Alfred Hitchcock: The Master Of Psychological Suspense

Alfred Hitchcock has earned the title of ?Master of Suspense? by creating films conveying on screen some of his own personal phobias. As child, Alfred Hitchcock had a run in with the police in which changed his prospective on author and, the law. At the age of 5, his father told Alfred to go to the police and, hand the officer a note. After, arriving at the police station Alfred was placed inside a jail cell for only a few minutes. This experience can be seen in many of his films. His films covers innocent people considered guilty by authority. Through his films Alfred Hitchcock created wonderful storylines that has helped us analyze ourselves mentally. From the 1920?s until the 1970?s, he has kept us on the edge of our seats for fifty years by, providing us mystery and suspense films.

His directing style so interesting because, he appears so mild in the mannered the public eye with his quiet composure. Yet, it makes one wonder about the possible inner turmoil inside to have a man create movies covering many emotional topics. One has to view his films more than once to really catch the small subtleties to understand the statement he is trying to make through hi

s films. Many of his characters fall into a central theme of being at the right place at the wrong time. In effort to clear his/her name they must fight to prove their innocence and, bring the guilty ones to justice.

The movie is about Rebecca (Jean Fontaine) a sweet, simple and meek woman meets this dashing man (Maxim) Laurence Olivier while vacationing in Monte Carlo. This whirlwind love and, passion leads to Maxim proposing to Rebecca. She moves to his home in England and introduced to the staff as the second lady of De Winter. The staff appears to seem distant and aloof, especially Mrs. Danvers. As the movie unfolds Rebecca is starting to unravel what happened to Maxim first wife. She is so torn emotionally that Rebecca is almost driven to the point of her contemplating suicide.

Guy has an ex-wife that refuses to give him a divorce so he can re-marry the governor?s daughter. On the other hand, Bruno is a spoiled adult that has an oedipal relationship with his parents. He loves his mother to a certain point that it goes beyond the normal mother/child relationship. Bruno has a seething hatred for his father, which he wants to kill him.

Could it be that Bruno wanted the affection of Guy?s love that drove him to murder? It really boils down to Bruno may have conducted the act of murder, and Guy just thought about killing her. Little do we realize this is interesting for a film Strangers on the Train never received criticism for the use of homosexual relationship theme in this movie.

How does this relationship between these two men intertwine a homosexual relationship? Bruno is an aggressive, flashy dressed with a campy tie. Guy is quiet, passive and Bruno on the quest to bring him out in the open (4). For example; When Bruno is punched after fight, Guy assists Bruno by straitening his clothing, adjusting his tie and, carried him down to the car like a dutiful lover (4). Not only Guy?s true sexuality comes into view, but it makes the viewer wonder is he really being victimized by Bruno? Guy does not appear to be distraught when he finds out she was murdered by Bruno.

?[?] The major [theme of the Lodger movie] is not discovery of the crime, but, the criminal tendencies which exists in apparently innocent characters? (1).

Strangers on the Train (1952), a famous Tennis star Guy (Farley Grager) meets a well dressed psychopath Bruno (Robert Walker). The use of a low camera placement in the opening sequence prepares the viewer for a film to take place in a world of anxiety and, nightmares (2). Bruno bumps into Guy?s foot by accident therefore setting the relationship in motion. On the surface it appears that Bruno is just a well informed tennis fan, but it does not take to long to see that Bruno has been flirting with Guy. A

Some topics in this essay:
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