Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock (1899 - 1980)

Introduction

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock is arguably one of the most famous British film directors of all time. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in his native Britain, in both silent films and early “talkies”, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood. In 1956 he became an American citizen, while remaining a British subject.

Hitchcock had his first go at being a film director in 1923 when he was to direct the film "The Number 13", though the production was stopped. Hitchcock didn't give up then. He directed a film called "The Pleasure Garden" in 1925, which was very popular. In 1926, Hitchcock made his first trademark film, "The Lodger" and from then on his career just kept on getting better and better.

Hitchcock's early, films during the 1940s were very diverse, ranging from the romantic comedy “Mr and Mrs Smith” (1941) to the courtroom drama “The Paradine Case” (1947), to the dark and disturbing “Shadow of a Doubt” (1943). However, it was after Saboteur (1942) was made, that films companies began to call his films after him; such as Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock's Family Plot, Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy.

Mr and Mrs Smith

Mr and Mrs Smith is a romantic comedy, directed by Sir Alfred Hitchcock in 1941.

New York sophisticates David and Ann Smith have been lovingly and passionately married for three years, or so they believed. They are told individually that due to a technicality, their wedding was not legal, and as such they are not really married. Despite David saying earlier in the day that if he had to do his life all over again that he would not have married her (even though he loves her), it is Ann that decides not to marry David this second time around due to an action, or in reality inaction, by David in reaction to the news of their marriage being invalid. While Ann goes about her life as a supposedly single woman (which includes calling herself Ann Krausheimer), David does whatever he can to win Ann back. But winning Ann's hand may be difficult as part of Ann's new life is dating other men.

Psycho

Probably one of Hitchcock's most famous films. The film could be classed as a drama, horror, mystery or thriller film. It was filmed in 1960 as an adaptation of a book of the same name by Robert Bloch.

Marion Crane is fed up with the way life has treated her. She has to meet her lover Sam in lunch breaks and they cannot get married because Sam has to give most of his money away to his ex wife. One Friday Marion is trusted to bank $40,000 by her employer. Seeing the opportunity to take the money and start a new life, Marion leaves town and heads towards Sam's California store. Tired after the long drive and caught in a storm, she gets off the main highway and pulls into The Bates Motel. The motel is managed by a quiet young man called Norman who seems to be dominated by his mother. Marion however, is murdered in the famous shower scene and the audience set out to find who the murderer was.

Vertigo

This film is a great example of the darkness in Alfred Hitchcock's films. It was filmed in 1958 and is a psychological thriller.

John "Scottie" Ferguson is a retired San Francisco police detective who suffers from acrophobia and Madeleine is the lady who leads him to high places. A wealthy shipbuilder who is an acquaintance from college days approaches Scottie and asks him to follow his beautiful wife, Madeleine. He fears she is going insane, maybe even contemplating suicide, because she believes she is possessed by a dead ancestor. Scottie is skeptical, but agrees after he sees the beautiful Madeleine. All the while he is becoming dangerously obsessed with her.