Hitchcock Page #6

Understood women.

Alma!

I thought you were coming

later this afternoon.

I thought you rented this place

so we could write.

I did.

You're not going to say anything,

are you?

Don't worry, I won't tell Elizabeth.

I mean to Hitch.

Alma...

we can't all be geniuses.

You're incredibly talented.

After all, we want him to read the script

with an open mind, don't we?

I wouldn't worry about that, Whit.

Arbogast said he'd call as soon

as he spoke with Mrs. Bates.

That was yesterday evening.

Norman's mother up at the motel?

He rang me right

after she called out to him.

your detective must be a few cups in.

Mrs. Bates died of strychnine poison

more than ten years ago.

was black and blue...

I just shut the door...

make the world go away.

Don't you ever get lonely out here?

I can always talk to my mother.

That's strange.

I think we've found his hiding place!

That's my mother's room.

- That's my mother's room.

You can't go in there!

Don't go in my mother's room!

Hitch!

- So, what's the verdict?

Let's just say it was a four-letter review,

and it wasn't "good."

Screw him!

It's too late for Paramount to back out,

no matter what Balaban says.

You know, the other route is to recut it

as a two-parter for the TV series.

Because of the budget

and the Hitchcock name,

we stand a good chance of breaking even.

Look, I made Jimmy Stewart a millionaire

on Winchester '73.

And that was a dog.

At least I could sit through your picture.

More importantly...

what does Alma think?

- I was afraid you'd try to blame yourself.

- I'm not talking of blame.

Lee, how can you make plans

when you're so confused?

writing for Colbert.

How was the beach?

Cold and miserable.

Just like Barney Balaban's face.

- Goodbye.

Poor old Whit.

He isn't worth a damn

when he's not working with you.

Neither am I.

I couldn't pull off the picture this time.

It just sits there.

Refusing to come to life.

Well, there's no other way of saying it,

is there?

It's stillborn.

I let you down, my love.

You deserve better.

I better go and feed

Geoffrey and Stanley.

Come on, boys.

Come on.

Good boys.

I don't think I can stand us both

being maudlin.

That tiresome little Hitchcock imitation

I've been helping Whit finish is done.

You know, there's only one solution

to all this.

That we get back to work together.

The fact is,

I rather like living in this house.

So I suggest, for everyone's sake,

we start whipping Psycho into shape.

You may not be

the easiest man to live with...

but you do know how to cut a picture

better than anyone else.

Except for you.

The second take,

the light is much better on the hands.

Only cut back to Janet

once her car's already moving.

Cut it tighter.

Oh, you imp. You've got nudity in there!

Well, her breasts were rather large.

It was a challenge not to show them.

You'll have to cut those

six or seven frames...

where she blinks

after she's supposed to be dead.

Alma, we've viewed the film

a thousand times.

She does not blink.

How's it going in there?

Swimmingly.

Well, everyone's saying

it's like a dog with fleas.

I do not want music

over the shower murder scene.

But what Alma and I talked about

is really going to play.

Bernie, this is not Vertigo.

It's not a romantic movie!

The images must work on their own.

Yes, but you can't scare people

just by going "boo."

All right, you do it then.

You know best.

Hitch, they have to anticipate it.

Just take a step back!

Well, thank God we have Cinderfella

for the holidays.

unbelievable music. Just listen.

What do you think?

I think I'll never have a shower again.

It's getting there.

I distinctly saw

both the stabbing and the nudity.

What you think you're seeing is purely

informed by the power of suggestion.

I assure you,

once you view the final version...

with Mister Herrmann's

lovely, lyrical score...

A lyrical score

is not going to change my opinion.

We're denying your seal.

Geoffrey, would you mind

if we had a word in private, please?

Thank you.

Now, look here...

I have a modest proposal to make.

If you're willing to leave

the shower sequence as it is...

I will reshoot the opening love scene

to your exact specifications.

In fact, I would welcome

your personal supervision on the set.

To my specifications?

Well, of course, my dear fellow.

If only audiences

could fully comprehend...

how tirelessly you work

to help us entertain them...

while protecting them

from filth and indecency, well...

He's been harassing you

since you announced this project...

you invite him to the set,

and he doesn't even show up.

I mean, what did you tell him?

That I respected him deeply.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is a wrap.

Thank you all very much.

Thank you, John. Thank you, Janet.

I thought we were reshooting the scene.

The charade is over.

- Thank you.

See? I wasn't that much of a monster

to work with, was I?

Not at all.

And I hope

I was sufficiently loyal to the cause.

Worthy of a Purple Heart, my dear.

I told Mrs. Bates

she could use your dressing room.

- That's splendid. Splendid.

- Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have the seal

from the Shurlock office.

So now, we'll lead the lambs

to the slaughter.

Paramount confirmed they're only opening

the movie in two theaters,

as we suspected.

And no premiere.

If we don't get word of mouth,

we're dead.

Then, we'd better get started.

Peggy, take a memo.

We're going to write a manual

on how to sell Psycho.

My first instruction

to theater owners...

hire Pinkerton guards to strictly enforce

our unique admission policies.

There may be riots here tonight.

is so terrifying and unique...

the guards can help you deal

with customers who run amuck.

Post our special lobby clocks...

...to remind audiences

of the starting times for Psycho.

of this fine motion picture theater...

has been advised not to allow

anyone to enter the theater...

once Psycho begins.

Now, should you be so foolish

as to attempt to slip in...

by a side entrance, a fire escape

or through a skylight...

you will be ejected by brute force.

More playful, darling.

the sheer, unrelenting shock...

and suspense of Psycho...

right after the closing title,

"The End"...

we strongly recommend

that you close your house curtains...

over the screen for a full 30 seconds.

By doing so...

the horror of Psycho

will be indelibly etched...

in the mind and heart of your audience.

Sincerely and emphatically...

Alfred Hitchcock.

Well, at least

there are some people here, Hitch.

We've roped off some seats for you.

All right. You go on ahead.

- Oh, are you sure?

- Yes, I'll be with you in a moment.

I'm just going to check the prints,

you go on.

All right, darling.

We'll save you a seat.

All right, go on.

- This way, Mister Hitchcock.

- Mmm-hmm.

I just got off the phone with Balaban.

He said, "Congratulations."

"A well-deserved triumph,

as we always knew."

- "As we always knew."

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes