Alfred Hitchcock in a publicity photo for Family Plot, 1976, Universal Pictures
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Hitch’s most iconic decade – a decade of Technicolor grandeur and peril inflicted on famous blondes – came to an end in 1964 with Marnie, a critical and box office flop which wounded Hitchcock’s ego and left him unsure how to move forward in a changing world. His subsequent four final films – Torn Curtain, Topaz, Frenzy, Family Plot – are the result of his efforts to mix up his formula for an era in which he felt ripped off by James Bond and mourned the decline of the Golden Age stars.
Hitchcock and Paul Newman on the set of Torn Curtain, 1966, Universal Pictures
SHOW NOTES:
Sources:
Who the Devil Made It? by Peter Bogdanovich
Hitchcock by Francois Truffaut
Alfred Hitchcock by Peter Ackroyd
Women and New Hollywood by Aaron Hunter and Martha Shearer
The Art of Alfred Hitchcock: Fifty Years of His Motion Pictures by Donald Spoto
Cahiers du Cinema: The 1960s (1960-1968) New Wave, New Cinema, Reevaluating Hollywood by Jim Hiller
“‘Torn Curtain’ is Hitchcock Tearing Your Nerves To Bits”, Diane Thomas, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, July 27, 1966
“‘Torn Curtain’ at 3 Theaters", Bosley Crowther, New York Times, July 28, 1966
“Cinema: Mystery in Mothballs”, Time, August 5, 1966
“‘Topaz’: Alfred Hitchcock at His Best,” Vincent Canby, New York Times, December 20, 1969
“Americana,” Pauline Kael, New Yorker, December 27, 1969
“Zombie,” Time, January 19, 1970
“Frenzy,” Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, 1972
“‘Hitchcock’: The Agony is Exquisite”, Vincent Canby, New York Times, July 2, 1972
“The Declining Years of Alfred Hitchcock,” Francois Truffaut, American Film, November 1984
“Kael: Outspoken in Print—and in Person,” Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times, September 7, 2001
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Still from Frenzy, 1972, Universal Pictures
Music:
The music used in this episode, with the exception of the intro, was sourced from royalty-free music libraries and licensed music collections. The intro includes a clip from the film Casablanca.
Excerpts from the following songs were used throughout the episode:
"I Knew a Guy” - Kevin MacLeod
"An Unknown Visitor” - Cold Case
"Pacing” - TinyTiny Trio
"Single Still - Vermouth
“Tarte Tatin” - Confectionery
“Kalsted” - Lillehammer
“Cobalt Blue” - Marble Run
“Chai Belltini” - Vermouth
“Dowdy” - Muffuletta
“Pips and Boil” - Confectionery
“Tessalit” - Azalai
“Labyrinth” - Sergey Cheremisinov
This episode was written, narrated, edited and produced by Karina Longworth.
Our editor this season is Evan Viola.
Research, production, and social media assistant: Brendan Whalen.
Logo design: Teddy Blanks.
Alfred Hitchcock prepares a meal.