Sunday 9 December 2012

YOU CAN COUNT ON HITCHCOCK ALWAYS



Tonight I went to the premiere of Hitchcock. Directed to  Sasha Gervasi.  I loved it.  I met Sacha in Los Angeles where he is married to Jessica Rothschild. Made by Americans with a British Cast. If someone is ambitious it is easier to walk the streets for funding there. 

I was excited I had real life  coincidences. Janet Leigh was played by Scarlett Johanssen I owned Janet Leigh's house on Summitridge Drive in LA for a short while.  I was never crazy about it. Although I completely did it up with Martyn Lawrence Bullard, it was far up in the hills of  Beverly Hills. I felt in the middle of nowhere. I did have the best bathroom though in her honour. In any case the film tonight had a witty script and the cast were wonderful. Anthony Hopkins was totally convincing as Hitchcock and Helen Mirren played the part of his wife Alma Reville. She was an incredible editor. It tells the story of their off and on romance, during the making of Psycho. Also my good friend Michael Wincott is in the film. As I do not want to give the game away, I want to let you guess what role he has. He was brilliant. OK Ed Gein. A cameo roll in which he excelled.

The Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins said that he had been a little nervous playing the role. However he had seen the final cut and he was happy with it. Hitchcock was a tough part to play for obvious reasons, his size, presence and character, were so daunting. Hitchcock was without doubt our greatest, most brilliant  director. A British film made in Los Angeles, by another director seeking his luck and fortune. When England becomes tough, which it is, Brits take the risk and ship out to  Hollywood.
On another note My grandfather, Sidney Gilliat wrote the script of Lady Vanishes that Hitchcock later directed.  Hitchcock liked to say he used his writers like secretaries but in this case, my grandfather wrote  The Lady Vanishes, (and it's sequel Night Train to Munich) and The Lady Vanishes was almost finished as Hitchcock started the job of directing, so it was interesting to see the film tonight. Really good. It is also funny as My Grandfather also  said that he was with  Hitchcock was so excited at the premiere of the film, that he was saying " I've made it, my name is above the Titles"  After that he went to Hollywood, and the rest is known.  My Grandfather loved  opera, his whippet and tomato growing, and was dismissive of the Hollywood machine.  He liked to be in Wiltshire reading Shakespeare and writing.
Well done everybody in it. A lovely film.

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