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Not Necessarily The Nose: Regarding Hitchcock

RKO Radio Pictures
Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Notorious' (1946).

Over just six years, from 1954 to 1960, Alfred Hitchcock made four movies -- Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960) -- that are routinely mentioned among the very best movies ever made. It's maybe an unparalleled run in the history of cinema.

And that's just those four movies. Hitchcock's filmography is full of classics: Notorious (1946), Strangers on a Train (1951), The 39 Steps (1935), The Wrong Man (1956), The Birds (1963). The list goes on.

At the same time, Hitchcock's relationship with his actors has been the subject of much discussion and debate for many decades. He's said to have thought of them as "cattle" and "animated props." He's said to have sexually harassed at least one of them.

At the same time as that, Hitchcock's films earned eight of his actors nine Academy Award nominations and produced many more all-time-great screen performances, from Joan Fontaine in Rebecca (1940) to Tippi Hedren in Marnie (1964) and many others.

This hour: a look at the work of Alfred Hitchcock... and his actors.

GUESTS:

  • Tom Breen - Managing editor of the New Haven Independent and the host of Deep Focus on WNHH radio
  • Dan Callahan - Author of The Camera Lies: Acting for Hitchcock

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 3, 2021.

Jonathan is a producer for ‘The Colin McEnroe Show.’ His work has been heard nationally on NPR and locally on Connecticut Public’s talk shows and news magazines. He’s as likely to host a podcast on minor league baseball as he is to cover a presidential debate almost by accident. Jonathan can be reached at jmcnicol@ctpublic.org.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Fund the Facts

You just read trusted, local journalism that’s free for everyone, thanks to donors like you.

If that matters to you, now is the time to give. Join the 50,000+ members powering honest reporting and a more connected — and civil! — Connecticut.

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