Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Hitchcock’

Written by Scott Edwards

​Finding that perfect project, especially for someone in the movie industry has to be painstaking. Needing to find that story that will capture people’s imagination, along with getting them into the theater for the opening weekend has to be stressful. Needing to make sure that the cast is right, the story is strong and that the ending will leave everyone in awe could make even the most talented folks shutter and fold.

Alfred Hitchcock has done well for himself but is approaching the age of sixty and starting to succumb to the industry standard that it is time for retirement. Not wanting to hang up his director's slate just yet, he is looking for a way to make his next film even better than his recent release of North by Northwest. With studios sending him scripts left and right, Hitch is not feeling any of the stories coming into his office and needs something that will wow the audience once again.

When reading the newspaper, Hitch discovers a little-known book called Psycho that is getting terrible reviews, not for the writing, but for its disgusting content. This piques the old director’s interest, and he decides to read it and gather his own opinion. With his wife trying to point him in a non-thriller direction, Hitch has fallen in love with the novel and will do everything in his power to get the movie made. With no studio willing to back this project, Hitch is forced to put up his own money and will only make it back if the movie plays well. 

Believing in his vision, Hitch is able to get the movie cast with America’s boy and girl next store, Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh who seem to understand what he is wanting. Although everyone is concerned about nudity in the shower scene, Hitch is convinced that it will need to stay in the film, and he will do it as tastefully as possible. As his feelings for this movie get stronger and stronger, Hitch starts to have dreams about Ed Gein, whom Psycho was loosely written about. Following what Gein tells him and starting to discover that his wife is no longer on his side when it comes to being married, Hitch’s world starts to crumble and he needs to make sure that his movie will do what it is intended to do, scare people.

More of a biography about Alfred Hitchcock’s life than an overall movie and this is just fine for me. I have been a fan of his television show for many years and love his movies and watch them whenever I see them on. Trying to see what is actually happening in Hitchcock’s mind should have been more disturbing than what was put on the screen but wanting to focus more on his relationship with his wife and the troubles they have gone through together makes you gain just that much more respect for the icon. With great acting from the key players, along with the disgust that some of the film industry has thrust upon him, this is a great look at the inner workings of how movies were made against what the studios wanted in the 1950s. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Happy Viewing.

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