As the story opens, Annabel Hinchly-Smythe - whose income relies on selling gossipy tidbits to columnist Xanthippe - has money troubles. So when multi-millionaire Arthur Arbuthbot mistakes Annabel for an interior decorater she agrees to re-do his apartment.
Alfred Hitchcock was born into an English working class family in 1899 and grew up in some of London's poorer districts, among small houses, assorted shops, daily laborers, and crowded streets smelling of the Thames River.
Little Alfred Hitchcock
Alfie (as his family called him) had a passion for roaming and claims to have journeyed all over London - via bus and train - by the age of eight. The scenes of churning London neighborhoods remained with Hitchcock for life, and he re-created them in many of his films.
London in the early 1900s
Hitchcock's family was devoutly Catholic and he was educated in Catholic schools, became an altar boy, and embraced the strict tenets of the faith.
As a result, Hitchcock had an anxious disposition and was uncomfortable about his body. Hitchcock often claimed that - apart from conceiving his daughter Patricia - he was celibate for life. Hitchcock was also fat and not especially handsome, which probably affected his self-image and relationships with women.
Alfred Hitchcock was self-conscious about his body
From an early age Hitchcock loved public entertainments, especially plays and films, and began reading trade papers as a teenager. He was obsessed with themes of horror, violence, crime, and criminals, and became a devotee of the works of Edgar Allan Poe.
By the age of 22, Hitchcock went to work for a London-based film company and - by volunteering to do every job available - began to learn the nuts and bolts of movie-making. Hitchcock's future wife Alma Reville also worked for the film company and, after they married, became Hitchcock's most trusted partner - both personal and professional. By the middle of his career, Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most well-known, popular, and respected directors in the world.
Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville
Alfred Hitchcock directing a movie
This biography by Peter Ackroyd touches on many aspects of the director's life and provides a detailed overview of Hitchcock's movies. Ackroyd talks about each of the surviving (and a few lost) Hitchcock films, and describes how Hitchcock's background, upbringing, education, religion, personal foibles, likes, dislikes, hirings, firings, studios, producers - and of course Alma's input - impacted them.
One critic observes: Hitchcock’s artistry reached its apex with his San Francisco–set tale of an acrophobic investigator (James Stewart) who falls hard for the mysterious blond (Kim Novak) he’s been hired to tail. Sexual obsession, shifting identities and, of course, a pesky fear of heights all play a part in this hallucinatory masterpiece."
Even in the midst of making a movie Hitchcock was always on the hunt for his next project, and he had 'favorite people' he liked to work when possible. This included certain script writers, photographers, dress designers, composers, actors, and so on. Moreover, Hitchcock often developed crushes on his beautiful female stars, whom he would cosset, groom, and converse with constantly - bestowing so much attention that they were often uncomfortable. Hitchcock's wife Alma was well aware of this quirk, and sometimes commiserated with and apologized to the ladies.
Some of Hitchcock's favorite actresses were: Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, Janet Leigh, Grace Kelly and Tippi Hedren.
Kim Novak
Eva Marie Saint
Janet Leigh
Grace Kelly
Tippi Hedren
Hitchcock's early movies were silent black and white productions, but as new technologies became available the filmmaker happily switched to talkies, and then technicolor. Hitchcock began his career in England, where he did well. But the director was always seeking increased commercial success and more money, and he eventually moved to California.....to make Hollywood movies.
Whenever possible Hitchcock liked to control all aspects of his films, including the story, the script, the locations, the lighting, the camera angles, the sound effects, the editing, the music, the length, etc. Though he sometimes filmed on location Hitchcock preferred to work in a studio, where he was more comfortable and had access to his favorite things (like steak and salad for lunch every day).
Hitchcock was meticulous about storyboarding, planning, and blocking every scene of his movies. By contrast, the auteur took a kind of minimalist approach with respect to actors. Most stars of Hitchcock films noted that the great man rarely commented on their performances - good, bad, or otherwise. Hitchcock just told them what was expected and let them get on with it, which many found disconcerting.
Alfred Hitchcock and Jimmy Stewart
Alfred Hitchcock and Sean Connery
Alfred Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren
Hitchcock also had a lighter side, and he liked to tell ribald stories and play practical jokes. During one production Hitchcock left a different 'dead body' in an actress's trailer every day, to see which elicited the best response. More evidence of Hitchcock's humor could be seen in his opening and closing remarks for the TV series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", where he tended to be droll and sarcastic.
Alfred Hitchcock laughing with Janet Leigh
Hitchcock achieved worldwide fame and popularity, and many of his films are considered classics. Toward the end of his career Hitchcock received two prestigious awards: a "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the American Film Institute, and a "KBE" (Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) from Queen Elizabeth.
I enjoyed the book, which was fun and informative. I liked reading about the nitty-gritty of Hitchcock's film-making and appreciated the stories about famous actors, including Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine, Paul Newman, Grace Kelly, Jimmy Stewart, Anna Massey, James Mason, Kim Novak, Tippi Hedren, Joseph Cotton, Eva Marie Saint, Anthony Perkins, Ingrid Bergman....and many more.
Reading the book brought to mind some of my favorite Hitchcock movies, like The Lady Vanishes, Rebecca, Suspicion, Spellbound, The Paradine Case (which wasn't a big success...but I liked it), Strangers on a Train, Dial M For Murder, Rear Window, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, The Birds, Marnie (which was said to be too cerebral for mass appeal), and Frenzy. I now plan to re-watch some of these films via the magic of streaming and DVDs.
Overall, this is an interesting, enlightening, and entertaining book, recommended for fans of biographies, film buffs, and especially Alfred Hitchcock devotees.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of this book.
Movie posters from some Alfred Hitchcock films
Rating: 4 stars
This 22nd book in the 'Stephanie Plum' cozy mystery' series has the usual murder, mayhem, and fun. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
If you're a fan of Janet Evanovich's 'Stephanie Plum' series you know what to expect and this book delivers as usual. Stephanie, a semi-competent bounty hunter, is trying to track down Ken Globovic (Gobbles), a member of the Zeta fraternity at Kiltman College. Gobbles skipped bail after being arrested for assaulting a college administrator, Dean Mintner.
At the same time Stephanie is helping Ranger - who owns Rangeman security company - keep an eye on Doug Linken and his wife Monica. Doug's business partner, Harry Getz, was recently shot dead and Doug thinks he might be next. As things turn out, he is. All this sets the scene for a couple of viewings and funerals, where comic hijinks ensue as people fight over cookies and gun-toting Grandma Mazur tries to horn in on the protection detail.
It turns out Linken and Getz were former members of Zeta fraternity, which has an 'Animal House' vibe about it - lots of drunk carousing and no studying. Plus, the frat's faculty advisor, Professor Pooka, is a weird guy who wears a magic amulet and pajama-type pants. Dean Mintner is fed up with Zeta fraternity and determined to close it down. And soon enough there's yet another death!
In between her other activities Stephanie tries to snag a few additional bail-skippers, which doesn't go smoothly. There's lots of running and chasing; Stephanie gets roughed up; Lula hurls a giant dildo at a perp; and so on.
Grandma Mazur adds some extra fun to events since she's been 'catfishing' - creating fake profiles to hook up with men online. And she's been using Stephanie's photo!
The book has all the expected elements: Stephanie waffles between her on-off boyfriend Joe Morelli.....
......and super-hot Ranger.
Stephanie's co-worker Lula shoots up Zeta fraternity; Stephanie wrecks a couple of cars; Rex the hamster gets some snacks; Stephanie's mom irons and has a few shots to relieve stress; lots of fried chicken and donuts are eaten; and so on.
Eventually the diabolical plot behind the killings is revealed, and it's quite a doozy!
I got some laughs from the book and enjoyed visiting with the familiar and entertaining characters. If you're a fan of the series you'll probably like this book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
