by Leah Schroeder ’13

In the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz,” it is simultaneously exciting and disappointing to discover the man standing behind the curtain. Walking into Sacha Gervasi’s “Hitchcock,” I feared that I would be experiencing 93 minutes of the unsatisfying unveiling of “the man behind the curtain” that is Alfred Hitchcock, but instead, Hitchcock’s movies and achievements became all the more intriguing and mysterious.

From 1921 to 1976, Hitchcock directed an astounding 54 films and produced 10 seasons of his television show, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” Over time, Hitchcock gained a reputation as the master of suspense, as a result of his pioneering many techniques used in psychological and suspense thrillers. He was also known for his twist endings, sexual undertones and careful combination of humor and suspense. Hitchcock’s brilliance was rewarded with four of his films being placed on the American Film Institute’s list of top 100 movies, an amount second only to that of Steven Spielberg.

Unlike most directors, Hitchcock used himself as branding for his films, making cameo appearances and using his silhouette in profile as his trademark.

Gervasi uses the drama around the making of “Psycho,” arguably Hitchcock’s most famous film, to give the audience insight on Hitchcock and what contributed to his being able to make iconic movies that so greatly changed the movie industry.

Gervasi, taking a cue from the Hitchcockian style, keeps the viewer wondering how this seemingly doomed production ever managed to achieve such tremendous success.

Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of Hitchcock is unbelievably realistic. He brings Hitchcock to life by capturing Hitchcock’s personality quirks, cadence and mannerisms. Impatient, petty and burning with intensity, Hitchcock fills the audience with awe as they watch him refuse to back down from pursuing “Psycho,” even when the story’s violence and gore prevent him from getting financial support.

Little known to the public, Hitchcock’s wife, Alma Reville, played by Helen Mirren, has a major role in each of his films, editing the script, providing direction and aiding in creating the final cut. It is her opinion that ultimately mattered most to Hitchcock. Unsurprisingly, Mirren delivers in this role, channeling the persona of a passionate, organized, detail-oriented woman who put her whole self into making her husband’s movies the absolute best they could be. In many respects, Mirren steals the show. Every scene with her is brilliant and highlighted just how vital Reville was to every aspect of Hitchcock’s life. It was her suggestion to add the famous score that is now so closely connected to the iconic shower scene in “Psycho.”

I doubt that this movie will bring to Gervasi what was denied to Hitchcock, a validation of his worth in the form of an Academy Award for Best Director. That said, it gave me a deeper understanding of the motivations and struggles of a man that directed some of my favorite movies. Ultimately, he was a flawed, insecure but brilliant man, who gave us some of the most fascinating and provocative movies of all time.