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HBO Films ‘Girl’ makes for ‘Good Evening’
IF YOU WATCH
What: “The Girl”
Where: HBO
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Starring: Sienna Miller, Toby Jones, left, and Penelope Wilton
By Robert McFerren
Say the name “Alfred Hitchcock” and many thoughts come to mind.
Creative genius, visionary film director, and of course, “Master of Suspense.”
Director Julian Jarrold’s movie “The Girl,” which premieres Saturday on HBO, dramatizes the obsession Hitchcock (Toby Jones) had on his newly discovered model-turned actress Tippi Hedren (Sienna Miller) during the filming of 1963’s “The Birds” and 1964’s “Marnie.”
Hitchcock, better known as “Hitch,” was seeking a new film to shock his audiences after the director’s 48th film, “Psycho,” became his most financially successful. In fact, the making of “Psycho” will be the subject of another film in theaters next month, starring Anthony Hopkins as Hitchcock.
While most directors are more comfortable behind the camera, Hitchcock thrived as a master marketer, promoting his image and dry wit for seven years as host of his self-titled TV program and numerous cameo appearances in his films.
Jones’ performance as the larger-than-life director will earn him some recognition at awards time; however, the film is more about Hedren than Hitchcock.
Told strictly from the actress’ perspective, the first half of the film weaves a nice mixture of drama with terrific Hitchcock deadpan lines, including some rather naughty, yet hilarious, limericks. The second half shows a darker, obsessed Hitchcock, who forces himself on Hedren in the back of a car, harasses her on the telephone and fantasizes about her.
Writer Gwyneth Hughes based her screenplay on Hedren’s testimony in Donald Spoto’s “Spellbound by Beauty: Alfred Hitchcock and his Leading Ladies,” and that of Jim Brown, Hitchcock’s assistant director on “The Birds.”
Hedren, who was thrilled at her fortune to be chosen over hundreds of actresses trying out for the part, quickly changed her mind. Hitchcock, according to Hedren, unexpectedly used real birds to attack her during filming of the attic scene (after telling her he would use only mechanical models). The scene took 48 hours to film and consisted of 45 back-to-back takes, leaving her bloodied and traumatized.
Hedren was so mentally drained and upset that she spent days recovering under a doctor’s care. Her work and personal relationship with Hitchcock never recovered.
After “Marnie,” the actress refused to work with Hitchcock again; yet, he had tied her into a seven-year contract and refused to let her work with directors.
The film shows the director, who was at the top of his game, was starting to fear something more fearful than his films: aging and his ability to keep his title of “Master of Suspense.”
Well-acted and with an eye for details, “The Girl” shows Hitchcock not only knew how to frighten his audience, but in this case, his female star.