History Film / Hitchcock

* OedipusComplex: Noted by many male characters brought into the ''Psycho'' production.

The film's EnsembleCast is rounded out by Creator/ScarlettJohansson as Creator/JanetLeigh, Creator/JamesDArcy as Creator/AnthonyPerkins, Creator/JessicaBiel as Creator/VeraMiles, Creator/DannyHuston as the Hitchcocks' friend and previous contributor Whitfield Cook, Creator/MichaelWincott as real-life murderer Ed Gein (whose crimes inpired the Norman Bates character), Creator/RalphMacchio as screenwriter Joseph Stefano, Creator/MichaelStuhlbarg as talent agent Lew Wasserman, and Creator/ToniCollette as Hitchcock's script supervisor Peggy Robertson.

* FreezeFrameBonus: Discussed while editing the film as Alma notices a bit of nudity in a few frames of the shower scene.

* AdaptationDyeJob: Creator/VeraMiles was blonde in real life. She's played by brunette Jessica Biel - though she does wear a blonde wig on the set of the film.

The cast is rounded out by Creator/ScarlettJohansson as Creator/JanetLeigh, Creator/JessicaBiel as Creator/VeraMiles, Creator/JamesDArcy as Creator/AnthonyPerkins, Creator/DannyHuston as the Hitchcocks' friend and previous contributor Whitfield Cook, Creator/MichaelWincott as real-life murderer Ed Gein (whose crimes inpired the Norman Bates character), Creator/RalphMacchio as ''Psycho'' screenwriter Joseph Stefano, Creator/MichaelStuhlbarg as talent agent Lew Wasserman, and Creator/ToniCollette as Hitchcock's script supervisor Peggy Robertson.

->''"You shouldn't wait until half way through. Kill her after thirty minutes."''

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hitchcock_3.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[JustForPun Beware of the knife ones...]]]]

''Hitchcock'' is a 2012 biographical film by Sacha Gervasi about Creator/AlfredHitchcock, and stars Creator/AnthonyHopkins as the title role and Creator/HelenMirren as Hitchcock's wife Alma. The film revolves around the creation of one of Hitch's most prominent works, ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' from its inception as a titillating book he is reading to watching the first theater goers scream in fright at the infamous shower scene.

The film also deals with his relationship with his wife Alma, their struggles with each other and the occasionally petty jealousies that can drive them apart. The film shows their ability to work together to create great works, as well as their ability to work apart and create, not so great works.

The cast is rounded up by Creator/ScarlettJohansson as Creator/JanetLeigh, Creator/JessicaBiel as Creator/VeraMiles, Creator/JamesDArcy as Creator/AnthonyPerkins, Creator/DannyHuston as Hitchcock contributor Whitfield Cook, Creator/RalphMacchio as screenwriter Joseph Stefano, and Creator/ToniCollette as Hitchcock's script supervisor Peggy Robertson.

* AdaptationDisplacement: An unusually literal version in-universe, as Hitchcock tries to buy up every available copy of Robert Bloch's novel to avoid spoiling the ending.

-->'''Ed:''' You can't leave us, Henry. She needs us both.
-->'''Henry:''' Can you stop being a mama's boy for one second? ''[beat]'' I'm not trying to hurt you, but Jesus, you gotta live your own life sometime. That woman can take care of her own god-
-->''[Ed bludgeons Henry with a shovel]''
%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* MaleGaze: Janet Leigh is introduced walking into her meeting with Hitchcock at a restaurant, with the camera focusing on her curvy shape from behind as she [[SexyWalk sashays on her way]].

The cast is rounded up by Creator/ScarlettJohansson as Creator/JanetLeigh, Creator/JessicaBiel as Creator/VeraMiles, Creator/JamesDArcy as Creator/AnthonyPerkins, Creator/DannyHuston as Hitchcock contributor Whitfield Cook, Creator/RalphMacchio as screenplay writer Joseph Stefano, and Creator/ToniCollette as Hitchcock's script supervisor Peggy Robertson.

* AdaptedOut: Hitchcock and Alma's daughter Patricia, a heavy collaborator in her father's films who even had a small acting role in ''Psycho'' (and a more prominent acting role in ''Film/StrangersOnATrain''), is not featured or even mentioned at all.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: When filming is wrapped, Creator/JanetLeigh finds the the Mrs. Bates decayed corpse prop in her makeup chair. Janet's scream is heard, Hitchcock goes to her dressing room, then says, "I hope you don't mind. I told Mrs. Bates she could use your dressing room." Despite the fact that Janet looked displeased, rolling her eyes, she has little grin on her face as she closes the door.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Alfred Hitchcock put the Mrs. Bates decayed corpse prop in Creator/JanetLeigh's room. Janet's scream is heard, Hitchcock goes to her dressing room, then says, "I hope you don't mind. I told Mrs. Bates she could use your dressing room." Despite the fact that Janet looked displeased, rolling her eyes, she has little grin on her face as she closes the door.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Alfred Hitchcock put the Mrs. Bates decayed corpse prop in Creator/JanetLeigh's room. Janet's scream is heard, Hitchcock goes to her dressing room, then says, "I hope you don't mind. I told Mrs. Bates she could use your dressing room." Despite the fact that Janet looked displeased, rolling her eyes, she also fights to keep a grin off her face as she closes the door.

** A small one. The last scene of the movie implies (albeit [[PlayedForLaughs humorously]]) that making [[Film/TheBirds a horror movie about birds]] was a completely spontaneous idea that Hitchcock got after making ''Psycho'', when a bird perched on his shoulder. But as any Hitchcock fan will tell you, his [[AnimalMotifs obsession with birds]] was a well-known CreatorThumbprint that showed up all over his filmography--including ''Psycho''.[[labelnote:Specifically]] Among other things, Norman Bates is depicted as an amateur taxidermist with a vast collection of stuffed birds, he eats popcorn (i.e. ''seeds'') like a bird, the opening scene is set in '''Phoenix''', and the opening shot features the camera swooping and perching on a windowsill like a bird.[[/labelnote]]
** As Janet Leigh and Vera Miles were never filmed together in any scenes, only a few times were they ever in the studio on the same days, instead of what appears to be the entire period that Leigh was present and filmimg.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Alfred Hitchcock put the Mrs. Bates decayed corpse prop in Creator/JanetLeigh's room. Janet's scream is heard, Hitchcock goes to her dressing room door, then says, "Mrs. Bates asked if she could take a nap in your room. I told her that would be fine." Despite the fact that Janet looked displeased, rolling her eyes, she also fights to keep a grin off her face as she closes the door.

* MetaCasting: Scarlett Johansson has long been noted in fashion circles for her love of gowns and hairstyles inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood. So who better to cast as one of the stars of that era?

** A reference to Janet Leigh's work before ''Psycho'' is made when Vera Miles warns her of Hitchcock's tendencies and Leigh brushes it off with a "Still better than working for Welles." Leigh had previously worked for Creator/OrsonWelles in his film ''Film/TouchOfEvil''.

** A scene where Hitchcock is silhouetted on a door also references the series.

** A small one. The last scene of the movie implies (albeit [[PlayedForLaughs humorously]]) that making [[Film/TheBirds a horror movie about birds]] was a completely spontaneous idea that Hitchcock got after making ''Psycho'', when a bird perched on his shoulder. But as any Hitchcock fan will tell you, his [[AnimalMotifs obsession with birds]] was a well-known CreatorThumbprint that showed up all over his filmography--including in ''Psycho''.[[labelnote:Specifically]] Among other things, Norman Bates is depicted as an amateur taxidermist with a vast collection of stuffed birds, he eats popcorn (i.e. ''seeds'') like a bird, the opening scene is set in '''Phoenix''', and the opening shot features the camera swooping and perching on a windowsill like a bird.[[/labelnote]]

--> '''Reporter:''' But you're 60 years old. Shouldn't you just quit while you're ahead?

* DoingItForTheArt: Hitchcock certainly invokes this trope while making the movie especially since he offered to finance the production himself.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Alfred Hitchcock put the Mrs. Bates decayed corpse prop in Creator/JanetLeigh's room. Janet's scream is heard, Hitchcock comes in her dressing room, then says, "Mrs. Bates asked if she could take a nap in your room. I told her that would be fine." Despite the fact that Janet looked displeased, rolling her eyes, she also fights to keep a grin off her face as she closes the door.

* AdaptationDisplacement: An unusually literal version in-universe, as Hitchcock tries to buy up every available copy of Robert Bloch's novel.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Alfred Hitchcock put the decayed corpse prop used as Mrs. Bates in Creator/JanetLeigh's room. Janet screams, then opens her dressing room door to see Hitchcock, who says, "Mrs. Bates asked if she could take a nap in your room. I told her that would be fine." Despite the fact that Janet still looked displeased, rolling her eyes, she also fights to keep a grin off her face while she closes the door.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Alfred Hitchcock put the decayed corpse prop used as Mrs. Bates in Creator/JanetLeigh's room. Janet screams and runs out of her room, demanding an explanation from Hitchcock, who says, "What? Mrs. Bates asked if she could take a nap in your room. I told her that would be fine." Despite the fact that Janet still looked rather mad, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, she also fights to keep a grin off her face while she storms off.

* AdaptedOut: Hitchcock and Alma's daughter Patricia, a heavy collaborator in her father's films who even had a prominent acting role in ''Film/StrangersOnATrain'', is not featured or even mentioned at all.

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Ed Gein and his devotion to his long-dead mother.[[note]]In real life, Henry Gein was ruled to have died of a heart attack while fighting a brush fire on the family property. However, several authors have pointed out suspicious elements, such as evidence of head trauma.[[/note]]

-->'''Henry:''' Can you stop being a mama's boy for one second? ''(Beat)'' I'm not trying to hurt you, but Jesus, you gotta live your own life sometime. That woman can take care of her own god-
-->[''Ed bludgeons Henry with a shovel'']

** The trailer makes it seem as though Alma suggests killing off [[Creator/JanetLeigh Marion]] midway through ''Psycho'' as a grudge against Janet Leigh herself. Not only is that not the case, but also Alma carefully compliments Leigh at the end on her "professional" behavior--that is, on her ability to resist Hitchcock's attempts to seduce her.

* TransparentCloset: [[InUniverse In-universe]], Anthony Perkins is relatively commonly known to be homosexual. In RealLife this claim is a more contentious subject.