THE GIRL

UK, 2012, 91 minutes, Colour.
Sienna Miller, Toby Jones, Imelda Staunton, Conrad Kemp, Penelope Wilton.
Directed by Julian Jarrold.

Alfred Hitchcock was always an interesting character while he was alive, not just as a consummate director but also as a personality, squat and heavy, bald, with a supercilious look, inserting a cameo of himself into every film, sardonic in his introductions to his television series and trailers for his films. He began his career in England making films there in the 1920s and 1930s, moving to the United States with his Rebecca winning the Oscar for best film of 1940, though he never won an Oscar for Best Director. Throughout his life and career, he was assisted by his wife,Alma Reville.

The 2012 film, Hitchcock, had Anthony Hopkins playing the director during his making off Psycho and his infatuation with Janet Leigh, with Helen Mirren as his wife, long-suffering, supportive of the actresses who became the targets of Hitchcock’s obsession with blonde actresses.

Donald Spoto wrote a biography of Hitchcock, focusing on his dark side, on his sexual obsessions, emotional infidelity. The screenplay for this film draws on Spoto’s book.

This time the girl of the title is actress Tippi Hedren, a model who fascinated Hitchcock but whom he treated very badly during the filming of The Birds, sadistically watching her as live birds pecked at her during a key scene. She was a glamorous model, with a young daughter, Melanie Griffith, who is eager to take the opportunity for working with Hitchcock. However, she was uncomfortable with his attentions and withdrew but he courted her to take the role of Marnie because Grace Kelly could not leave Monaco to play the role. He treated her badly in the making of Marnie as well.

Toby Jones is very good as Hitchcock, embodying the director, in his work of direction as well is in his obsessive pursuit of Tippi Hedren.

Imelda Staunton plays Alma Reville, and there are scenes with the screenwriter, Evan Hunter, later the novelist of the Precinct 87 novels.

The film was directed by Julian Jarrold, director of such films as The Other Boleyn Girl, Becoming Jane and Brideshead Revisited.

1. Audience interest in Alfred Hitchcock’s films, his classics? Audience appreciation?

2. Hitchcock and his life, his marriage and the years of working together, Alma Reville, the input in terms of stories, editing, advice?

3. The significance of blonde actresses to Hitchcock, Grace Kelly, Vera Miles, Kim Novak, Janet Leigh, the effect of his obsessions and interactions? Sexual obsession? The response, problems, Alma’s exasperation, communicating with the actresses, supporting them? Hitchcock’s not approving his actresses being pregnant?

4. Tippi Hedren? The work as a model, Hitchcock seeing her, and the invitation, his infatuation, the meal, the nature of the tests, the contracts? Her career, the divorce, Melanie, hopes?

5. Donald Spoto, his book exploring the dark side of Hitchcock, his sex drive, his obsession with blondes, emotional infidelity, his compromises, his sadistic and brutal treatment of his actresses, particularly Tippi Hedren, The Birds? His psychology, moods, promises, the filming of The Birds and the torture? Alma’s reaction, Peggy’s reaction?

6. His career, the success of Psycho, the choice of The Birds? Working with the novelist, Evan Hunter, writing, perspectives, changing the screenplay? His work with his producer, Jim? The role of the studio?

7. Tippi Hedren, at home, her assistant, Melanie and her age, her relationship with her mother? Hopes, auditions, Hitchcock’s kiss? The contract? The PR, the build-up, the effect for the film, on her as a person, pleasant, glamorous, competent, her ambitions, hard experience, Hitchcock and his control? The demands made for The Birds, for bringing her into Marnie, the filming of Marnie?

8. The filming of The Birds? The bird wranglers and their work? Setting the scene, the telephone box, her acting, the mechanical birds, the real birds, Hitchcock urging them on? Prolonging the scene? Day after day? The trauma for Tippi Hedren?

9. The framing of various scenes, the focus on Tippi Hedren and Hitchcock, as if they were intimate, the relationship between the two, alone – and the camera drawing back and revealing tests and normal scenes?

10. Hitchcock as director, rehearsals, scenes, his behaviour on-set?

11. Peggy, devoted assistant, meeting Tippi Hedren, on the set? Her reaction to Hitchcock’s treatment? The disapproval? Helping Tippi Hedren? But her devotion to Hitchcock?

12. Alma, her presence, leaving, returning, the effect on Hitchcock, his dependence on his wife?

13. Marnie, Grace Kelly unavailable, Hitchcock urging Tippi Hedren to come back, resisting his control, but her experience of leaving, asserting her independence? Sean Connery? The filming, the story, the development of the screenplay, the change from being a blonde? Her being icy and Hitchcock’s reaction, his dislike of it? Tippi Hedren giving in slightly, dyeing her hair, the details of the plot?

14. The film as a psychological study, the director and his drives, his behaviour and demons? An actress, her response, victim, change?

15. The subsequent information about Hitchcock’s career and Tippi Hedren’s lack of career?