's favored children. Hopkins is slathered with gobs of makeup and rolls of fat to approximate Hitchcock's unique physique, and while his voice is different, his mimicry of Hitch's signature elocution (combined with the way he embodies the movement of a large man) make him a dead ringer, superficially. But it's his performance as a man, not a historical figure, that sells it. His Hitchcock retains the original's mordant humor and droll aloofness, but infuses a real human being who could easily be mistaken for a character with genuine pathos and fragility. Mirren seems to relish her role as the wind beneath Hitchcock's wings, exuding strength from her eyes as she steels up for any fight that comes, be it from meddling executives or her husband. Their electric interactions are the pulse that keeps Hitchcock alive and vibrant. The film itself is largely well-crafted, though the subplot with Whitfield Cook (Houston) attempting to court Alma doesn't seem necessary or even handled very well. There's also an oddity to scenes where Hitchcock is haunted by Ed Gein (Michael Wincott), the murderer used by Robert Bloch as inspiration for the original novel Psycho, but this worked as a strange sort of dramatization of the creative process; anyone who's lived with a work in their head knows that the characters in it are rarely silent. That's largely indicative of this confection of a film as a whole: it's messy and a little odd, but immensely enjoyable. It trundles along at its own pace, in a structured-but-not-really sort of way. Many of the technicals are handsomely mounted (particularly the cinematography by The Social Network's Jeff Cronenweth, and the art and set direction), though it's not flawless. The editing in particular is weak, and when you're making a film about two of the greatest frame-cutters of all time, you'd be best served to bring your A game. But by the time the credits roll, you'll be glad to have spent time with these folks.