[8]

Anthony Hopkins plays filmdom’s master of suspense in this movie that chronicles the director’s relationship with his wife, Alma, played by none other than Helen Mirren, during the making of Psycho. It should come as no surprise that Hopkins and Mirren are terrific. Hopkins’ best moment comes when Mirren asks him why Psycho is to be the next film, why when Hollywood decries it a folly and everyone’s saying it’s in poor taste, why when the studio won’t finance it and they have to mortgage their house to pay for it themselves. He tells her its because making movies was never more fun or rewarding than when they used to take chances. Hopkins gets a little choked up explaining himself, and Mirren gets it right away. Mirren gets an even bigger chance to shine when Hitch tries to put Alma in her place for seeing another filmmaker behind his back. Alma asks how dare Hitch give her crap for working with anyone else, when all she’s done is script doctor, produce, and edit Hitchcock’s films for three decades — and for no recognition whatsoever. And this gets to the crux of Hitch’s character arc in this biopic of sorts — he comes to recognize the importance of Alma to his, or rather their, career.

In addition to watching two great actors bring two great characters to life, you also get to see a recreation of the making of one of horror’s greatest gems, including a re-enactment of the famous shower scene. Hitch doesn’t like the way the knife is coming down on poor Janet Leigh (Scarlet Johansson), so he takes it himself and really terrorizes her with it while the camera is rolling. Johansson, along with Jessica Biel (as Vera Miles) work together to depict Hitchcock’s obsessive and unhealthy relationship with his ubiquitous blonde leading ladies, another complication in his relationship with Alma. Interactions with actor Anthony Perkins (James D’Arcy) and composer Bernard Herrmann (Paul Schackman) are also included, but Hitch’s juiciest encounters are with the president of the censor board (played by Kurtwood Smith), Paramount Pictures studio head Barney Balaban (Richard Portnow), and in the film’s most ghoulish thread, notorious serial killer (and Psycho inspiration) Ed Gein (Michael Wincott), with whom Hitch has several imaginary conversations throughout the movie. With all these narrative elements, plus music by Danny Elfman, Hitchcock is anything but another dry biopic. And it’s especially fun if you’re a fan of watching how movies are made, both creatively and politically.

Oscar Nomination: Best Makeup