Hitchcock Page #3

to pretend to be something he is not.

Well, I'm sick of all this romantic crap

the studios keep shoving me into.

But my only worry is...

Well, playing Norman

might cut too close to home.

How so?

Uh...

When I was younger...

I was incredibly close to my mother.

So close that I remember

wishing my father would drop dead.

And when I was five, he did just that.

He keeled over from a heart attack.

You see, I've been guilty my whole life,

Mister Hitchcock.

You know,

I'm getting blisters just watching you.

Oh, stop complaining.

A bit of fresh air

and exercise will do you good.

I'm going to have a drink.

No, you're not.

You're going to finish that hedge.

You've got to go all the way around there,

all the way around there.

- That's impossible. I can't do that.

- Yes, you can.

You know, I was thinking...

if I could get Grace Kelly

to play the girl...

they'd let me get away with murder.

Well, you can't. She's a princess now,

which makes her

permanently unattainable.

And all the more desirable.

How about Deborah Kerr?

Lew mentioned her.

No, she's too Scottish.

How about Janet Leigh?

I know she's normally the good girl,

but she was awfully good in Touch of Evil.

You remember how

you always used to remark

on her figure at the Wasserman's parties?

Yeah.

Good evening.

Hello. Lovely to see you.

- Charmed.

- Hi.

- Hello, Janet. How are you?

- Wonderful to see you.

Well, my dear,

you're looking very beautiful.

Thank you.

Very beautiful.

Of course, the real secret of Mrs. Simpson's

appeal to the Duke of Windsor...

was that she could make a toothpick

feel like a cigar.

I've been so immersed in preparing to play

Marion, I'd almost forgotten how to laugh.

- Oh, really?

- Yes.

Well, now you must try

the banana shortcake.

Oh, no, nothing for me, thank you.

I'm watching my figure.

Yes, you're not the only one.

We're fine, thank you.

George, bring her the banana shortcake.

In fact, make that two large portions.

Thank you.

Now, tell me, my dear, how else have you

prepared for the part of Marion Crane?

Well, I've written an entire history for her...

which seems a little silly, I know,

but it really does help.

It doesn't sound silly at all.

No?

Why don't you tell us

one of her deepest secrets?

Well, she leads a double life.

At the Lowery office,

she wears Tweed perfume.

But when she's with Sam...

she recklessly breaks out

her most expensive bottle.

My Sin, by Lanvin.

- My Sin?

- Yes.

Good Lord.

I do have a concern or two.

Well, I'm an actress, of course,

but I'm first a wife and a mother.

And I'm just curious to know...

how are you going to shoot

this shower scene?

Yes, you and the Shurlock Office.

It's only that, well, from here up,

I'm not exactly boyish, so...

Allow me to set your mind at rest,

my dear.

I will be shooting short bits of film

from various angles.

Cut together, the montage will only

suggest nudity, suggest violence.

Nothing will actually be shown.

But of course,

having you in the shower...

will make it all that more, well...

titillating.

Will you excuse me?

Alma!

- Dear, how lovely to see you.

- Oh, hello, Lillian.

You're looking a little pale.

Well, it's no wonder, with that thing

your husband's working on now.

You can't possibly approve.

Why are you letting him

do something so tasteless?

Don't upset yourself, darling.

It's only a bloody movie.

you made Vera Miles play the sister.

Well, I've still got her under contract.

May as well get something out of her.

don't you think?

and had it imported from Paris.

The old man really is unhappy with me,

isn't he?

Wait until you see the undergarments

he has picked out for you.

Okay, well, I am just going to have

to keep telling myself...

"One more picture,

and I am free as a bird."

Hmm.

So, I've made a list of places

where we can tighten our belts.

Huh?

We could all learn the art of self-restraint,

couldn't we, Alfred?

"Gardeners once a week?

"Weekends off for the driver"?

No, that's impossible.

We'll have to find other places to cut.

There aren't any other places.

And there will be no more shipments

flown in from Maxim's of Paris.

We can't afford it.

The foie gras at Chasen's

is more than adequate.

But those geese are from Barstow,

not from Marseille.

Yes.

Well, we all have to make our sacrifices

for the greater good. Don't we, Alfred?

I'll go get the knives.

Ed.

Am I making a terrible mistake?

What if it's another Vertigo?

You just get the first take under your belt,

you'll be fine.

Are you decent, my dear?

Good morning.

Good morning. Am I all right?

- Perfect. Good.

- Wow.

- Morning.

- Morning.

I want to thank you once again

for this opportunity, Mister Hitchcock.

You may call me Hitch, hold the "cock."

Well, look at you two,

America's favorite boy and girl next door.

Yes, and we're about to move

to a whole new neighborhood.

Morning, Janet.

Good morning, Tony.

- Good morning, Vera.

- Thanks for the wardrobe, Hitch.

Do you approve?

You're the genius.

One thing, though.

My script, it's missing its last ten pages.

Everyone's script is missing ten pages

until Alma finishes the revisions.

You're just in time for the oath.

The what?

The oath.

I want you all to raise your right hands.

That includes you, Vera Miles.

- I do solemnly promise...

- ...that I will not divulge...

...the plot, nor the many

secrets of Psycho...

- ...to friends, relatives...

- ...trade reporters...

...nor to the outgoing President,

Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Thank you all very much.

All right, come on, you two.

Let's get started.

I wanted to talk about Marion's arrival

at the Bates Motel.

Here we are, Norman's inner sanctum.

Now, Hitch...

explain to me

why I'm watching Marion undress.

I feel I should take offense at that.

Perhaps Norman secretly watched

his mother preparing for her nightly bath.

Yes, maybe there was a transom

over the bathroom door.

Yeah, which he could access

by climbing on a chair.

So long as he was stealthy.

A boy's first glimpse of a naked woman

is usually his mother.

Hmm.

So, I'm reliving the past...

repeating a ritual with Marion.

Well, don't ask me.

I'm just a man hiding in the corner

with my camera, watching.

My camera will tell you the truth,

the absolute truth.

Hitch, I have a question.

Why is the hole so much larger

on this side?

All the better to see with, my dear.

From the greatest possible angle.

And cut.

If you ask me,

the credits should read...

"Screenplay by Joseph Stefano

and Alma Reville."

Well, the people who matter know.

Hmm...

Alma, you always know the answer.

Is this really going to work?

See you tomorrow.

Hello, stranger.

Where have you been hiding?

Oh, God.

- I've been finishing the revisions on...

- Psycho.

Mmm-hmm.

And how is the old boy?

He is in a state of unbridled ecstasy

now that he's back on the set.

And you? How are you?

Well, I've got 2,000 words to do

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