Alfred Hitchcock: The Renowned Auteur
July 1, 2010
Alfred Hitchcock is best known as the director of films like The Birds, Vertigo, Rear Window and of course, Psycho. The scene in which Anthony Perkins tears off the shower curtain rods and ends Janet Leigh’s run from the police, leaving her in an identical state to the fabric shower curtain, is one of the most well-known in cinema history. This article will talk a little about the career of this director, and why his movies are loved still today.
Hitchcock began his career making silent films in Britain. These were, for the most part, rather ordinary pictures and are only seen today due to his fame. It wasn’t until his movie “The Lady Vanishes” was released that he began to get attention for his ability to tell stories in an effective manner. His British period also contained, “The 39 Steps” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much”, a film which was later remade, starring James Steward and Doris Day.
From the success of these pictures, Hitchcock was hired by mega-producer David O. Selznick, the Harvey Weinstien of his era, to come to America and make movies for Hollywood. His first film in the US, Rebecca, did little at the box office, but soon he was making films like Strangers on a Train, Shadow of a Doubt and To Catch a Thief.
Hitchcock had something most directors aren’t fortunate enough to achieve. Due to the distinctive nature of his films and the TV show he created, he became a household name, and his face is instantly recognizable among those over a certain age. This kind of popularity came with a price, however, as he was seen by many critics to be a “populist” director rather than a creator of art films. For example, he was never awarded an Academy Award for directing. This view of his work could not be more different from the esteem it’s currently held in by cinephiles around the world. However, some such as Ray Carney and David Thomson point out that Hitchcock’s movies have a certain level of hollowness to them. While they’re certainly very exciting and emotionally manipulating pictures, this manipulation also has a negative quality, and perhaps points to the social awkwardness Hitchcock experienced.
Hitchcock’s later pictures are thought of as not being as effective as his earlier hits. As he grew older, his manners became stranger, and it’s widely assumed that at one point he propositioned Tippi Hendren, the lead actress The Birds and Marnie who Hitchcock found on a television commercial. While Hendren has the look of a leading lady, there can be little doubt she was not at the high level of most great actors.
But this was never Hitchcock’s worry. He has notoriously been quoted as stating that actors should be treated as cattle, and arranges his movies out before shooting even begins on his films. This level of unwavering control is the reason his films are so popular and virtuosic, but maybe also show the reason why there are those who find the films to be emotionally hollow.
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