By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.2 cats
Director: Sacha Gervasi
Starring: Anthony Hopkins | Danny Huston | Helen Mirren | James D'Arcy | Jessica Biel | Michael Stuhlbarg | Michael Wincott | Scarlett Johansson | Toni Collette
Country: united_states
Year: 2012
Running time: 98
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0975645/
Julie says: “What bad things can you say about a movie with Helen Mirren and Anthony Hopkins ? Well worth seeing for their acting alone. Scarlet Johansson did a nice job as did the guy who played Anthony Perkins (James D’Arcy). Even Jessica Biel did well with her tiny part. I didn’t realize the woman who played Peggy was someone I’d followed quite closely in the past. Unrecognizable! 3.95 cats”
Thom says: “This had such an impressive cast that I was almost won over but too many off-focus elements slowed the over-all general fun down. Everyone knows that Hitch loved blondes so that was dealt with sporadically but the period covered here was the making of PSYCHO and the troubles that followed the production. While NORTH BY NORTHWEST had been a hit VERTIGO (now considered a classic) had been a flop & Paramount thought PSYCHO was a terrible choice for him to film and he had to largely finance the film on his own. While Johansson & Biel never properly channel Janet Leigh and Vera Miles, D’Arcy gives a whiff of what a full-on Anthony Perkins might be like and Hopkins is a perfect Hitchcock, a right-on portrayal (I can’t wait to see Toby Jones as Hitch in HBO drama THE GIRL). Mirren has the luck to play a real life character that the average person knows little about so she’s fine as well. Collette has little to do as Hitchcock’s secretary Peggy Robertson. The problem lies in having Alma Reville (Mirren as Hitchcock’s wife and collaborator) pursuing a working relationship with an old friend (fictional) that drives Hitchcock into a jealous frenzy. It doesn’t make any sense and detracts from the fascinating PSYCHO production. And while the film’s name is HITCHCOCK, because the story surrounds PSYCHO I wish the film had spent more time with the Anthony Perkins character because without Perkins there would have been no PSYCHO. Plus PSYCHO certainly transformed Perkin’s career. 3.5 cats”
Peter says: “After seeing HITCHCOCK, I visited the library and borrowed the Stephen Rebello book from which the movie was based, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho. There was such a wealth of fascinating information about Hitch and
getting PSYCHO made that there was no need to concoct a running theme of some purported jealousy Hitchcock had about Alma and Whitfield Cook. Much more attention given to the making of PSYCHO and to its stars, which is the focus of the book, would have made this a much better film. I thought Helen Mirren was miscast as Alma. Imelda Staunton who starred as Alma in the HBO film with Toby Jones represented a much more realistic Alma. Although she was a major influence on her husband’s work, she did not suggest that the Leigh character be killed off after 30 minutes into the film. Mary (Marion) Crane had been killed off in Bloch’s novel in the first third of the book, and Stefano’s screenplay incorporated that into his script.
“In fact, there is a legal furor brewing now between Stefano’s widow and the HITCHCOCK film makers over Alma’s getting credit for parts of Sefano’s screenplay in the movie. Mrs. Stefano asserts the screenplay was strictly a Stefano work after consultation with Hitchcock. In the Rebello book published in 1990, there is no mention of Alma having any influence on the screenplay itself or directing a scene while Hitchcock was sick, and there is no mention whatever of any purported jealousies between her and Hitch dealing with Cook. However, she did catch Marion’s blink or swallow at the end of the shower scene, and she did support Hermann who wanted what would become his iconic string music during the stabbing.
“After reading Rebello’s engrossing book, I would not give HITCHCOCK more than 2 cats. There was no need to distort history to such an iconic piece of film making. The information solely in the book would have made a great film.”
Julie responds: “And I do agree with your in that I don’t know why people change history when it’s not necessary – I don’t like it when they change things – I’d like to see the reality and you’re right that I’m sure they could have made the reality interesting – it would have taken more effort I suspect.”
Toni says: “I take the film for what it is as a well made fictional biopic and really enjoyed it and took liberties for emotional
impact.
“I loved Helen Mirren as Alma and Hopkins as Hitchcock.”
Peter responds: “I’d be curious to hear somebody weigh in on this film who has read the book. Before I read Rebello’s seminal and critically acclaimed work , I also thought HITCHCOCK was rather entertaining. Wow, I didn’t know Joseph Stefano’s screenplay was not up to standard, and Alma had to rewrite parts of it! FALSE, and it degrades Mr. Stefano’s contribution to the success of PSYCHO just to enhance Alma’s influence on her husband’s work. I didn’t know Hitchcock was jealous of Alma’s relationship with Whitfield Cook, and that an affair almost happened! FALSE.
“Now, I am not averse to ‘amending’ facts to enhance dramatic appeal, but it was unnecessary for this film. The book could certainly have been adapted into a solidly entertaining film just from what was within the pages with the plentiful insights of intrigue and eccentricities about Hitchcock, the cast, the crew members, and even his daughter, Patricia, who raised some eyebrows while appearing in PSYCHO. No mention whatever was made of her in the film. Although there were certainly facts from the book incorporated, HITCHCOCK was particularly disingenuous to such an iconic film and its participants.”
Kate responds: “I’d love to know Patricia Hitchcock’s reaction to the film. Is she included in the acknowledgments for the book (or in the film credits) as a source? I have always adored her performances in her father’s films (and in various episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents), she published/co-wrote a biography of her mother about 10 years ago, and it might be assumed she had direct access to most of the principle players in the production of PSYCHO.”