Alma Hitchcock: The Woman Behind the Man - Softcover

O'Connell, Pat Hitchcock; Bouzereau, Laurent

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0425196194 ISBN 13: 9780425196199

Publisher: Berkley Trade, 2004

Synopsis

The daughter of Alfred and Alma Hitchcock offers an illuminating portrait of the relationship between her parents, describing growing up in Hollywood, Alma's remarkable contributions to her father's work, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes of the film world, accompanied by rare personal photographs and testimonies from family and friends. Reprint.

About this title

About the Author:

Pat Hitchcock O'Connell is the only child of Alfred and Alma Hitchcock. Her credits as an actress include Psycho, Strangers on a Train, and Stage Fright. She has also appeared in several episodes of the television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Laurent Bouzereau is an author and documentary filmmaker.

From Publishers Weekly:

All Alfred Hitchcock needed to produce his psychological thrillers was the love of a good woman, according to this pleasant but superficial memoir of the famed director and his wife, by their daughter. O'Connell traces her mother's life from her early career as a film editor, scenarist and silent-movie actress to her ongoing collaboration on the scripting, casting and direction of her husband's movies. She structures her narrative around a breezy filmography of her father's movies, notes the development of Hitchcock trademarks like the "MacGuffin," and regales readers with Hollywood anecdotes (Carole Lombard once brought cows onto the set after Hitchcock likened actors to cattle) and homespun reminiscences of her avowedly normal childhood. O'Connell is at pains to highlight her mother's every contribution to her father's oeuvre, and produces many quite lengthy testimonials from relatives, actors, friends, long-term care providers and Hitchcock himself to vouch for her warm personality, impeccable manners, superb cooking, gracious hostessing and influence on Hitchcock's creative process. Alma does seem like a lovely and highly intelligent woman, but despite her daughter's best efforts she is overshadowed by her husband, whose quirks and achievements make him the more vivid character even in the unrevealing and protective portrait of him sketched in the book. O'Connell's account of Alma's life is sometimes touching, like a breezy tour through a family album, but its public significance for all but the most obsessive Hitchcock fans remains elusive. Photos.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Berkley Trade
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0425196194
• ISBN 13: 9780425196199
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304