Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh, left, Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock, center, and Helen Mirren as Alma Reville. Photo / Supplied
It may have a definitive sounding title, but Hitchcock isn't a biopic of the great director; rather it's a witty examination of Hitchcock's relationship with his wife and talented collaborator, Alma Reville, set against the backdrop of his most successful and controversial film, Psycho.
Inspired by Stephen Rebello's book -
Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho - this begins at the premiere of his successful film North By Northwest in 1959. Unnerved when a reporter suggests that, at 60, he should quit while he's ahead, a restless Hitchcock almost immediately begins searching for his next project, preferably "something fresh, something different".
When Hitchcock comes across Psycho, Robert Bloch's gruesome book about serial murderer Ed Gein, he's convinced it's the perfect source material. When the studio and private investors refuse to fund the macabre story, the Hitchcocks must finance the film themselves.
Director Sacha Gervasi paints a broad picture of Hitchcock - including his fixation on his leading blondes - and has some fun with the director's dealings with American censors.
At its centre is a portrayal of the relationship between Alfred and Alma, celebrity director and his low-profile and often uncredited creative partner.
