FILM REVIEW: Hitchcock

He is regarded as the "master of suspense" and one of the greatest film directors of the 20th century, but many people may only remember Alfred Hitchcock as the director of Psycho. This in spite of his previous films, Vertigo (recently crowned as the greatest film of all time), Rear Window and North by Northwest.

Hitchcock

Director: Sacha Gervasi

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Danny Huston, Toni Collette, Jessica Biel

Written by John J McLaughlin and based on a book by Stephen Rebello, Sacha Gervasi's film centres on the difficult relationship between Hitchcock (Hopkins) and his wife Alma Reville (Mirren) in 1959 during the making of Psycho. Based on a novel by Robert Bloch, which was in turn based on the story of killer Ed Gein, Psycho was a project so dear to Hitchcock's heart that he was willing to put his career and financial future on the line in order to get it made.

He understood that the world was on the edge of major change and young audiences were looking for new entertainment that was more risque and more in touch with their experiences.

Running parallel to the story of the struggle to make the film is the story of the director's long-suffering wife, who is tired of being sidelined and under-appreciated.

The two stories don't always gel and some of the script is a little uneven, but the film is held together by a strong cast and standout performances from Hopkins and Mirren .

While not a perfect mimicry of Hitchcock, Hopkins pulls off a complex and empathetic portrayal of a man often misunderstood. It will be interesting to compare his performance to that of Toby Jones, who plays Hitchcock in the recent HBO film The Girl, about the director's obsession with actress Tippi Hendren during the making of The Birds.

As a film about the difficulties of filmmaking, Hitchcock succeeds by engaging those looking for a good story full of twists, turns and unexpected surprises.