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Hitchcock

"Behind every Psycho is a great woman."

2012-11-22 Drama 1hr 38m

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.

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Storyline

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.

  • Released
    2012-11-22
  • Revenue
    $23,570,541
  • Budget
    $15,700,000
  • Runtime
    1hr 38m
  • Genre
    Drama
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    6.8
  • Production
    Cold Spring Pictures, The Montecito Picture Company

Crew

Sacha Gervasi
Director
John J. McLaughlin
Screenplay
Alan Barnette
Producer
Keywords:
husband wife relationship movie business biography hollywood psycho movie set

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Cast

Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins
Alfred Hitchcock
Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren
Alma Reville
Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson
Janet Leigh
Danny Huston

Danny Huston
Whitfield Cook
Toni Collette

Toni Collette
Peggy Robertson
Michael Stuhlbarg

Michael Stuhlbarg
Lew Wasserman
Michael Wincott

Michael Wincott
Ed Gein
Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel
Vera Miles
James D'Arcy

James D'Arcy
Anthony Perkins
Richard Portnow

Richard Portnow
Barney Balaban
Kurtwood Smith

Kurtwood Smith
Geoffrey Shurlock
Ralph Macchio

Ralph Macchio
Joseph Stefano
Kai Lennox

Kai Lennox
Hilton Green
Tara Summers

Tara Summers
Rita Riggs
Wallace Langham

Wallace Langham
Saul Bass
Paul Shackman

Paul Shackman
Bernard Herrmann
Currie Graham

Currie Graham
PR Flack
Spencer Garrett

Spencer Garrett
George Tomasini
Terry Rhoads

Terry Rhoads
Jack Russell
Tom Virtue

Tom Virtue
NY Theater Manager
Karina Deyko

Karina Deyko
Pretty Secretary
Steven Lee Allen

Steven Lee Allen
Crew Member
Richard Chassler

Richard Chassler
Martin Balsam
Frank Collison

Frank Collison
Henry Gein
Melinda Chilton

Melinda Chilton
Margo (Perkins' Double)
Mary Anne McGarry

Mary Anne McGarry
Hedda Hopper Type
Jon Abrahams

Jon Abrahams
Reporter #1
Gil McKinney

Gil McKinney
Reporter #2
Emma Jacobs

Emma Jacobs
Blonde Fan
Spencer Leigh

Spencer Leigh
Nunzio
Sean MacPherson

Sean MacPherson
Waiter
Gerald V. Casale

Gerald V. Casale
David Kirkpatrick
Tara Arroyave

Tara Arroyave
Woman Waiting in Line
Josh Yeo

Josh Yeo
John Gavin
Judith Hoag

Judith Hoag
Lillian
Danielle Burgio

Danielle Burgio
Dead Woman in Tub
John Lacy

John Lacy
First Guard
Howard Gibson

Howard Gibson
Party Guest
Josette Prevost

Josette Prevost
Party Guest
Lauren Stewart

Lauren Stewart
Party Guest
Jaehne Moebius

Jaehne Moebius
Party Guest
Ana Matallana

Ana Matallana
Female Prop Assistant
Lindsey Ginter

Lindsey Ginter
Male Prop Master
Brett Chapin

Brett Chapin
Hitchcock Fan
Paul Henderson

Paul Henderson
Beach Walker
Kay Henderson

Kay Henderson
Beach Walker
Lisa Marie Boiko

Lisa Marie Boiko
Film Crew
Richard Burns

Richard Burns
Film Crew
Meredith Claire

Meredith Claire
Film Crew
Alexia DuBasso

Alexia DuBasso
Film Crew
Jonn Faircrest

Jonn Faircrest
Film Crew
Gina Fricchione

Gina Fricchione
Film Crew
James R. Gavio

James R. Gavio
Film Crew
James Henderson

James Henderson
Film Crew
Bruce Holman

Bruce Holman
Film Crew
Dion W.H. Holt

Dion W.H. Holt
Film Crew
Jeremiah Hundley

Jeremiah Hundley
Film Crew
Michael Kurtz

Michael Kurtz
Film Crew
Joseph Martino

Joseph Martino
Film Crew
Jeremy S. Miles

Jeremy S. Miles
Film Crew
Jon Renfield

Jon Renfield
Film Crew
Linda Sans

Linda Sans
Film Crew
James Tappan

James Tappan
Film Crew
Jon Thibault

Jon Thibault
Film Crew
Sebastian Vale

Sebastian Vale
Film Crew
Jason Wingo

Jason Wingo
Film Crew
Cynthia Youngblood

Cynthia Youngblood
Film Crew
Bill Blair

Bill Blair
Premier Theatre Guest (uncredited)

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Movie Reviews

Reviews for Hitchcock
reviewer avatar

A Review by FarSky

Written by FarSky on 2013-07-21

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, ... read more

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.

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by Matt Golden

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 ...

reviewer avatar

A Review by FarSky

Written by FarSky on 2013-07-21

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 Psych...

read more