Toby Jones has fallen foul of timing once already, when his biopic of Truman Capote, Infamous, was eclipsed by the Philip Seymour Hoffman vehicle, Capote. Although it was generally thought that Jones did a better job, it was Hoffman who picked up an Oscar for his portrayal of the writer. Now, scarcely a month after Jones appeared on television in The Girl playing Alfred Hitchcock, Anthony Hopkins goes one better as he dons the black suit for director Sacha Gervasi’s take on the legend. Whereas The Girl was grand guignol and rather over-wrought, Hitchcock is a much more frothy and enjoyable affair.
Taking place during the controversial production of Psycho in 1959, Hitchcock focuses on the working and personal relationship between Hitch and his wife and collaborator Alma Reville (Helen Mirren). There is barely a hint of the director that Tippi Hedren would later describe as obsessive and cruel on the set of The Birds. On the contrary, Hopkins’ Hitch is rather charming company and sweet as pie to his leading lady Janet Leigh (a luminous and thoughtful performance from Scarlett Johansson). It is only the mildly fractious relationship with actress Vera Miles (Jessica Biel) that suggests any kind of unreasonable behaviour from the director. What the truth of the matter is, one can only guess; but Hopkins plays this version of Hitch with aplomb, never letting his performance be overshadowed by the considerable prosthetic weight he has to carry. He and Mirren are a joy to watch together and theirs is an unusual but intriguing love story.
Technically too, the film is impressive and has some lovely ideas – particularly the framing device of bookending the film in the manner of an episode of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”. Visually, cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth creates a look of glossy glamour which befits the movie business of that period, while Danny Elfman does his best impersonation of Bernard Herrmann with his sweeping score.
It may be more legend than truth, but Hitchcock has a large helping of style and wit – an entertaining set visit for fans of the great director.