[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hitchcock_3.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:310:[[{{pun}} Beware of the knife ones...]]]]

->''"You shouldn't wait until halfway through. Kill her after thirty minutes."''
-->-- '''Alma Reville Hitchcock'''

''Hitchcock'' is a 2012 {{biopic}} about filmmaker Creator/AlfredHitchcock, directed by Sacha Gervasi and starring Creator/AnthonyHopkins in the title role and Creator/HelenMirren as Hitchcock's wife Alma. The film revolves around the creation of one of Hitch's most well-known works, ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', from its inception as a titillating novel he is reading to watching the first theatergoers scream in fright at the infamous shower scene.

The film also deals with the couple's marriage, their struggles with each other and the occasionally petty jealousies that could drive them apart. We are shown their ability to work together to create great works, as well as their ability to work apart and create not-so-great works.

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 UsefulNotes/EdGein (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.

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!!This film contains examples of:

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: When filming is wrapped, Creator/JanetLeigh finds the Mrs. Bates decayed corpse prop in her makeup chair in her dressing room. Janet's scream is heard, Hitchcock opens the door, 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 and shaking her head, she has a little grin on her face as she closes the door.
* 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 role in ''Film/StrangersOnATrain''), is not featured or even mentioned at all.
* AdaptationDisplacement: An unusually literal version in-universe, as Hitchcock tries to buy up every available copy of Creator/RobertBloch's novel to avoid spoiling the ending.
* AdaptationDyeJob: Creator/VeraMiles was a blonde in real life. She's played here by the brunette Creator/JessicaBiel – though she does wear a blonde wig on the set of the film.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: A reporter drops one to Hitchcock at the premiere of his film ''Film/NorthByNorthwest'', leaving him stunned.
--> '''Reporter:''' ...But you're 60 years old. Shouldn't you just quit while you're ahead?
** Whitfield asks Alma one after she catches him in the middle of an affair with another woman at his beach cottage.
* ArmorPiercingResponse: Alma gives one to Hitchcock after delivering her TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to him, leaving him at a loss for words.
--> '''Alma:''' Consider this a reminder: I am your Wife, Alma Reville, not one of those contract blondes you badger and torment with your specific directions.
* AndTheAdventureContinues: A variation. The film ends with a bird landing on Hitchcock's shoulder, referencing [[Film/TheBirds the next film]] he would work on.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory:
** 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 his 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 filming.
* {{Biopic}}: The film tells the life of Hitchcock from the release of ''Film/NorthByNorthwest'' (1959) to the release of ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' (1960).
* BookEnds: The film starts and ends with Hitchcock speaking directly to the audience about a production he will soon start on.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Hitchcock will occasionally speak directly to the audience as he was known to do in real life. The BookEnds are the most direct example.
* BusinessTripAdultery: Hitchcock and Alma are both thinking about it, although neither has much success. Whitfield, by contrast, cheats on both his wife ''and'' on Alma.
* ControlFreak: Hitch. It's why Vera Miles opted for marriage and motherhood.
* DeadpanSnarker: Hitch, of course! It was one of his trademarks in real life! Alma is also great at this.
--> '''Hitchcock:''' I'll never be able to find a Hitchcock blonde as beautiful as you.
--> '''Alma:''' I've waited thirty years to hear you say that.
--> '''Hitchcock:''' And that, my dear, is why they call me the Master of Suspense.
* DidTheyOrDidntThey: Alma and Whitfield go off to work on a story at his beach house, Hitchcock accuses them of having an affair, to which she responds by attacking him for putting her in that situation, but never denies the affair. TruthInTelevision: Both Alma and Whitfield would, after Hitchcock's death, admit that they did in fact have a brief affair during the production of ''Film/{{Psycho}}''.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: Alma has this attitude, as she opts to work with Whitfield just so she won't be overshadowed by her husband on one production.
* EatingTheEyeCandy: Hitchcock ogles his wife Alma getting dressed while he is taking a bath.
--> '''Alma:''' Muhammad had the eyes of peeping toms gouged out with arrows.
* EnforcedMethodActing:
** In-universe; Hitchcock torments Creator/JanetLeigh with increasingly explicit sexual fantasies while she's filming the car scene.
** Later, he grows frustrated with filming the infamous shower scene and takes the knife himself, doing the slashing. Not actually physically harming Janet Leigh but enough to make her genuinely frightened and scream.
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Ed Gein and his devotion to his long-dead mother. The film posits the theory that this actually resulted in Ed bludgeoning his brother Henry to death.[[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]]
-->'''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]''
* {{Fanservice}}: Discussed while editing the film as Alma notices a bit of nudity in a few frames of the shower scene.
* ForegoneConclusion: The film details the production of ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' and the personal risks taken by Hitchcock to make this movie. The viewer is probably aware that ''Psycho'' will be a success.
* GoryDiscretionShot: Hitchcock's investment pitch includes graphic photographs of Ed Gein's victims, or what remains of them. We never get a good look at what's in the photographs.
* GreenEyedMonster: Alma is quite jealous over Hitchcock's schoolboy crush on Janet Leigh and his fixation with his blonde movie actresses.
* HardWorkMontage: The film editing sequence.
* HistoricalBeautyUpdate: Alma Hitchcock in real life was very matronly and ordinary, very unlike the shapely and stunning Creator/HelenMirren, and Hitch himself was far more wrinkly and flabby around the jowline than Creator/AnthonyHopkins in the fatsuit.
* {{Hypocrite}}: Hitchcock chides Alma for supposedly having an an affair with Whitfield. Yet he harbors a crush on Janet Leigh and fixates over his 'perfect blonde' actresses for his films many times.
* ImagineSpot: When Hitch attempts the shower scene by improvising stabbing at a frightened Janet Leigh, he's imagining he's attacking all the male producers who look down at him and catching his wife Alma and Whitfield together.
* IncestSubtext: Ed Gein murdered his brother just to stay closer to his dying mother. Even going far as to crawl into what used to be her bed and ''cradle her decaying corpse'' like a child.
* KickTheDog: Hitch spitefully calling Alma's personal project "stillborn" is a moment of quite surprising cruelty, considering he understands better than most how much emotional energy creators invest in their works. After she calls him out for it and he has cooled down enough to think it over, he is genuinely remorseful and sincerely apologises for it.
* TheLoinsSleepTonight: Hitchcock complaining of the reviews of his film North By Northwest.
--> '''Hitchcock:''' He said he found the climax to be "overdrawn".
--> '''Alma:''' Well, I doubt Mr. Weiler has had a climax in years.
* 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 [[SupermodelStrut sashays on her way]].
* MetaCasting: Scarlett Johansson has long been noted in fashion circles for her love of gowns and hairstyles inspired by UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. So who better to cast as one of the stars of that era?
* MistakenForCheating: Alma's friendship with Whitfield by Hitchcock. The cheating part is more ambiguous.
* MononymousBiopicTitle: The film is titled ''Hitchcock'', which is the last name of the protagonist.
* TheOneThatGotAway: Creator/GraceKelly's marriage and abandoning of acting has cast a long shadow over Hitchcock's movies and his marriage.
* ThePeepingTom: It shows up constantly as a theme for Hitchcock himself. A small hole in the trailer walls allows Hitchcock to do this to his female starlets.
* PrimaDonnaDirector: Arguably applies to Hitchcock.
* PsychoStrings: Hitchcock initially rejects them, then changes his mind when he realizes how effective they are.
* RealFootageRecreation: The film briefly recreates backstage scenes from the making of ''Film/{{Psycho}}''.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Hitchcock and Alma give one to each other during a heated argument over their marriage and the work production of Psycho.
-->'''Hitchcock:''' I'm under extraordinary pressures on this picture and the least you can do is give me your full support.
-->'''Alma:''' Full support! We've mortgaged our house! I'm your wife! I celebrate with you when the reviews are good. I cry for you when they are bad! I put up with all those people who look through me as if I were invisible because all they see is the great and glorious ALFRED HITCHCOCK!
* SanitySlippage: Happens to Hitch as he suffers from some {{Hallucinations}} as his stress level increases during the filming and due to the perceived infidelity of Alma.
* SetBehindTheScenes: The film details the production of ''Film/{{Psycho}}''.
* ShoutOut:
** The BookEnds, as well as the closing credits music, reference ''Series/AlfredHitchcockPresents''.
** The scene where Hitchcock is silhouetted on Janet Leigh's dressing room door also references the series.
** A non-Hitchcock example has Hitch needling the financiers by saying the finger cakes are actually fingers. [[Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs Charming, Dr. Lecter...]]
* ShowerOfLove: Hitchcock imagines catching Whitfield and Alma together in the shower as he violently method acts the stabbing for the shower scene in Psycho.
* ShownTheirWork:
** Creator/VeraMiles is shown with short hair, and has to wear a blonde wig on set, as she had shaved her head for ''Film/FiveBrandedWomen'' and hadn't yet grown it all back.
** The book that Alma helps Whitfield write is a real one that was eventually published in 1981.
** 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 "Compared to Orson Welles, he's a sweetheart." Leigh had previously worked for Creator/OrsonWelles in his film ''Film/TouchOfEvil''.
* SleepingSingle: Hitchcock and Alma, who are also in a SexlessMarriage.
* StalkerWithACrush: Vera Miles accuses Hitchcock of being one.
* StealthPun: When Anthony Perkins insists on referring to Hitch as "Mr. Hitchcock":
--->'''Hitchcock:''' You may call me "Hitch." Hold the "cock."
* SweetTooth: Janet Leigh offers some candy corn to Hitchcock, saying how the girls love them. He indulges in some while Janet asks if he preferred chocolates over candy corn.
* TrailersAlwaysLie:
** The trailer makes it seem as though Alma suggests killing off Marion midway through ''Psycho'' as a grudge against Creator/JanetLeigh herself for being the object of Hitchcock's desire. 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.
** Also, a cute moment in the trailer has someone asking how ''Psycho'' ends, to which Hitch replies "I promised Mother I wouldn't tell." This joke, alas, is not in the movie.
* TransparentCloset: InUniverse, Anthony Perkins is relatively commonly known to be homosexual. In RealLife this claim is a more contentious subject.
* TranquilFury: When chastised by his brother, Ed Gein doesn't say anything. He just whacks him in the head with a shovel and goes back to work.
* WeightWoe: Hitchcock is on a perpetual diet, alternating with bouts of binge eating when under stress.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An in-universe example: Hitch turns down Creator/IanFleming's ''Literature/CasinoRoyale''. He could have been the first director of the ''Film/JamesBond'' series.
* WritingAroundTrademarks: The filmmakers weren't allowed to use any footage from ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', resulting in the film's focus on the Hitchcock marriage as opposed to the nuts-and-bolts of the making of the film.
* WrongNameOutburst: When Hitchcock picks up the phone, Alma is on the line and asks for Whitfield, mistaking the other person on the other line answering for Whitfield. This causes Hitchcock to become infuriated and start drinking before 3:00 PM.
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