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Alfred Hitchcock Function-Movement Relationship Chart
Takashi Fujimura's essay: Hitchcock-Hawksianism
Alfred Hitchcock Function-Movement Relationship Chart. The date is 2014. This is the date the data was collected.
● "THE PLEASURE GARDEN」" (1925) 59 minutes 3/21
Cigarettes are for exhaling smoke. Windowpanes are mirrors. The country girl
has her wallet stolen so she can stay at the dancer's apartment. Women's
clothes are for taking off and throwing away. The country girl prays so the dog
can lick the soles of her feet. Toolboxes are for people to sit on. Passing the
audition makes the country girl a star and breaks her up with the other woman.
Laundry is for taking off stockings and for hurrying the woman to run and trip.
Stockings are for throwing away. The dog is for making the woman stumble and
crawl so she can meet a man and for sniffing out good from bad. The trombone is
for sliding the tube. Sending her lover to a foreign country so the country
girl can cheat on him. Walls are for projecting shadows. Armrests are for
people to sit on. Pipes are for hitting your face. Tables are for people to sit
on. The surface of the water reflects light. Grass is for chewing. A hat is for
waving. Soothing a child is to instruct a man who dislikes children. Roses are
for throwing away. A handkerchief is for waving. Pillars are for people to lean
on. Newspapers are for rolling up. Sending the husband to a tropical country is
to give him a fever, drive him insane, and make him kill someone. The country
girl refuses to borrow money and makes him borrow from the caretaker couple
instead. Chairs are for people to sit on. Ornaments are for dropping. The
country girl's lover is afflicted with a fever so that the woman can nurse him
and they can be united. The sea is for killing people. A bed is for standing
on. A door is for people to lean on. A gun is for emitting smoke. The ghost is
to make the man confess to murder, and also to make him kill the woman so that
he can kill her and marry the woman to the country girl's lover. The landlord
listens to the radio so that the dog can chew on the cord.
● "THE RODGER" (1926) 79 min 3/28
The blonde murder case is to start the movement. The food stall is to emit
smoke. The stack of newspapers is to be thrown down. The window of the
newspaper company's car is to represent a human eye (a similar effect is used
with the church door in ● "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956)). The
chair is for someone to sit on. The blonde wig is to be taken off. The woman's
knife is held in a reverse grip. The clothes are to be thrown down. The bread
is to be torn into a heart. The door is to cast a shadow. The dishcloth is to
be thrown down. The fog is to rise. The man's build is the same as the real
killer's to arouse suspicion. The lamp goes out to make the appearance of the
mysterious man dramatic. The chair is for someone to fall off. The window frame
is to cast a shadow on a face. The blonde portrait is to surprise the man, to
be turned over, or to be removed. The coin is to be tossed into the air. The
door is to be hit against a person. The desk is for people to lean on. The
chandelier is to swing to direct the movement of the person on the second
floor. The newspaper is for throwing down. Breakfast is for the man to hold a
knife. Playing chess in front of the fireplace is for the woman to drop the
pieces and the man to poke the fireplace with a poker. The hat is for throwing
down. The woman's lover is a detective so he can take on the case and handcuff
the man. The money on the mantelpiece is to indicate that the man is obsessed
with things other than money. The handcuffs are for swinging and for putting on
the woman's hands and making her scream. The wall is for people to lean on. The
car is for emitting smoke. The lovers' quarrel is for leaving the blonde girl
alone on a dark street at night so she can be attacked by a vengeful spirit.
Having the woman tie her shoelaces is for making her squat down, look up, and
turn around. Letting the man go out is for suspicion. The rat is for making the
man and woman kiss and making the detective jealous. The forehead is for
falling off. Tables are for knocking over and scattering things. Cigarettes are
for exhaling smoke. Knitting is for dropping. Chairs are for kicking. Fashion
shows are for getting men to buy dresses and give them to women as gifts, then
return them. Baths are for exhaling smoke and for getting women in their
underwear or naked. The surface of the water is for rippling. Men going out
with women on Tuesday nights are for making men suspicious. Hats, clothes, and
scarves are for throwing away. Objects hanging on the wall are for getting
people in the eye. Keys are for throwing. Guns and maps are for getting men
arrested. Maps are for throwing away. The landlady's fainting is for giving men
a chance to escape. Benches become beds. Meeting under streetlights is for
making men reminisce there. Turning off the lights is for killing people. His
mother's death is for making him a vengeful man. Coats are for hiding
handcuffs. Going to the bar is for being lynched by the customers there.
Railings are for hanging onto. Stairs are for going down. Hats are for taking
off.
● "DOWMHILL" (1927) 81 min 3/21
Hats are for waving. Children's fights are for showing the girl the boy's naked
body. People bump into each other. Feet are for stomping. Beans are for blowing
away. Cups are for beans to fly into. Doors are for people to lean on. Tables
are for people to sit on. Beads are for swaying. Umbrellas become hats. Are the
child customers for letting the girl know the boy is rich? Hats are for
throwing. Boxes are for throwing away and then picking up with your feet.
Dropping a bag is to let someone know you're there. Hats are for throwing down.
The woman in the general store is for making the student drop out of university
and wander around. Scholarships are for making him lie to his best friend. The
father calling his son a "liar" is for making him wander around.
Taking the subway is for taking the escalator going down. Cigarette cases are
for getting closer to the girl. Cigarettes are for exhaling smoke. The woman
leans back to invert the screen. The armrest is for people to sit on. The wall
is for projecting shadows. The mirror is a notepad. The bill is for dropping.
The knees are for touching. The documents are slammed down to announce their
presence. The wardrobe is for people to hide. The sneeze is to announce
someone's location and also to blow away dolls. The apartment or high-rise is
for taking the elevator down. The inheritance is for making the man a victim of
a marriage scam, leaving him penniless and a wanderer. The bodice is for
putting money in. The club patrons faint so that the curtains can be opened to
reveal the woman's grotesque face. The chair is upside down. The window frame
is for projecting shadows. The gangway is for going down. The ship's basement
is for going down stairs. The sailors and police officers are the father. The
rotation of the turbine, the circular shape, is for causing mental instability.
The large chair is for hiding the person sitting in it.
● "EASY VIRTUE" (1927) 59 min 3/27
The wig is round. The table is for people to sit on. The dishcloth is for
throwing things down. The grid is for casting shadows. The monogle is for the
pendulum of a clock. The hat is for throwing things down. The painter and the
woman embrace so that the painter will shoot the husband who will become
enraged upon seeing it. The love letter is for making the husband angry. The
walking stick is for hitting people. The gun is for emitting smoke. The husband
is not shot and killed so that the woman can be released and remarried. The
painter is for dragging the woman to court and making her an "immoral
woman". The guest register is for writing false names. The face of the
racket is round. The tennis ball is thrown at the woman to bring the man and woman
together. The trees are for swaying in the wind. The marriage to a man from a
good family is for exposing the woman's past and driving her away. The
carriages collide to turn human kisses into horse kisses. The telephone
operator is there to signal acceptance of a marriage proposal. The address on
the package is there to signal marriage. The ground and chimneys are there to
scatter smoke. The cigarette is there to exhale smoke, to surprise the
husband's sister, and to indicate the woman's sexual orientation. The armrest
is there for people to sit on. The cigarette is there to be thrown away. The
bedpost is there for people to lean against. The cricket field is there to
reunite the lawyer with the woman. The cars are lined up so that the woman's
face appears from behind the window for the lawyer to see. The party is there
to invite the lawyer. The camera is there to surprise the woman. The cushion is
there to grip. The magazine is there to throw at the camera. The wall is there
to project shadows. The chair is there to hang clothes. The hedge is there so
the woman can eavesdrop on her husband's conversations. The newspaper is there
to remind the woman of her past. The back of the sofa is there for people to
lean against. The mother-in-law announcing the daughter-in-law's absence at the
party is to surprise everyone when the daughter-in-law appears. The stairs are
for suspense. The fan is for hitting people. The dance is for escaping the
party. The lint is for picking up loose threads. The courthouse exit is for
taking pictures. The marriage is for causing a divorce.
● "The Ring" (1927) 87 minutes 3/28
The drum is for "round". The attraction is for rotating. The mouth is
for "round". The gun is for exhaling smoke. The egg is for hitting
people in the face. The tent is for swaying in the wind. The sign is for
turning upside down and throwing away. The entrance ticket is for rotating. The
cigarette is for exhaling smoke (very smoky). The head is for a hat rack. The
gloves are for hitting people. The sailor is for being knocked out. The face is
for splitting apart. The hat is for ripping off. The rope is for tripping
people and knocking them out. The clothes are for throwing away. The rope is
for a clothes rack. Hangers are for throwing things down. Tents are for
throwing people into and bouncing them off. Trousers are for hanging hangers.
Women are made to look away so that the boxer's nose gets crushed. Skirts
become business card holders. Stairs are for people to sit on. Kettles are for
spreading smoke. Handshakes between men become embraces between men and women.
Boxing attractions are for making women cheat. Prize money goes into the ring.
The ring is for making women and handsome men kiss. Faces become mirrors.
Handsome men ask women for handshakes because they can't shake hands. Light
becomes a ribbon. Tables are for people to sit on. Fortune telling is for
making the boxer misunderstand. Trees sway in the wind. The surface of the
water becomes a mirror and also creates ripples. Boxers wash their faces in the
pond so that women can pick up the ring they dropped in the pond. The ring
falls into the pond and creates ripples. Flags flutter in the wind. Weddings
are for making women break their vows. Rings become buttons. Confetti is for
flying. Knockers are for falling. Foam is for blowing away. Trainers drink a
lot of alcohol to distort the screen. Towels are for dropping so the woman can
pick them up. The handsome man's hand is placed on the woman's arm so that he
becomes the woman's husband. Fists are for being clenched. Punching balls
become faces and are also for being knocked down. Hats are for being thrown
away. Posters indicate promotions. Armrests are for people to sit on. Towels
become fans. Parties are for making the boxer jealous and distorting the
screen. Records are for spinning. Mantelpieces are for people to lean against.
Preliminary fights are for letting the boxer win so they can have a party,
leave his wife away, have a fight with the boxer, and make his wife run away.
Champagne indicates the passage of time (that's why it's not drunk).
Photographs are thrown away and glasses are kicked and shattered. Clothes and
rings are for tearing apart. The ring is thrown away, and to indicate the
presence of people. The boxer is made to dance, so that he will run into the
handsome man. The champagne is poured, so that it will be thrown away. The
table is knocked over and spilled. The trombone is used to slide its tubes. The
letter is used to tear up. The elbow is in the frame (a similar shot appears in
"Boxer Keaton" (1926), filmed the previous year, during a sparring
scene around the 59-minute mark). The boxer corners the handsome man against
the ropes so that he will spot his wife in the audience, giving him an
opportunity to punch him and knock him down. The lighting is circular. The gong
is circular. The towel is waved (and is waved relentlessly). The water surface
is a mirror. Hands are clapped (excessive applause). The ring is returned, and
then thrown back. The match is to get the wife back.
● "The Farmar's Wife" (1928) 96 minutes 3/27
The stairs become a pillow for the dog. Walls are for casting shadows. A wife's
death is for setting up a marriage interview for the husband. A tie is for
slamming down. A ribbon is for readjusting. A fireplace is for emitting smoke.
A hat is for readjusting and stacking. A cane is for tickling people. A chair
is for marking the wife's seat. A table is for banging. A daughter's wedding
party is for making the father decide to remarry. Confetti is for flying, and
for shaking off and clutching. A fireplace is for projecting light. A pencil is
for chewing. A barrel is for people to sit on. A duck is for kicking away. The
ground is for scattering smoke. A hat is for dropping. Names are written to
erase, and also for confessing love. A chimney is for emitting smoke. A man
comes before the party starts to change the woman's clothes, and also to be
rejected by the woman before the party starts. A door is for getting clothes
caught. A piano is for leaning against and knocking objects off. Plates and
lamps on a table are for fiddling. Tablecloths become dishcloths. Pudding is
used to convey surprise through vibration. Ice cream melts. Stairs are for
people to sit on. Handrails are for feet and trays to rest on. Sweets are for
spanking children's bottoms. Fingers become spoons. Wheelchairs are for
turning. Saucers become cups. Strings become belts. Everyone goes outside to
leave the man and woman alone inside. Sofas are for resting feet on. Steps are
for tripping. Servants provoke the man to seduce the fourth woman. Chairs are
for petting. Dogs are used to move in a pack. Hats and canes are for throwing
down. Bags are for lifting and lowering. Stairs are for coming down. Hats
become fans. The women come in to find out about the man's engagement. He
seduces the four women to be rejected.
● "CHANPAGNE" (1928) 88 minutes 3/26
Cigarettes are for exhaling smoke. Newspapers are for tearing up and throwing
away. Champagne is for spraying onto the camera lens. Glasses are for the lens.
People are for running away. Parties are for welcoming emergency landings. The
surface of the water is for reflecting light. Hats are for fluttering in the
wind. People are for bumping into each other. People bang on tables to make
call buttons and summon the servants. Cigarettes and letters are for throwing
away. Letters are for crumpling up and throwing away. Elevators are for kissing
inside and being laughed at. Skirts and shawls are for fluttering in the wind.
Rings are given as gifts so they can be returned later. Boats are for rocking
and making people dizzy. The mysterious man is for making the lover jealous.
The cow's head is for getting the lover drunk. Faces are for getting close.
Having the daughter arrange the marriage is for hurting the lover's pride and
causing a fight and breakup. The ship rocks to make the fight look comical. The
ring is dropped so that the daughter can touch her lover's head as he lies on
the floor. The wall is for people to lean on. The armrest is for people to sit
on. The shaker is for throwing. She is dressed in a fancy dress to anger her
lover, turn her into the little match girl and anger him even more, and also
expose her back. Clothes are for stroking. Confetti turns into snow. The collar
is for touching. Garbage flies around. The jewels are stolen so that the
daughter is penniless. Gloves, hat, pillow, and newspaper are for throwing
down. The bed is made so that the sheets can be used as a curtain to change the
scene. The bread is inedible. The knife is for dropping. The father is sent to
a fancy restaurant so that he can be instructed that the bankruptcy is a lie.
The lover's offer is to hurt the daughter's pride and cause them to break up in
a fight. Bread is baked so that breadcrumb handprints are left on the lover's
back, and also to hide the advertisements. Videos turn into photos. The reason
the daughter doesn't line up at the interview is to demonstrate her inclination
to be a young lady. Teeth on her feet. Feet to lift her skirt. Bankruptcy to
make the daughter a flower girl in a cabaret. Having the daughter carry a
letter of introduction while the manager is eating is to demonstrate her
inclination to be a young lady. The letter of introduction is to be dropped.
The dress is to sparkle. The flowers are to be thrown in her face. Her hands
are to be rubbed. Cooking is to exhale smoke. The bread is to be dropped,
picked up, and then served to the customers. Distributing flowers to the band
is to demonstrate the daughter's inclination. The champagne is to be splashed
with her hands. The shaker is shaken to make the daughter shake her head.
"Maiden's Prayer" is to make the mysterious man appear. Her arms are
to be pinched. Her feet are to be stepped on. The pushing and shoving during
the dance is to move seats and have the mysterious man attack the daughter. The
curtain is to cast shadows. The champagne is to be spilled. The daughter dances
to anger her lover. They talk on the stairs to block people from passing.
Newspapers are to be torn up and thrown. People are to be spun around. Business
cards become nameplates. Walls project shadows. The mysterious man goes to America
to board a ship and reconcile with everyone. Trains are to emit smoke. Bathroom
doorknobs are to be removed and used to hit people on the head. Eyes are to be
crossed. Notes are to be dropped. The bellboy is to appease the lover and also
to bring champagne for them to drink in the final scene. The lover is made to
arrange the marriage to hurt the daughter's pride, cause a fight, and then have
the mysterious man eavesdrop on their reconciliation kiss through the bottom of
a glass, ending the film.
● "THE MANXMAN" (1928) 82 minutes 3/25
Fish are to be thrown aside. Clothes are to be rubbed against. Cigarettes are
to exhale smoke (which is emitted an enormous amount). The protest rally is to
point to the relationship between the three. The table is for banging. The
daughter's father has a scary face to scare the fisherman and make his best
friend propose marriage in his place. The chair is for people to trip over. The
father is in another room so that the fisherman can "see" the
conversation between the father and his best friend. The lighthouse beam is to
reflect everywhere. The table is for people to lean on. The newspaper is for
folding. The stairs are for people to sit on. The pebbles are for throwing at
the window. The daughter's bedroom is on the second floor so that her best
friend's shoulders can be used as a ladder. Human shoulders as ladders.
Visiting the daughter at night is to make her wear a nightgown. The wall is for
casting shadows. The hat is for waving. The father rejects the marriage
proposal so that the fisherman can be sent out to sea, appearing dead, causing
his remaining lover and best friend to have an affair, impregnate the daughter,
and then the fisherman can be made rich, returned alive, and married to the
daughter. The trees are for swaying in the wind. Tables are for people to sit
on. Windowpanes are for being crushed underneath. The watermill is for secret
rendezvous and for wedding parties. Windmills, gears, and millstones are for
turning. Clouds are for gathering. Boats are for emitting smoke. The
fisherman's return is kept secret from the daughter to surprise her. Letters
are for clutching. Barrels are for people to sit on. Glass becomes a mirror.
The wedding is to warn that those who break their vows will face severe
punishment. Walls are for people to lean against. Many guests arrive in the
newlyweds' room to make the daughter flustered when she is left alone with the
fisherman after they leave. Fireplaces are for burning and emitting smoke.
Vases are for being knocked over (this seems accidental, not staged). The
fisherman goes out to leave the daughter and her best friend alone so the
pregnancy can be confessed. Hats are for throwing down. The confession of
someone else's pregnancy becomes the confession of the husband's pregnancy.
Chairs are for people to cling to. Rocking chairs are for rocking. Doors are
for people to lean against. The daughter is sent to retrieve her child so that
she cannot be retrieved and jumps into the sea. The sea is for people to jump
into. The surface of the water is for blowing bubbles. The daughter throws
herself into the sea so that she can be forced to confess to the judge in
court. The daughter enters the courtroom with her name unknown and her face
hidden so that the judge will be surprised. Her name will be mistaken. The
judge releases the daughter so that she cannot be allowed to go home. The
father is in court to expose the truth. The best friend becomes a judge so that
he can be forced to confess in court, resign from his position, and leave with
the daughter.
● "BLACKMAIL" (1929) 80 minutes 3/24
Tires are for turning. Horns are for honking. The ground is for scattering
smoke. Window frames are for people to sit on. Cigarette ashes are for
dropping. Blinds are for casting shadows. Windows are for breaking. Cigarettes
are for exhaling smoke. Ash in ashtrays indicate the passage of time. Towels
are for throwing things down. Tables are for people to lean on. The policeman
whispers to the girl to make her laugh (he is very conscious of her laughter).
The investigation at the beginning is to delay the detective's date and
irritate the girl, and also to instruct her on the investigation procedure. The
child on the train is to mock Hitchcock. The crowded restaurant is to irritate
the two, cause them to argue and break up, and send them to the painter's
house, and also to have the girl sit at a different table so she leaves her
gloves behind and the detective has to go and retrieve them and describe their features.
Walls are for people to lean on. Handrails are for casting shadows. Painting is
done to sign and erase. The piano is for people to lean on and for the sound to
resonate. Whistling is done for the sound to resonate. Kissing is done to get
the daughter to go home. The dress is to strip the daughter down to her
underwear so she can't escape. The ornament is to cast a shadow on the
painter's cheek. The wall is to project shadows. The curtains are to conceal
the crime. The knife is held in a reverse grip. The murder is done to blackmail
the daughter. The clothes are thrown onto the painting so that when the clothes
are picked up, the creepy painting underneath is revealed. The painting is to
be scratched and torn. The painter's apartment is on the top floor so that
people can go up and then down the stairs. The police officer's and the
vagrant's hands become the hands of the corpses. The neon knife is held in a
reverse grip. The daughter's scream becomes the building manager's scream. The
gloves are left behind to be used for blackmail (they are never worn by the
daughter) and for the detective to hold. The bedposts become hat racks. The
birds are to chirp. The lid is to be dropped. The reason for changing clothes
is to show the daughter's legs and underwear. Breakfast is to make the woman
scream "Knife!". The knife is to be thrown. The doorbell rings
loudly. The phone booth is for people to hide in. The glasses are for people to
wear. The caretaker is for people to witness the blackmailer. Rubbing hands together
is for people to identify. A criminal record is to frame the blackmailer as the
culprit. The windows are for people to come and go. The police officer is for
people to go to the museum. The museum becomes a maze, and people fall again.
The glass becomes a mirror. The ladder casts a shadow. The glass ceiling is for
people to step on and fall. The shadow becomes a hanging robe. The telephone is
to prevent the daughter from turning herself in. The note is for people to
crumple up. The picture is to evoke murder. The laughter rings out.
● "Juno and the Paycock" (1930) 93 minutes 3/25
Cigarettes are for exhaling smoke. People are for rolling and piling on top of
each other. Salons become shelters. Footsteps are for echoing. Tables are for
people to sit on. Knocking on doors is for echoing. Pillars are for people to
lean on. Windows are for people to come and go. Tablecloths become cloths.
Stains on the floor are for tracing. Dishes fall and break. The inheritance
comes so that after a lot of shopping is done, it's revealed to be a scam and
leads to bankruptcy, to destroy the family, and to get the daughter pregnant.
Records become fans. Sofas are for knocking pipe ashes off. Hats, canes, and
gloves are for throwing down. Stories of murder are for scaring the son. Tables
are for banging. Machine guns are for echoing. Songs are for echoing. Names are
for erasing. Purchased items are carried out. Gates are for people to lean on.
A lover's encouragement is meant to be unhelpful. Cigarettes are meant to be
thrown away. Informing on someone is meant to be killed and make the mother
sad. Candles are meant to go out.
● "MURDER！!" (1930) 98 minutes 3/23
Birds are meant to fly away. Blinds are meant to project silhouettes. Doors are
meant to be knocked on. Dogs are meant to bark. Windows are meant to slide
down. Women change clothes to show their legs and underwear. Murder is meant to
initiate movement. A fire poker is meant for killing. Tea is boiled to explain
the circumstances of the crime (it's not drunk). Stage curtains become cell
dividers. Bars are meant to cast shadows. Backstage questioning is meant to
make people go back and forth from the stage. Women faint to be found guilty.
Cigarettes are meant to exhale smoke. Shaving is meant to play the radio and
monologues. A piano is meant for people to lean on. A knife becomes a
conductor's baton. A "Rooms for Rent" sign is meant for the fastest
rent payment. The carpet is there to sink. The man's voice sounds like a
woman's. The broken sink is there to signal someone to pass. The tea is there
to show the bed shaking (it's not drunk). Staying at the policeman's house is
to hear the story of the child taking the policeman's uniform out of the real
culprit's bag. The cigarette case is there as evidence, and also to slide
around. The wall is there to project a shadow. The script is there to throw
away. The desk is there for someone to sit on. The brandy is there as
circumstantial evidence of the crime. The script reading is there to frame the
culprit, and also to have the real culprit complete the script. The feathered
hat is there to be dropped. The real culprit is on the trapeze so that he can
hang himself with the rope. The tent is there to project a shadow.
● "THE SKIN GAME" (1931) 81 min 3/21
The sheep are there to block the road. The factory is there to emit smoke. The
hat is there to throw away. Not visiting the nouveau riche's wife is there to
anger the nouveau riche, make him break his promise, and cause conflict between
the two families. Armrests are for people to sit on. Auction is to avoid
greeting the nouveau riche's wife and to introduce the man who knows her secret
to her. Chairs are for resting feet on. Cigarettes are for exhaling smoke.
Blowing your nose is a signal for auction. The nouveau riche deceives the
prominent man at auction to anger him, expose his wife's secret, and drive her
to suicide. Desks are for people to sit on. Chests are for hiding letters.
Walls are for people to lean against. Curtains are for hiding and for gripping
tightly. Swimming pools are for suicide.
● "Rich and Strange" (1932) 82 minutes 3/25
Accounting books are closed. Companies are closed and employees are sent home.
Umbrellas are unusable (useless). People are pushed against each other.
Newspapers spread out on the subway get in the way of passengers. The shaking
of the subway knocks the ornament off a woman's hat. Cats are swatted away.
Sewing machines throw clothes off. Pots are boiled, making a bubbling sound and
releasing smoke. Boredom and crowded trains get the exercise started. Light
becomes a band. Grids cast shadows. Ships rock. Camera viewfinders shake to
make husbands dizzy. Cigarettes are dropped and release smoke. Buttocks are
pinched. Feet are stepped over. Elevator numbers become clock numbers. Bags
become chairs. Clothes bump into people and make them meet. Letters pop out. Turbines
rotate. Photographs are for drawing pictures on and creating memories. Ropes
and anchors are for stepping over. Waves crash to make the wife dizzy and kiss
the man. Ships emit smoke. Hair sways in the wind. Water casts shadows on the
walls. The lasso is thrown to entangle the husband with the con artist.
Rickshaws sway. Walls are for people to lean against. The man reveals the con
artist's identity to return his wife to her husband. Fans cast shadows. Hats
are for throwing down. Janitors are for yelling. Pillars are for people to lean
against. Envelopes are for dropping. Tables are for people to lean against.
Question marks are for kicking. Paper is for throwing away. Bottles are for
throwing and smashing. Walls cast shadows. Warehouse goods collapse. Ornaments
fall and hit people on the head. The shipwreck is to prevent the cabin door
from opening, forcing the couple to embrace. The windows are for people to come
and go. The shipwreck happens at night so the wife can be stripped down to her
underwear and put on her trousers. The cat is to surprise people, and also to
surprise the couple who ate it. The cat's skin is to be stuck to the wall. The
railing is for climbing over. The sailors are to be abandoned. The ship sinks.
The sun shines brightly. The junk ship is for the cat to eat, and for it to
witness the birth. The hat and clothes are to be thrown aside. The radio is to
be turned off. The fireplace is to be poked. The door is for people to lean
against. The wife is made to say they're moving so that the final scene ends
with the discord of a marital argument.
● "Number Seventeen" (1932) 60 minutes 3/21
The trees sway in the wind and cast shadows. The fallen leaves are to be
carried away by the wind. The hat is to be blown away by the wind and point to
the destination. The ship's whistle becomes a scream. Handrails and trains are
there to cast shadows. Walls are there to project shadows. Stairs are there to
slide down and for people to sit on. Curtains are there to flutter in the wind.
Candles are there to burn your hands. Wax is there to drip. Ceilings are there
to collapse and make people fall. Roofs are there for people to climb on.
Corpses are there to make things disappear. Cigarettes are there to exhale
smoke. Feet are there to prevent doors from closing. The water tank in the
bathtub is there to hide jewels. The man is strangled so he pretends to faint,
steals the diamonds, and gives them as a wedding gift to the detective. The
water tank in the bathtub is there to hide jewels. The bathtub is there to
throw people into. Bags are there to throw things down. Handrails are there to
collapse and hang people. Trains are there to emit smoke, for people to jump
on, and for people to move around on the sides and roof. The detective is
thrown off the train so that the bus and train can chase each other. Guns are
there to hit people. Motorcycles are there so they can't stop. Guns are for
beating people. Buses are hijacked and used as pursuit vehicles. Cigarettes are
for throwing away. Buses shake. Shooting the engineer makes the train run out
of control and plunge into the sea. Ferries are for colliding with trains.
Campfires are for spreading smoke.
● "THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH" (1934) 74 minutes 3/19
The dog is there to disrupt the skiing competition and draw everyone together.
The snow is there to make it fall. The scarf becomes a towel. The tree is there
for people to lean on. The cigarette is there to exhale smoke. The pomade is
there to identify people. The daughter disrupts her mother's shooting
competition to get a brooch from her mother, and also so that her mother, who
loses to the assassin, can shoot and kill the assassin in the final scene. The
sound of the pocket watch is there to identify people. The window becomes a
mirror, and is shot through. The dance party becomes a murder scene. The
unfinished sweater gets caught on the man's trousers, and as soon as he notices
it, he gets shot. The message is there to involve the couple in the case. The
clothes are there to throw away. The key falls. The brush is there to hide the
note. Because communication is impossible. The letter is there to make the
mother faint. The fireplace is there to burn the letter. Trees to cast shadows.
Dolls to throw down. Brushes to throw. Desks for people to sit on. Threatening
phone calls to inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the incident.
Handkerchiefs to throw. Dentist's office becomes the assassination group's
hideout. Anesthesia to administer to doctors. Patients to doctors. Two people
come to the dentist's office because their father is following them. Church
becomes the assassination group's hideout. Hymns become conversation. Chairs
for resting feet on. Guns become donations. Chairs to throw down, throw at people,
and smash light bulbs. Pulpits to push down. Candlesticks to throw. The brawl
in the church is to show the father the Albert Hall tickets in the hitman's
breast pocket so that the mother will go. The mother is kept waiting and the
father is locked up so that the mother can go to Albert Hall and scream.
Windows are for people to come and go. The organ is to drown out the sound of
the brawl. Because the phone wouldn't work. The woman's skirt was removed in
order to confine her. Albert Hall was the location for the assassination. The
daughter's brooch was used as a tool for blackmail. The cymbals were to drown
out the gunshots. The screams were to disrupt the shooting. The hat was to be
thrown down. The paper scraps were to fly. The people were to be pushed aside.
The general store became the command center. The candy in the general store was
to be stolen by the police. The wall was to be climbed over. The piano became a
shooting stand. The mattress became a shield. The gun was to emit smoke. The
door was to be smashed down. The rifle was to be smashed down the door. The
ornaments were to be shot and broken or knocked down. The door was to be shot
through to make a hole and allow the father to escape. The woman was sent to
get the bullets so that after she was made to crawl on the ground, the man with
the pomade would say "I'm down," and when the angry woman was made to
kneel, he would shoot her to death. The pomade man's expression is reflected in
the mirror (Peter Lorre turns around, realizing something has happened to the
woman after seeing the pomade man's surprised expression). The landing is for
people to fall from. The hair is for the wind to blow. The daughter escapes to
the roof so that her mother can shoot the pomade man and cause him to fall. The
stairs are for people to lie down on. The sound of the pocket watch is to
signal someone's location. The cigarette and gun are for people to drop. The
door is for people to hide on, and also for people to shoot through.
● "THE 39 STEPS" (1935) 82 minutes 3/30
The sign is to project a shadow. The cigarette is to exhale smoke. The pillar
is for people to lean on and cling to. The attraction's questions are to be
interrupted and to indicate that the man is from Canada. The music hall is for
the man to memorize the melody and to introduce the man to the female spy. The
gunshot is for escaping. The question mark is for throwing away (by Hitchcock).
Getting on the bus is to film Hitchcock. The trees and window frames are to
cast shadows on the wall. The mirror is to be flipped over. The telephone is to
ring. The swaying of the window and curtains indicates that people are coming
and going. The stool is for kicking across. The refrigerator is for people to
lean on. The cigarette is for throwing away. The sink is for people to lean on.
The map is for clutching. The murder is to involve the man. The two men are to
lock the Canadian tourist in the apartment. The milkman helps the man escape
from the apartment. The train emits smoke. The apartment manager's screams
become the train's whistle. Windowpanes become mirrors. The ground casts the
train's shadow. The underwear salesman shows the man the newspaper. The
pursuers make the man and woman kiss. The kiss helps them escape the pursuers.
The woman's glasses represent intelligence and stubbornness, and also to make her
drop them. The invitation for tea distracts the detective and helps the man
escape. The train's exterior walls are for people to climb. The dining car boy
prevents the cups on the plates from spilling. The dining car and freight cars
are for people to pass through. The dog slows down the pursuers' pursuit. The
pillars provide cover. The train is stopped to help the man escape. The shelves
become beds. Anything placed on top of the newspaper can be moved. The lamps
make the newspaper's letters stand out. The newspaper is placed on the desk for
prayer to inform the farmer's wife of the incident and to make her husband
jealous. The barn is left open (pretended to be open) for peeping. The window
frame becomes a cross. The headlight becomes a light. The man's bright jacket
is to get the farmer's wife to put him in a black raincoat with a hymnbook
inside. The farmer is a strict Christian so he can hide a hymnbook in his coat.
The age difference between the farmer and his wife, and the rural location of
the farm, is to make the farmer's wife fall in love with the man from the city
and help them escape. The cane is to point people. The clouds are to move. The
river is to let the man escape. The professor's daughter's birthday party is to
introduce the man to the judge. The missing little finger is for
identification. The desk is for people to sit on. The hymnbook is to stop
bullets. Screams turn into laughter. The police officer called by the judge is
to handcuff the man's right hand. Windows are for people to come and go.
Parades are for hiding. Policemen in alleys are for helping the man blend into
a political rally. Introductions are inaudible. Names are seen upside down.
Hats are for waving. Political rallies are for hiding, and for reuniting the
man and woman so they can be caught by spies. The woman sits next to the man in
the car so that she can be handcuffed. Whistling is for triggering memories.
Flocks of sheep obstruct the car and help the man and woman escape. Cliffs are
for pushing people off. Hollows are for hiding. Fences are for climbing over
and crawling under. Valleys are for jumping across. The bleating of sheep
drowns out the sound of the two escaping footsteps. The fog makes it difficult
to see them. Waterfalls are for hiding behind and for wetting the woman's
stockings so they can be removed. The man swings his arms to swing the woman's
arms. Handrails are for people to sit on. The handkerchief is not given. The
cold is to make them head to the inn. The handcuffs, the cold, and the
fireplace are to bring the man and woman closer together so that the innkeepers
will see them as an elopement couple. The skirt is to be pulled, and also used
as a fan. The knees become a chair. The cheese is to be dropped. The nail file
is to cut the handcuffs. The sandwich is to be thrown away. The pipe becomes a
gun, and also to be thrown down. The mantelpiece is to hang the stockings, and
also to pull them off, drop the ornaments, and then catch them. The inn's room
is on the second floor so that the woman can peek downstairs from the second
floor. It is illegal to serve alcohol to customers after closing time so that
spies will be driven out. The sofa becomes a bed. The blanket is to be ripped
off. The man sleeps so that the woman does not run away even if the handcuffs are
removed, thus creating trust between the man and the woman, and also so that
the woman can peek downstairs, and also so that the woman can peek at the man's
sleeping face. The back of the sofa is for people to sit on. The woman is sent
to ask the police for cooperation to let the man know that the information
hasn't been stolen and to give him a hint (which is why the police haven't
cooperated). The theater play becomes the arrest scene. The tap dancing becomes
the sound of police officers climbing the stairs. "39 Steps" becomes
the name of the organization. The walls are for projecting shadows. The second
floor seats are for jumping off. The head becomes the memory card. The
attraction becomes the confession.
● "SECRET AGENT" (1936) 82 min 4/8
The enemy spy is there to activate the movement. The funeral is there to turn
the living into the dead. The man has one arm so that the coffin can be
overturned and its contents revealed. The cigarette is there so that it can be
smoked with only the right hand. The candlestick is there so that it can be
knocked over. The light forms a streak. The wall is there to project a shadow.
The explosion is there so that it can be heard. The railing is there so that it
can be projected. The train is there so that smoke can be scattered. The pencil
is there to scratch one's ear. The man steps on the dog's paw so that he can
meet the gentleman. The grapes are there because they cannot be eaten. The
marriage is there to disguise the single protagonist as a married couple. The
sound of the door closing is there to announce one's presence. The woman takes
a bath so that she is left in a bath towel. The kiss is there so that cream can
be put on the man's face. The grapes are there to be thrown. The wall is there
for people to lean against. The toilet paper is there so that it can be torn.
The ornaments are there to be knocked away. The man and woman are made to argue
so they can slap each other. The cigarette is for exhaling smoke. The chocolate
wrapper is for the spy to communicate. The bird is for taking flight. The
candle is for signaling. The organ is for making the vibrations of the dead
resonate. The hat is for holding in the mouth and for dropping. The church
bells are for drowning out voices and for holding off the two hiding in the
spire, allowing the woman and the enemy spy to become intimate. The water
surface is for shining. The handkerchief is for throwing away. The shoulder is
for a pillow. The dress is for linking arms. The cufflinks are for tips, for
identifying people, and for causing mistaken murders. The roulette wheel is for
betting cufflinks. The dog's leash is broken so that it can become intimate
with the gentleman and have a meal with him. The tie is for a secret meeting.
The play is for getting the gentleman to climb the mountain. People become
dogs. The children and dogs on the lift are for indicating that the gentleman
is a good person and for making him regret killing. Dogs are there to signal
their master to be killed. Mountains are there to kill people. Women are not
allowed on the mountain to prevent murder. A man suggests stopping the murder
so that one hairless Mexican can do it. Walking sticks are for waving and also
as hat racks. Whistling is a signal. Chocolate is for throwing. Festivals are
for meeting girls. Coins become cufflinks. Boats are there to emit smoke.
Armrests are for people to sit on. Tea is for dipping fingers. Snapping fingers
becomes a kiss. Knees become chairs. People passing each other in corridors are
for causing confusion. Tongs are for picking up cigarettes. Tables are for
people to lean on. Letters are cut with scissors to look like apple peels.
Chocolate factories become spy hideouts. Chocolate bars are for throwing.
Conveyor belts are for transporting letters. Factories emit smoke. Seizures and
fire alarms are for escaping. The hat becomes a fan. The crowd is to obstruct
the investigation. The woman stays behind to get the enemy spy on the train.
The car and sauna are to spread smoke. The sauna becomes the command center.
The map is turned upside down. The train is to spread smoke. The woman buys the
magazine to reunite with the man. The soldiers prevent the man from getting on
the train to reunite the man and woman and let them kiss through the fence and
sword (they are eventually allowed to pass). The train roof is to hold the
machine gun. The bag is to be thrown down. The finger becomes the gun. The
airstrike is to spread smoke. The woman confesses her love to the enemy spy so
he can put the gun in his coat, take it out, and then the airstrike will occur.
The train derails and spews smoke. The enemy spy asks for water so the hairless
Mexican can put down his gun and shoot him. The airstrike is so the man doesn't
have to kill the enemy spy. The tracks are for people to sit on. Because her
hair is blowing in the wind.
● "SABOTAGE" (1936) 72 minutes 5/1
Lights are there to shine, and to go out. Chimneys are there to emit smoke.
Sand is there to stop the generator. Matches are there to emit smoke. Candles
are there to be flickered by breath. Toothpicks are there to chew. Apples are
candlesticks. No refunds are there to be refunds. Sinks are there to wash away
sand. Newspapers are there to block the light. Hats are there to indicate a
person's presence. Flashlights are there to shine. Grass is there to chew.
Lights are there to turn on. Aprons are there to be stomped on. Dishcloths are
there to blindfold and break dishes. The housekeeper leaves so her brother can
serve. Fireplaces are there for people to lean against. Lettuce is there to ask
when the owner is coming home. Windows are open so screams can be heard. Guards
are there to get lettuce. Clothes are there to rub fruit. Fruit vendors are
there to stake out detectives. The fallen vegetables are there to get you in
trouble with the police. The detective's soliciting at the greengrocer's is a
signal to his colleague to tail someone. The aquarium is a meeting place for
sabotage. He doesn't get paid so the owner can carry out the terrorist act. The
glass is used for projected images of the sabotage. The revolving door is to
prevent escape. The tablecloth is to be pulled. The chairs are for people to
sit on. The restaurant is for listening to people's life stories. The waiter is
to reveal the detective's true identity. The pencil is to be thrown down. The
bill is to be torn up so expenses aren't charged. The bird shop becomes the
bomber's hideout. The hands are to be rubbed together. The miniature boat is
built and the letters are written so the detective can be heard. The coins are
to be thrown down. The apple becomes a ticket. The pillars and walls are for people
to lean on. The back of the screen is to project shadows. The cigarette is for
exhaling smoke. The windows are for people to go in and out. The detective
eavesdrops to reveal his identity, allowing the theater owner to carry out the
terrorist act alone and involving his brother. The movie theater becomes a
hideout for sabotage. The birdcage is to hide the bomb. The detective talking
to his wife and the presence of another detective on guard outside are to block
the entrance and allow his brother to take the bomb. He looks at the glamour
magazines to feign composure. His brother doesn't leave early to provoke the
theater owner's anger. His feet are for scratching. The newspaper is for
throwing down. The stalls and parade are to pass the time. His curly hair is
for brushing to pass the time, and also for getting caught by a stall to pass
the time. People are for pushing through. The parade is to prevent his brother
from crossing. The hat is for waving. The film case is for sending his brother
on an errand and for identifying its owner. The conductor is a movie fan to
blow up the bus. The traffic jam is to buy time. The bus explodes and emits
smoke. The extra edition newspaper is for making his sister faint and show her
hallucinations of her brother. Movies are for making people laugh. Cooking a
meal immediately after her brother's death is so she can stab her husband to
death with a knife. The table is for people to sit on. The passing child is for
her brother. The truck is for the police command center. The birdcage is so
that the bird seller who went to the movie theater to retrieve it will blow up
the theater, thus absolving the wife of her guilt. The door is for pushing
open. Sealing off the movie theater is so that the bird seller will blow it up.
She cannot turn herself in.
● "Young and Innocent" (1937) 81 minutes 4/9
Cigarettes are for exhaling smoke. Thunder is for rumbling. Waves are for
crashing. Screams become bird calls. Murder is for involving a man and a woman.
Belts are for strangling people and identifying the murderer. The beach becomes
a morgue. Two women are for making a man look like the murderer. Raincoats
become evidence of murder. Desks are for people to sit on. Inheritances are for
making a man look like the culprit and for making him faint so the woman can
take care of him. Chairs become pillows. Ears are for pulling. Grilles are for
casting shadows. The woman starts the car engine so that a passing man will
make a joke. Cars and coffee are for exhaling smoke. The demand for legal fees
is for making the man's money scarce. Bills are for throwing around. The lawyer
is nearsighted so that the man can take his glasses and disguise him. The
courthouse is for escaping. The courthouse entrance is for filming Hitchcock.
The car is for clinging on. The carriage is confiscated and becomes a police
vehicle. Running out of gas is to involve the woman in the case and make the
man pay for the gas, leaving him with little money. The car is for pushing. The
child's stepping stool falls over so the man can help while the woman is being
extorted for money. The hood is for people to sit on. The trees are for casting
shade. The woman's car passing the police car is to give instructions about her
situation. The spiderwebs are for swaying in the wind. The watermill becomes a
hiding place. The woman's family dinner table is to let the woman know the man
has little money. The many brothers are to isolate the woman. The straw becomes
a bed and blanket. The coins are for dropping. The barrel becomes a table. The
ladder is for people to sit on. The clothes are for putting things in. The
garbage thrown out the window is to alert the police of their presence and
allow them to escape. The bread is wrapped in paper so that the paper can be
thrown out the window. The fence is for climbing over. The dog is to obstruct
the police. The wall and windmill are for people to climb over. The license
plate is for kicking and hiding. The woman has the car so that she and the man
can escape in it. The road closure is for them to go left. The table is for
flipping over. The chair is for throwing. The window is for throwing things
out. The fight at the drive-in is so that the man can hit his head on the
pillar and the woman can tend to him (the woman tending to him twice is a
MacGuffin foreshadowing the final scene). The cup shards are for puncturing the
car. The trees are for swaying in the wind. They go to the aunt's house so that
the aunt will become suspicious of the man, call the police, break through the
checkpoint, and definitively involve the woman in the crime. The note is not
for them to receive. The ornament is a gift for its owner. The uncle is for
letting the man into the house and for them to escape. The sofa is for people
to stand on. Asking for names and jobs is to arouse suspicion. The blindfolded
game is to allow the two to escape. The train is to emit smoke and flash
lights. The car seats become beds. The pillars are for people to lean against.
The cups are to be dropped and broken. The train is to hide parked cars and
block them. The train whistle is to sound. The tanker truck is to block cars.
The railroad crossing is to obstruct cars. The dog is to expose the raincoat
worn by the vagrant and to allow the woman to escape from the coal mine, get
arrested by the police, be locked up in a room, and allow the man to sneak in.
The abandoned mine is to cause the car to fall, allowing the man to rescue the
woman and to emit smoke. Drinking soup noisily is to be reprimanded. The
resignation letter is not submitted. The windows are for people to come and go.
The curtains are to sway in the wind. The woman sleeps to make her reunion with
the man dramatic. The window frame is for people to sit on. The matches are to
pinpoint the owner's location. The hat is to be thrown away. The flag is to
flutter in the wind. Blinking is evidence of a crime. Bringing the vagrant to
the hotel is to cause the blinking man to have a seizure and faint when he sees
it, so that the woman can take care of him. The dancing is to get the culprit
closer and have him play the xylophone. The woman has nursing skills so that
she can take care of the culprit. The black person's makeup is to be wiped off.
● "The Lady Vanishes" (1938) 90 minutes 4/8
The lattice is to cast shadows. The hotel door is opened to let in the wind.
The avalanche is to disrupt the train, strand the passengers, and allow for
character development. The cigarette is to exhale smoke. The wedding is to send
the daughter off to London. The table is to show the daughter's legs when she
sits on it. The table is for people to sit on. The bedpost is for people to
lean against. There are no rooms to confine the English gentleman to the maid's
room, and to lock the dancer out of the room and shove him into the daughter's
room. The hat is for taking it out of the hatbox and putting it away. The beam
is for people to bump their heads on. The newspaper is for throwing down. The
phone call from London is to show the two English gentlemen's passion for
cricket. The English gentleman interrupting and sitting at the table is to
illustrate their character and to let them hear the governess's story. The wall
is for people to lean against. The trees are to cast shadows. The chandelier is
to swing. The folk dance is to make noise that will cause the girl downstairs
and the dancer to fight and meet, and also to get the girl to talk to the
governess. The floor is to make a creaking sound. The ears are to hold a
pencil. The spread-out newspaper is to make the appearance of the English
gentlemen on the bed more dramatic. The melody is to identify the people. The
clothes are to be thrown down. The pole is to be used as a coat rack and a bag
rack. The luggage is to be thrown away. The bath is not to be taken. The wall
is to cast a shadow. The coin is to be thrown down. The train is to emit smoke.
The glasses are to be dropped. The flowerpot is to be dropped on the girl's
head. The wheels are to spin. The rocking of the train is to make the governess
stumble and enter the compartment of the adulterous couple so that they will
witness it. The whistle is to drown out the voices and make her write
"Froy" on the window. The window is to write letters on. The sugar is
to be used as a game piece, and also so that the English gentleman who gave her
the sugar will see the governess. The power lines and rails are there to make
them sway. The daughter is put to sleep so that the governess can disappear
while she's asleep. The train whistle is there to wake her up. The governess's
disappearance is there to involve the daughter in the case. The pillars are
there for people to lean on. The objects outside the train are there to
intermittently reflect light. The adulterer and cricket lover are there to
prevent them from giving eyewitness testimony. The daughter is made to declare
that she will stop the train so that the English gentleman will not cooperate.
Kumar becomes the music teacher. They go back to the dining car so that the
daughter can find the word "Froy" written on the window and continue
her investigation. The tunnel is there to fill with smoke so that the word
"Froy" disappears. The train whistle is there to make it sound. The
seats are there for people to rest their feet on. The trash is thrown out the
window so that the tea label is stuck to the window and the man can see it. The
tea label is there to indicate the presence of a person (the tea is not drunk).
The board is there to fall over and reveal the magician's sign. The toolbox is
there for people to sit on. The pigeons are to get the man to investigate the
"disappearing box." The disguise as the principal is to get him to
find the glasses. The glasses are to indicate the presence of a person. The
donkey and rabbit are to be witnesses. The hat is to be the rabbit's home. The
bag is to be a stepping stool. The stick is to hit people with. The toolbox is
for people to get inside. People are used as weights. The high heels are to
indicate a person. The brandy is swirled in the glass. The windows are for
people to go in and out. The outside of the train is for people to climb on.
Poison cannot be put in. Gymnastics is for getting spanked. The sink in the
private compartment is for people to hide. The screams become the train
whistle. The chairs are for hitting people with. The English gentleman tries to
get off the train so he will be shot. The gun is for emitting smoke. The car is
used as a shield. The windows are for breaking. The melody is a code.
Surrendering is for being shot. The deck is for people to fall from. Leaving
one bullet in is for the enemy to steal. The engineer is shot to allow the man
to take control of the train. The spy in high heels is there to betray them.
The train whistle is there to drown out the melody. The ship is there to emit
smoke. The train platform is there to film Hitchcock. The cricket game is there
to cancel the wedding. The engagement is there to make the man forget the
melody.
● "JAMAICA INN" (1939) 97 minutes 4/24
Waves are there to break. Signs are there to shake. Chimneys are there to emit
smoke. Lamps are there to shake and to hide. Ships are there to wreck. The sea
is there for people to fall into. Knives are held in a reverse grip (sometimes
in a regular grip). Luggage is there to be thrown. Clothes are there to wipe
blood. A carriage passes the hotel to introduce the lord to his daughter. Bets
are there to be lost. Gold coins are there to be thrown. Horses are there to
lend to the daughter. The uncle is there to be mistaken for a servant. The
mother's death is there to lead the daughter to the hotel. Trunks are there to
be thrown. Cigarettes are there to emit smoke. Walls are there for people to
lean against. Necklaces are there to throw down. Complaints are there to hang
the investigator. The investigator is hung from a beam within reach of the
daughter's room so she can rescue him. The shoes are stolen to give the
investigator and the daughter a chance to escape. The food is to give the
daughter a knife. The walls cast shadows. The wind blows fiercely. The roof and
piles of stones are for people to hide in. The bills are to be torn up and
scattered. The cave is for people to hide in. The rocks are for pillows. The
daughter escapes so that the boat can be set adrift and she can swim and be
stripped down to her underwear. The Bible is to be hung. The rocks are for
people to hide in. The trees sway in the wind. The investigator is hung so that
he and the daughter can be led to the manor house. The gun is to be thrown. The
letter is to be dictated so that the daughter can eavesdrop. The trees cast
shadows. The lamp is to be dropped. The gun is to knock on the door. The grass
is for chewing. The fireplace is to emit smoke. The hand mirror is to be shot
and shattered, becoming an ominous sign. The gun is to emit smoke. Attacking
the shipwreck is to give the investigators a chance to escape. The chair is to
tie people down. The gloves are to spin. The hair and clothes are to flutter in
the wind. Sending an inexperienced young man to watch the lighthouse is to
allow the daughter to take control of it. The chair is to fall over. The
thieves stare at the ship to give the daughter a chance to escape. The burning
cloth is to illuminate the lighthouse light. The clothes are to be torn apart.
The letter is to be torn apart. The aunt utters the real killer's name so that
she will be shot. The mouth is to remove the cap from the bullet. The
handkerchief is to be waved. The gun is to be dropped so that it misfires and
emits smoke. The mast is to make people fall.
●Rebecca (1940) 128 minutes 4/17
The fog is there to make things happen. The shadows of the clouds fall on the
screen. The light becomes a ribbon. The waves crash. The cliffs bring the man
and the girl together. The trees cast shadows. They drink tea in the lobby to
reunite the man and the girl. The girl eats so that she knocks over the vase,
flooding the table and allowing him to eat with her at his table. The master
has a cold so that the man and the girl can go on a date. The collar and hair
sway in the wind. The topic of the tides is meant to anger the man. The
flowers, window frames, and chandeliers cast shadows on the wall. The potted
plant becomes a racket holder. The cream becomes an ashtray. The tennis racket
is for going on a date. The water surface becomes a mirror. The fence casts
shadows. She bites her nails so that she doesn't. The girl's question about why
he's with her is meant to anger the man. The trees sway in the wind. The
mistress's daughter is getting married, the man goes out to rush the marriage.
The shower is so she won't answer the phone. The armrest is for people to sit
on. The mistress turns her back to her daughter to hear the news of the
marriage so that the daughter will turn around in surprise. The man goes to get
the luggage so that the daughter and mistress can be alone together. The
marriage certificate is so that it will fall. The hat is so that the paper will
be caught. The rain is so that it will pour down. The coat is so that it will
be worn. The wipers are so that the windshield will be divided. All the servants
are there to greet the daughter so that she will be intimidated. The gloves are
so that they will be dropped and picked up (the daughter has never worn them).
The marriage and Mandalay are so that the daughter will be involved. The rain
is so that it will cast a shadow. The housekeeper is so that she will be
mistaken for the husband. The table is so that people will lean on it. The wall
is so that it will cast a shadow. The candle is so that it will flicker in the
wind. The tea is so that the daughter will make it herself. The floor is so
that it will be slippery. The curtains are so that they will flutter in the
wind. The mansion is a maze. The ex-wife's initials are to intimidate the
daughter. The phone call is to announce his death. The daughter looks at the
notebook so that she drops and breaks the pottery. Having the sister and
brother-in-law badmouth the daughter so that the daughter can eavesdrop. The
walk and the dog are to get the daughter to the sea hut, anger the man, make
the daughter cry, and have him wipe away her tears with a handkerchief bearing
the ex-wife's initials. Searching for the leash is to peek inside the hut. The
walls are for people to lean against. Helping with the estate management is to
hear the ex-wife's story. The man sets up the 8mm film so that he turns around
and is surprised by the daughter's dress. The film runs out, and also to get
the daughter to confess that she broke the pottery, and to illuminate the
daughter's and man's faces in the darkness with a flickering light. The man
goes out so that the daughter is alone in the mansion. The daughter approaches
the window so that she can witness the window of the annex being closed. The
window is for people to come and go. The tea invitation is declined by the
housekeeper's glance, illustrating the relationship between the housekeeper and
the salesman. The fur coat is for stroking someone's face. The brush is touched
to move it and put it back. The horn is a signal. The matches are for throwing
away. The sketch is for erasing, and also for showing the discarded sketch to
the housekeeper to have the daughter dress up as the ex-wife in the portrait.
The barbell is for dropping. The man turns his back to the stairs and talks
with his sister and brother-in-law so that he will turn around and be surprised
by the daughter's costume. The costume party is for putting the wife in a
difficult situation. The stairs are for suspense. The hat is for falling. The
housekeeper opens the window to drop the daughter so that the two can witness
the shipwreck commotion. The shipwreck is for revealing the ex-wife's body. The
sparks are for scattering. The cigarette is for exhaling smoke and for throwing
away. The spiderweb is for swaying in the wind. The evening paper is not for
reading. The fireplace is for burning. The boarding school becomes the
interrogation site. The fainting is to force the committee to recess, have the
salesman blackmail the man in the car into going to a doctor, and get him
released. The tires are for rolling. The bones are for throwing away. The man
punches the salesman to expose his character and put him at a disadvantage. The
chair is for resting his feet on. The frosted glass is for projecting
silhouettes. The ex-wife is a strong woman so she won't commit suicide. The
daughter is sent back to the mansion first so that the housekeeper will try to
burn her to death. The salesman calls the housekeeper so that she will set the
mansion on fire. The police officer is to be the target of the anger. The
mansion burns. The flames are for projecting shadows. The pillow burns.
● "Foreign Correspondent" (1940) 118 minutes 4/25
A desk is for people to sit on. A report is for tossing down. A window frame is
for casting shadows. A desk is for resting your feet on. The European crisis is
for starting a movement. Initials are for being repainted. You entrust your hat
to a child so that you lose it. A train is for emitting smoke. An umbrella
becomes a walking stick. A shot of the city is for filming Hitchcock. You meet
a diplomat so that people mistakenly believe the murdered person is the same
person. A taxi is for forgetting your hat. A cigarette is for exhaling smoke.
The little man who doesn't speak is for bringing the woman and the
correspondent together. The man in the kilt takes the little man away so that
the correspondent and the woman are alone. The woman stumbles during her speech
so that she is shown a love letter to confuse them. The applause is for
stopping. The flash is for lighting up. The camera is for faking a gunshot.
Umbrellas fly away. Stairs are for tumbling down. Cameras are for throwing
away. Rain makes crowds use umbrellas. Umbrellas point the assassin's escape
route. Guns emit smoke. Bicycles fall over. Trams allow people to slip through.
Cars are for clinging on and falling. Headlights and windshields are for
shooting through. Rain casts shadows. Pedestrians don't cross the road. Puddles
create splashes. Wind blows hats away, showing windmills turning in reverse.
Grass sways in the wind. Windmills signal planes landing. Wind roars. Light
forms streaks. Windmills imprison people. Gears catch coats. Coat belts are
left unbuckled to avoid getting caught in gears. Enemy spies are naked so they
can be blinded by a shirt, allowing the correspondent to escape. The kidnapping
is to involve the protagonist. The ground is a notepad. The woman and the
reporter are sent to chase the police to isolate the correspondent by having
him witness everything (in the end, the correspondent goes to call the police
himself). The conference is held in the Netherlands to film a suspenseful scene
at a windmill. The mud is to get hands dirty. The phone lines are cut to make
the correspondent suspicious. The keyhole is a peephole. The sound of water is
to make people feel present. The windows are for people to go in and out. The
walls are for people to climb. The neon lights are to be touched and turned
off. The correspondent is wearing a gown to create a misunderstanding about his
relationship with the woman, and also to make him go back to his room to get
his clothes. The correspondent leaves the woman's room so that he doesn't have
to leave. The flowers are to cast shadows. The walls are for people to lean
against. The water leak is to signal the correspondent's absence. The bathtub
is to emit smoke. Room service is to fill the room with people so that the two
can escape. The two men are there to help the correspondent escape his room and
connect him with the woman in the next room, and also to get him a bodyguard.
The woman takes the correspondent out during negotiations for a fully booked
ship so he can't get a ticket, so he can wrap himself in a blanket on the cold
deck and talk about love. The man in the father's house is there to let the
correspondent know the diplomat's true identity. The wall is there to cast a
shadow. The trees are there to cast a shadow. The daughter's love for the
correspondent is there to create conflict for the father. He crosses the road
so he can be pushed. The car is there to emit smoke. The hat is there to fly
off. The elevator is full for suspense. The couple who arrive are there to turn
back immediately. The observation deck is there to make people fall. The mass
for the dead becomes a mass for the detective. The bamboo blind is there to
cast a shadow. The newspaper is there to be thrown down. The ground is there to
cast a shadow. The kidnapping was intended to anger the woman and make her go
with her father, and also to inform the reporter of her father's whereabouts
(the kidnapping ultimately failed). The reporter's phone call was intended to
anger the woman by having the correspondent book separate rooms at the hotel.
The note indicating the place of confinement was intended to prevent her from
finding out. The thunder was meant to rumble. The father's associate was made
to inform his daughter of the truth. The restaurant under renovation became a
spy hideout. The records and lights were used for torture. The windows were
meant to project silhouettes and to be kicked out. The roof became a cushion.
The chairs were turned upside down. The windowpanes became mirrors. The female
passenger spoke to the crew to take the letter while they were distracted. The
armrests were for people to sit on. The war was meant to get everyone on a
plane to America and to accidentally bomb and crash a passenger plane. The
woman complained so that she would be shot and killed. The windows were meant
to be shot through. The plane became an aquarium. The trunk was meant to break
the windows. The plane crashes, and also to drive the father to suicide. The wings
become a life raft. The pilot overloads the wings to drive the father to
suicide. The waves and the ship scatter smoke. The binoculars become a mirror.
The captain is stubborn so that the telephone can be used as a listening
device. The company owner becomes the uncle. The air raid sounds the sirens and
darkens the room.
● "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (1941) 93 minutes 4/16
The sofa is for people to climb over. The buttocks are for closing the door.
The feet are for pulling the chair closer. The chair becomes a table. The
blinds are for casting shadows. The bottom of the door becomes a mailbox. The
fingers are for snapping. Getting an autograph indicates the level of the
marital dispute. The cane is for closing the door. The sofa is for people to
hide. Shaving the beard is for shaving again. The feet are for sticking
together and then separating. An annulment is for triggering a marital dispute.
The official knows the wife so he can inform her of the annulment. The skirt
shows that the wife has gained weight. The ground is for casting shadows. The
kitchen is for emitting smoke. The candle flickers in the wind. The cat is for evaluating
the taste of the soup. The restaurant is to conceal the truth. Dishes are for
spilling. Clothes are for throwing down. The sauna is for exhaling smoke and
meeting old friends to be introduced to women. Knees become chairs. Nameplates
are for tearing. Pens are for unchaining. Pens are for throwing. Boxes are for
smashing. Cars are for jumping into. Tables are for hiding. Underwear is for
scattering. Jobs are for getting fired. Fights are for gathering people.
Armrests are for people to sit on. Hats are for throwing. Doors are for hitting
faces, making noses bleed, forcing people to drink gin, and forcing them to
reveal women's phone numbers. Gin becomes a phone book. Restaurants are for
bumping into wives. Chairs are for carrying. People are for pushing through.
The beautiful woman next door is for making wives jealous. Bottles are for
hitting noses. Chairs become beds. Knives are for placing under the nose. The
trapeze is for breaking it, causing rain to soak wives and colleagues, and for
giving colleagues a cold to drink. Hair is for blowing in the wind. Cars and
tables are for people to sit on. Parents are to lead everyone to the winter
mountains. Roads are impassable due to snow to isolate the parents. Staying in
a mountain cabin is to let you hear the sounds from the next room. Trees are to
sway in the wind. Snow is to cool your face. Clothes and shoes are to take off.
Cigarettes are to throw away. Fireplaces are to burn brightly. Feigned illness
is to be seen through. Slamming doors is to make the husband pretend to be
sick. Bottles are to throw. Glasses are to throw and break. Chairs are to knock
over. Books are to drop and make noise. Walls are for people to lean against.
Ties are to throw down. Skis are to immobilize the wife and also symbolize the
couple's embrace.
● "Suspension" (1941) 98 minutes 4/20
The train is to bring the man and woman together. The tunnel is to make the
room dark. The window frame is to cast shadows. The glasses, horseback riding,
education, and hairstyle are to make the woman miss her chance to marry. The
stamps are for the train fare. The photographs are taken to bring people closer
together and talk (they end up not being photographed), and the horse's
neighing is to make the man look away and reunite with the woman. The face is a
mirror. The book is to hold the photograph. The church is not to be visited.
The trees sway in the wind. The hat is to be blown away by the wind. The hair
is to be fixed. The handbag is closed to avoid kissing. The parents'
conversation is to make their daughter and the man kiss, and to marry their
daughter. The trees cast shadows. The date is to be rejected. The glasses are to
be worn. Women don't want to go to the ball because they want to go afterward,
and fireplaces burn brightly. Dresses are thrown away. Dances are for sneaking
out of the ball. Cars are for kissing. Armrests are for people to sit on.
People stop by home to report their marriage to their father's portrait.
Picture frames slip down. Fathers read the newspaper and mothers knit so their
daughters will elope. Marriage involves women. The address on a suitcase tells
the destination of the honeymoon. Gloves are for throwing down. Mantelpieces
are for people to lean on. Chairs are for people to rest their feet on.
Railings cast shadows. Matches are for throwing. Chairs are sold to decorate
shop windows and then bought back. Wives go to bookstores to look at chairs
displayed in antique shops. People turn into ducks. People get their best
friends drunk so their wives can be informed of their seizures. Mailboxes are
for filming Hitchcock. Desks are for people to sit on. The job is to embezzle
and get fired, and to make her husband incur debt. The wife goes to her
husband's company to find out he's been fired. The note is to be torn up. The
news of being fired is the news of her father's death. Her father's death is to
prevent him from leaving an inheritance. The wall is for people to lean
against. The wife says "You're a child" to her best friend so that he
can stand by the wall and eavesdrop on their conversation, making him angry.
She tends to the plants so that her husband will be surprised when he arrives.
The cigarette is to exhale smoke. Laughter turns into screams, the word game is
to sow suspicion in the wife, and also to make her faint and fall asleep so
that her husband and best friend can go to the cliff. Her hair is to be blown
by the wind. The waves are to be scattered. The husband repairs the player so
that his best friend can plug it in. The best friend goes to Paris and has the
husband drive her to London so that the best friend dies and sows suspicion in
the wife's mind. The black of the mourning clothes for her father's death
becomes the black of the mourning clothes for her best friend's death. The
husband checks out of the hotel to make his wife suspicious. The backrest
becomes a pillow. The ground casts a shadow. The novel teaches how to kill. The
book is for holding letters. The letters are for throwing down. The husband
takes a bath so that his wife can read the letter while he's out. The request
for soap adds to the suspense. The insurance makes the wife suspect her
husband's murderous intent. The fireplace flickers the light. The candles
flicker in the wind. The dinner party warns the wife of the danger of
poisoning. The chicken becomes the corpse. The novelist's brother is the
coroner so he can explain the poison. The servant's vacation strengthens the
wife's suspicion. The chair is for people to lean on. The fainting makes the
husband bring the milk. The novelist nurses her to strengthen the wife's
suspicion. The milk shines white, and also prevents it from being drunk. The
stairs become a source of suspense. The husband drives the car to terrify his
wife. The meters become a mirror. The shortcuts become cliffs to make it seem
like you're about to fall. The ground rumbles. The car makes a U-turn. The
ground emits smoke.
● "Saboteur" (1942) 108 minutes 4/30
Walls are for projecting shadows. Kitchens are for emitting smoke. The ground
is for projecting shadows. The blonde woman is for distracting the enemy spy,
causing him to drop an envelope and a $100 bill, thus memorizing the address
and face. Cigarettes are for emitting smoke. Sabotage is for emitting smoke and
creating flames. Fire extinguishers become flamethrowers. The man gives the
fire extinguisher to his best friend so he can get involved in the incident.
Flames are for projecting wavering shadows. Trees are for casting shadows. The
man is sent to look for brandy so he can go to the gossipy woman's house and
escape without meeting the detective. Passing trucks are for projecting
shadows. Oncoming cars are for shaking the truck. The truck shaking is for
shaking the fire extinguisher. Newspapers are for holding in and stopping the
fire extinguisher from shaking. The steering wheel is for striking a match. The
sign is a message to the man. The driver smokes a cigarette so the man can hold
the steering wheel and stare at the sign. The police motorcycle is for letting
them pass. The pool is for projecting a wavering shadow. The armrest is for
people to sit on. The letter is for throwing down. The baby is for taking the
letter from the pocket and also for shielding. The coin purse is for putting
the gun in. The fence is for jumping over. The ground is for scattering smoke.
The horse is for falling off. The call is for handcuffing the man. The truck is
for changing the tire so the man can escape. The cigarette is for punching and
running away. The foot is for kicking open the door. The oncoming car is for
making the man dive off the bridge. The river is for splashing water, for
hiding in it, and for projecting a wavering shadow. The detective is pushed
into the river to be mistaken for the man. The clouds are for gathering. The
thunder is for flashing and rumbling. The sudden shower leads the man to the
house in the woods so he can meet the blind man and the woman. The fireplace
drops firewood to show the blind man the handcuffs (?), and also to throw away
the half-eaten apple. The apple makes a biting sound so he eats, drops the
knife, and shows the handcuffs to the woman. Showing the handcuffs to the woman
so the man's hands are wrapped around the steering wheel. The car's fan cuts
the chain of the handcuffs, and also breaks down so the car overheats and the
man and woman get into the circus car. The passing car adds to the suspense.
The handcuffs scatter sparks. The confinement turns into a marital dispute. The
shoulder becomes a pillow. The cold brings the man and woman closer together.
The rocks provide cover. The circus provides shelter for the two, and also so
the woman can trust the man. The car is for jumping in. The snake helps the
woman get into the car. The luggage rack provides cover. The handkerchief is
for waving. The telephone rings. Door handles light up. Windows are for people
to go in and out of. Peepholes project light. Boilers become safes. Walls are
for people to lean against. Dams create splashes of water. The woman hides in
the ruins to eavesdrop on the man's conversation and raise suspicion again (the
direction of this scene is unclear). The spy reveals the location of the
operation in the car to inform the man. Restaurants and kitchens are for people
to pass through. Tables are for people to sit on (they sit four times). The
wealthy man's mansion becomes the spy's hideout. The book title becomes a
message. The woman who comes to call the hostess helps the man and woman
escape. The party guests don't trust the man. The dancing separates the man and
woman. The revelations become an auction. People are for people to step over.
Floor plans are for burning. Tables are for people to rest their feet on.
Grilles project shadows. Smoking a cigarette sets off the fire alarm so they
can escape. Onlookers are there to show the man the newspaper. A pen is
unusable so that lipstick can be used as a pen. Makeup is to pass the enemy. A
desk is there to cut paper on its corner. Skyscrapers are there to make paper
flutter down. Traffic jams are there to get out of taxis. Taxi drivers are
there to receive paper. Lights are there to make things flash. Going to see the
director is there so that you don't have to see him. Trains and explosions are
there to emit smoke. Movie theaters are there to escape. Movies become reality.
Guns are there to emit smoke. Hair is there to blow in the wind. The spy drops
his gun so that he falls when the man corners him with a gun. Sleeves are there
to tear and also to blow in the wind. The Statue of Liberty is there for people
to fall from.
● "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943) 107 minutes 5/5
Curtains and blinds are to project shadows. Bills are to scatter. Glasses are
to be thrown and shattered. Window frames are to project shadows. Curtains and
trees are to sway in the wind. Walls are for people to lean against. The inn's
room number 13 is to foreshadow the uncle's fate. The detective's pursuit is to
lead the uncle to his niece. Scraps of paper are to fly up. Birds are to
project shadows. Trees cast shadows. The sister is made to answer the phone so
that the telegram won't be received. The sister is reading a book and doesn't
have a pencil to take notes so that the niece will go to the post office.
Magazines are to be thrown aside. The niece is bored so that she will call her
uncle. Chairs are for people to sit on. Ears are for holding pencils. The card
on the train is to photograph Hitchcock. The train is to emit smoke. The coat
and apron are for taking off. The clothes and hat are for throwing down. The
present is for making the niece sentimental, getting her to go to the kitchen,
leaving her alone with her uncle, and giving her the ring. The apron is for
fiddling with. The refrigerator and pillar are for people to lean against. The
initials on the ring are evidence of the murder. Humming is for the uncle to be
reminded of the crime. The glass is knocked over to change the subject. The
cigarette is for exhaling smoke. The newspaper becomes a paper house to hide
the articles, and also for the niece to see through it, get her to grab her
uncle's hand, and indicate how hard she is holding him. The melody of "The
Merry Widow" is for reminding people of the murder. Cleaning the shoes is
for knocking them off. The cigarette smoke forms a ring. The table is for
people to lean against. Walking down the street is for attracting attention.
The pencil is for fiddling with. The bank is for teasing the father and for
introducing the uncle to the widow and having him give a speech. The handrail
is for people to lean on. The flash is for flashing light. The photograph is
for the film to be stolen (even though it isn't). The census is used in a
murder investigation. The cake is not made. The photograph is not taken. The
detective asks her out on a date so that his identity will be discovered by his
niece. The uncle is talking to his sister on the first floor so that he can use
that opportunity to sneak his niece into his room on the second floor. The
newspaper is for rolling up. The traffic police officer is to delay his niece's
trip to the library so that she can be alone in the dark library after closing
time and read the articles. The car is for almost hitting people. The lights
are for turning off. The ground is for casting shadows. There is a back door so
she can get out without being seen by her uncle. The chair is for hanging
clothes. The back is for closing the door. The cartoon in the newspaper is
offered so that it won't be read. The murder talk is to make his niece angry so
that she runs out of the house and goes to a bar alone with her uncle. The
dishcloth is for throwing things down. People are for bumping into each other.
The napkin is for folding, twisting, and hiding. The ring is placed on the
table so that the uncle can take it. The niece's family is kind so that they
cannot tell her that her uncle is a murderer, thus isolating the niece. The
uncle is cleared of suspicion so that the niece is isolated. The cigar is for
dropping. The gloves are lying there so that the niece will go to the back of
the garage. The gloves are for playing with. The ladder is for people to lean
on. The proposal is made in the garage to show that the door closes easily. The
stairs are for people to fall. The car is for emitting smoke. The railing is
for hanging clothes. The lecture is for the niece to go out in the car and be
killed by the exhaust fumes in the garage. The exhaust fumes are for the niece
to smell so that she gets sick, stays home alone, and searches for the ring.
The radio is for drowning out the niece's screams. The log is for holding the
garage door in place. The reason the detective is unreachable is to isolate the
niece. The stairs become a suspenseful scene. The lecture party becomes a
farewell party. The niece's black dress as she sees off her uncle becomes
mourning attire (Light doesn't wear black at funerals). Having the children see
him off into the train is to make the niece supervise him, accompany him, delay
his disembarkation, and have her killed by her uncle. The train is there so
that people will fall. The oncoming train is there to run over and kill people.
The uncle's accidental death is to prevent his arrest.
● "LIFEBOAT" (1943) 96 minutes 4/27
The ship emits smoke and sinks, creating spray. The U-boat capsizes to trigger
the incident. Cargo and people float on the water. Fog rolls in. Cigarettes are
for throwing away. Rackets are for smashing baby bottles to sink. Cries for
help cause the engineer to knock the camera away. Hats are for throwing away.
Prayer is for the Black man to take over. Yawning indicates the German
character. Everyone sleeps to sink their mother into the sea. The ship rocks.
The compass breaks to let the German man decide the course. The newspaper is
for photographing Hitchcock. Hair is for blowing in the wind. The rich man
gives orders because he can't be captain. The mast casts shadows and drags the
typewriter into the sea. Memo paper becomes playing cards. A body becomes a
love letter. The dancer's injured leg is to get the German to perform the
amputation surgery. The alcohol is an anesthetic. The punches are to knock the
puncher unconscious. The wind is to make a roaring sound. The shoes are to
signal the amputation of the leg. The night is to show the stars and indicate
direction. The whistle is to wake people up. The clouds are to gather. The
black man is a former thief to steal the compass. The compass becomes a clock.
The waves are to splash water. The storm is to make the German give orders and
become "captain," and also to make him speak English, and to break
the mast and make the German row the boat, and to make the Americans panic by
causing them to lose food and water, and to make the dancer drink seawater by
causing them to lose water, and to make the German secure water and insult the
Americans, and for the angry Americans to throw the German into the sea and
cause him to lose "captain." The pillars are to tie people up. The
hairpins are to untie them. The knees become pillows. The bodies become beds.
The shoes become hanging threads. Newspapers are to be torn apart. Bracelets
are to shine. Lipstick is for writing. Bodies and ships become notepads.
Playing cards are to be blown away by the wind, causing Americans to fight, and
to make it rain. Four of a kind are to be blown away by the wind. Sheets are to
collect rainwater. Everyone sleeps so that the dancers can be pushed into the
sea while they are asleep. They talk about the components of tears so that the
components of sweat can be identified. Bottles are to be dropped and broken,
and the shards to be thrown away. Shoes are to be used to hit people, and to be
dropped. Bracelets become lures, and to be sunk into the sea. Fishing is to
allow the fish to be hooked and the supply ship to be discovered, and to sink
the bracelet into the sea (the fish is hooked but not reeled in). The surface
of the water shines. Lifeboats are to be turned back, and to be blown up.
Cannons shine, and to create splashes. Supply ships are to pass by, and to be
bombed and emit smoke, and to be blown up so that German soldiers can be
rescued in lifeboats. The gun is to be thrown away.
● "SPELLBOUND" (1945) 110 minutes 4/21
Murder is to set the crime in motion. Trees are to sway in the wind and cast
shadows. Leaves are to scatter. Hands are to scratch. Armrests are for people
to sit on. Books are to throw. Tables are for people to rest their feet on.
Knives are to stimulate the patient with the sound of cutting letters. Blinds
are to cast shadows. Lunch is to bring the man and woman together. The story
about the pool is to draw lines on the tablecloth with a fork to remind the man
of his "origin" and make him angry. The knife is to erase the lines.
Clothes are to wipe glasses. The letter to the woman is to be later compared to
the handwriting in the book. The back of the sofa is for people to sit on. The
phone call from the assistant is to remind the man of his "origin".
The wire is to make the woman fall so the man can help her up. Leaves are to
remove. Mustard is to put on the woman's hand. The chair becomes a coat rack.
The light under the door indicates that someone is awake. The door opens. The
kiss shows the man the lines of the gown, reminding him of "Origin."
The patient cuts his throat to make the man perform surgery, remind him of
"Origin," and cause him to faint. The mask is to be ripped off. The
book is to allow the man's signature to be compared to the signature on the
letter. The cigarette case is to remind the man of "Origin." The
bottom of the door becomes a mailbox. No one knows the new director so that the
man can impersonate him. The large number of people entering the room prevents
the woman from picking up the letter on the floor. The letter is to be kicked
away. The doctors' conversation makes the woman chase after the man. The sign
becomes a mirror. The elevator is to film Hitchcock. The annoying man in the
lobby brings the hotel detective closer to the woman. The burn on his hand is
to remind the man of "Origin" and cause him to faint. The evening
newspaper is brought in so the boy can see the woman's face. The ticket office
is to make the man think of his "origin" and faint. The iron bars are
to project a shadow. The police are seen so the two can go to the woman's
mentor's house. The train tracks are to make the man think of his
"origin". Passing objects are to project a shadow into the train. The
detectives' arrival is to make the detectives see the woman. The door is for
people to lean on. The clothes are for people to throw down. The white lines on
the sheets are to make the man think of his "origin" and faint. The
sofa becomes a bed. The man is made to shave so he can see the white lines on
the brush, and then the "white" of the sink, chair, sink, and bathtub
will make him think of his "origin" and sleepwalk. The stairs become
suspense. The milk becomes a sedative. The glass becomes a lens. The dead
become a nap. The suit becomes a blanket. Matches are for scattering. Eyes are
in the curtains. Curtains are for cutting. Tables are for casting shadows.
Wheels are for dropping. Snow is for letting children play on sleds and draw
white lines, reminding the man of his "origins." Coffee cups are for
dropping and breaking (the coffee is not drunk). Food is for reminding the man
of his "origins." Train whistles are for blowing. Lights are for
flickering. Hair is for blowing in the wind. Skis are for reminding the man of
an old incident. The ramp in front of the entrance becomes a slide. The pointed
ends of the fence are for impaling people. Walls are for projecting shadows.
Having the director see off his mentor is for letting him talk to the woman and
reveal his true nature. Glasses are for putting on. Desks are for people to sit
on. Cigarettes are for throwing away. Guns are for exhaling smoke. Canes are
for hitting people. Station attendants are for being surprised in the final
scene.
● "Notorious" (1946) 96 min 4/6
The father's treason charge is to turn his daughter into a spy and make her
hate the police. The flash is to light up. Knees are on the bed. A throat is to
place a glass on. Trees are to sway in the wind and cast shadows. A scarf is to
be wrapped around the stomach. Hair is to sway in the mist and wind. The ground
is to rumble. Hands are swords. Drunk driving at night is to get caught by a
police officer and reveal the man's identity to the woman. The woman is made to
hang over so that she lies down and a picture of the man is taken upside down.
The invitation to set sail is to make the woman make a decision. The airplane
is to announce the father's death and to bring the woman's face, as she gazes
at the view of Rio from the window, closer to the man. Drinking alcohol is to
make the woman lose trust in him. Bags, hats, and gloves are to throw down.
Doors are to cling to. The waiting period in Rio is to allow the man and woman
to become intimate before informing them of the mission. The desk is for people
to sit on. The blinds are to cast shadows. The champagne is for people to
forget about. The candle is for people to flicker in the wind. The matches are
for people to throw away. The cigarette is for people to exhale smoke. Having
someone plot something inside the spy's mansion is to get the woman to
infiltrate the spy's house and marry him. The horse is kicked to make it run
wild and introduce the woman to the man. The hat is to hide the face. The
ground is for people to scatter smoke. The water surface is for people to
shine. Having the spy point out the wine bottle is to have his accomplice kill
him, teach him that if he makes a mistake he will be killed by his accomplice,
so that the woman he marries cannot reveal that she is a spy and so that she is
poisoned. The racetrack is for exchanging information. The binoculars are for
mirrors. The walls are for people to lean on. The closet is locked so that the
husband can get the key from his mother. The wine cellar is locked so that
people will suspect a plot. The door is there to cast a shadow. The husband is
getting changed so that the woman can steal the key while he's distracted. The
woman hugs the husband to hide the key in her left hand. The key is to be
dropped and kicked away. The wedding reception is there to get the man to sneak
into the underground wine cellar. The man kisses the woman's hand so that she
can take the key. Going to get the champagne is to film a Hitchcock scene. The
champagne running low is for suspense, to get the husband to go to the wine
cellar and see the man and woman kiss, and to let the husband know the key is
missing (the wine is never refilled). The bushes become an ashtray. The paper
stuck to the back of the shelves in the wine cellar is there to get the man to
investigate, drop a bottle of wine, break it and expose the uranium inside, and
to let the husband know the woman is a spy with the shards of the broken
bottle. The wine is there to fill with uranium. The kiss is to "fake"
a romance. The wine's vintage is there to let the wine be missing. The key is
returned to reveal that the woman is a spy. The ground is used to cast shadows.
The coffee is used to add poison. The blinds are opened to cause the woman a
headache. The scarf is used to get it returned. The dizziness is used to
simulate a hangover. The woman is given coffee to drink to make her move the
coffee cup. The doctor is given the woman's coffee to let her know it's
poisoned. The book is used to make her fall. The dizziness is used to distort
the screen. The fainting is used to confine the woman to the second floor and
to cut off contact with the man, making him suspicious. The woman is given
poison to get her out of the second floor while the spies are present. The
stairs are used for suspense. The spies are all gathered in the mansion to
"protect" the woman and the man.
● "THE PARADINE CASE" (1947) 113 minutes 3/31
The ground is to cast shadows. The rope is to strangle someone. The toolbox is
to hide a body. Murder is to initiate movement. The light is to be turned on
and then turned off. The chimney is to emit smoke. The food placed on top of
the toolbox and the candlestick are to prevent the toolbox lid from being
opened. The back is to break the shot. The rope is to be stuck in the toolbox
to retrieve something and to swing it around, and the door is to be opened and
closed. The chair is to rest one's knees on. The topic of painting is to leave
the man and his ex-lover alone. The wall is for people to lean against. The
glass is to be gripped and broken. The woman asking for another glass of
champagne is to break the shot with the back of her ex-lover as he goes to pour
it. The chicken is served with the food to make the pianist uneasy by talking
about slaughtering chickens. The dishcloth is to be thrown down. Everyone goes
to look at the book to leave the remaining two alone. The desk is for people to
lean on. The light is for turning on and then off. The piano is for people to
lean on, and also for background music. The first edition book is for wrapping
rope around it. The candle is extinguished to create smoke. The missing person
story is for having the housekeeper clear the top of the toolbox. The hat is to
indicate the presence of a person. The cigarette case is to pretend to be left
behind. The professor returns home so he can come back. The book is to hide the
cigarette case. The glass is for throwing and shattering. The gun is for
throwing and setting down. The neon is for lighting. The gun is for creating
smoke. The gun is brought out so that the sound of a gunshot will call someone
in the final scene. The books are for scattering. The final shot is for the professor
to wrap the handkerchief around his left hand. The toolbox lid is for breaking
the shot. The sofa is for kneeling. The feet are for pulling the chair closer.
The world's most suspicious man is invited so that the crime will be exposed.
● "ROPE" (1948) 80 minutes 4/14
The ground is to cast shadows. The rope is to strangle people. The toolbox is
to hide bodies. Murder is to initiate movement. The light is to be turned on
and then turned off. The chimney is to emit smoke. The food placed on top of
the toolbox and the candlestick are to prevent the toolbox lid from being
opened. The back is to break the shot. The rope is to be stuck in the toolbox
to take it out and to swing it around, and the door is to be opened and closed.
The chair is to rest your knees on. The topic of painting is to leave the man
and his ex-girlfriend alone. The wall is for people to lean against. The glass
is to be gripped and broken. The woman asking for a second glass of champagne
is to break the shot with the back of her ex-boyfriend as he goes to pour it.
The chicken is served with the food to make the pianist uneasy by talking about
slaughtering chickens. The dishcloth is to be thrown down. Everyone goes to
look at the book to leave the remaining two alone. The table is for people to
lean against. The light is to be turned on and then turned off. The piano is
for someone to lean on and for background music. The first edition book is for
someone to wrap a rope around it. The candle is extinguished to make it emit
smoke. The missing person story is for the housekeeper to clear the top of the
toolbox. The hat is to indicate the presence of a person. The cigarette case is
to pretend to be left behind. The professor comes home so he can return. The
book is to hide the cigarette case. The glass is to be thrown and smashed. The
gun is to be thrown down. The neon is for lighting. The gun is for emitting
smoke. The gun is brought out so that the sound of a gunshot will call someone
in the last scene. The books are to be scattered. The last shot is for the professor
to wrap a handkerchief around his left hand. The toolbox lid is to break the
shot. The sofa is for kneeling. The feet are for pulling the chair closer.
● "UNDER CAPRICORN" (1949) 115 minutes 4/7
The past incidents are to jeopardize the marriage. The flag is to flutter in
the wind. The table is for people to sit on. The maid makes noise so she will
be whipped. The party is so the mistress will be absent. People sit far apart
at the table so they can readjust their positions. Their faces become mirrors.
The candles are to flicker in the wind. The trees cast shadows. The gun is to
be shot into the fireplace. The pen is to be bitten. The pillars are for people
to lean on. The windowpanes become mirrors. The cigarette is to exhale smoke.
The balcony is for climbing on. The railing is for climbing over. The curtains
are to flutter in the wind. The fireplace is for burning whips. The whistling
is to encourage the woman. The ruby necklace is not to be given. The maid is
to make her husband jealous and send him to the ball, thus making a bad
impression on the governor. The eviction order is to be rescinded. The reason
he's bad at horseback riding is so he'll fall off, break the horse's bones, and
get shot with the gun meant to euthanize it. The severed head is to make people
faint. The thunder is to create a rumbling sound. The glass is to be dropped.
The feathered hat is to flutter in the wind. The hat is to be waved.
● "STAGE FRIGHT" (1950) 109 min 4/4
The murder is to involve the woman. The blood on the dress is to get the man to
go to the actress's house and have the maid witness it. The fire poker is to
kill someone. The ornament is to break the glass. The table is to scatter
things. The telephone is to make a rumbling sound. The car window is broken to
serve as a marker. The carriage is to obstruct the car. The skirt is to be
taken off. The stage is to evade the police. The water surface is a mirror. The
curtain is to project a silhouette. The trees are to sway in the wind. The
apple is to be thrown into the fireplace. The clothes become a dishcloth. The
man sleeps so that the father and daughter can deduce the mystery while he's
asleep. The fireplace is for burning the dress. Burning the dress is to fix the
stain. The father's deduction is to get his daughter to work as an actress's
maid. The bar is for meeting the detective. The trees and lattice are for
casting shadows. Her own shadow is reflected in the mirror. The reading glasses
are for disguise. The disguise is for being seen through. The table is for
people to sit on. The cigarette is for exhaling smoke. The door is opened for
closing. The armrest is for people to sit on. Coughing is a signal for action.
The railing is for casting shadows. The piano is for people to lean on. The
stage is for making the man witness. The loud noises and fainting are for
letting the suspect escape. The taxi is for making them kiss. The maid
blackmails her to call her father and make him put blood on the doll. The shadow
of the skirt is to reveal the color "red". The little man is for
having the doll stolen. The flag is for fluttering in the wind. The doll is for
revealing the color "red". The woman watches the stage so that the
detective will find out her true identity. The piano is on the table. The dress
is to hide the microphone. The pillars are for people to lean on. The carriage
is for people to hide behind. The curtain is for people to be crushed under.
● "STRANGERS ON A TRAIN" (1951) 101 min 3/20
The train's coffee room is there to bring people together. People cross their
legs to bump their shoes together. Shoes are meant to collide. Tie clips are
meant to reveal a person's character and to identify them. Blinds are there to
cast shadows. Lighters are meant to be forgotten and fall into the hands of the
murderer, to identify the person, to fall into a ditch to buy time, and to
serve as evidence of the murder. The dining car is full to lead the two into a
private compartment. Bags are for resting feet on. Chairs become beds.
Cigarettes are for exhaling smoke. The tennis player jokingly praises the
exchange murder to get the murderer to commit the exchange murder. The scene of
getting off the train is filmed to film Hitchcock. Windows become mirrors. The
wife works at a music shop so that the couple can have a fight in the
glass-walled music listening room for the shop owners to witness. The divorce
dispute and pregnancy announcement were meant to anger the tennis player and
make it seem like he was violent towards his wife. The divorce dispute and the
existence of a mistress were meant to cast suspicion on the tennis player. The
sound of a passing train was meant to drown out the voices. The train was meant
to cast shadows on people's faces. Having his mother cut his nails was meant to
signal the murderer's mother complex. St. Francis was meant to represent the
father. The table was meant for people to sit on. The cigarette was meant to
pop the balloons. The balloons were meant to be popped. The laughter of a man
and a woman turned into screams. The test of strength was meant to indicate the
murderer's strength. The merry-go-round was meant to have "The Band
Plays" sung and to make it a symbol of murder. The stalls were meant to
emit smoke. The rock face was meant to project shadows. The lighter was meant
to be a light source. The glasses were meant to fall and also to act as a
mirror. Riding in a boat was meant to allow the boatman to witness the
murderer. The amusement park rides were meant for the murder. Escorting the
blind man was meant to indicate the murderer's abnormality. The murder was
meant to involve the tennis player. The drunk professor the tennis player saw
on the train was there so that he wouldn't see the tennis player. The glasses
were there to help identify the person. The gate was there to cast a shadow on
a person's face. The trees were there to sway in the wind and also to cast
shadows. The cafe at the tennis court was there to bring the murderer and the
woman with glasses together. The lover's sister wore glasses to remind the
murderer of murder. The clothes were there to wipe the glasses. The armrests
were there for people to sit on. The parliament building was there to take a
long shot of the murderer. The letters were there to be crumpled up and burned.
The tennis rally was there to make the spectators shake their heads from side
to side, but not just the murderer's. The party was there so that the murderer
could see the woman with glasses while strangling a female partygoer as entertainment,
causing her to faint, and so that his lover would realize the exchange murders.
The glasses were there to be dropped and broken. The sofa was there to become a
bed. The stairs and the dog were there for suspense. The lover went to the
murderer's house so that the murderer would leave the lighter at the amusement
park. The murderer puts the lighter down at night to create suspense by having
tennis played. The flag is there to flutter in the wind. The arrest takes place
after a tennis match so that tennis can be played. The fence is for people to
sit on. People bump into each other to drop the lighter into the ditch and buy
time. The trees are for people to sit on. The compact powder is spilled on the
detective to delay time. The passenger car becomes a police vehicle. The taxi
becomes a changing room. The tennis player is allowed to swim so that he can be
confronted by the murderer. The merry-go-round becomes a fighting arena, and
the horses can trample the tennis player, and people can dive underneath it,
and it collapses to crush people to death. The attendant is shot so that the
merry-go-round spins at high speed so that the detective cannot jump on and
confronts the murderer and the tennis player in a "locked room". The
hat is there so that it can be blown off. The child is thrown off so that he is
not thrown off. The hands are there so that they can be stepped on. The
merry-go-round collapses so that smoke is scattered everywhere. The two of them
go to the coffee shop to escape from there.
● "I Confess" (1952) 94 minutes 3/26
The staircase shot is to film Hitchcock, the trees are to sway in the wind. The
sign is to guide people to the murder scene. The law office is the murder
scene. The murder is to initiate movement. The beads are to indicate people
coming and going by swaying. The wall is to project a shadow. The confession is
to frame the priest. The partition in the confessional is to cast a shadow on
the face. The bicycle is to be knocked over. The priest is sent to the scene to
make the servant suspect the informant, and to make the detective suspect him
being with the woman. The forks are to be bundled with coins and placed on top
of the glass. The clouds are to move. The detective's visit is to make the
servant suspect the informant and frame the priest. The glass is to be placed
on the forehead. The priest's vestment is to make the priest look suspicious.
The party is to have the prosecutor call the woman to inform her that the
priest is under suspicion, to have the woman meet the priest, to have the
detective witness the scene, and to have the woman, having given up, give
testimony to deepen the suspicion against the priest. The armrests are for
people to sit on. The boat is for emitting smoke. The table is for people to
sit on. The dance is to be canceled. The rain is to trap the priest and the
woman in the gazebo so that the lawyer can witness them and blackmail them. The
lawyer is to inform the priest that the woman is married. The reason the woman
didn't tell the priest she was married was so that they could spend the night
together, be witnessed by the lawyer, and be blackmailed. The woman is married
to a politician and the man is made a priest so that their social status can be
improved and the lawyer can blackmail them. The grass is for swaying in the
wind. The bench becomes a bed. People are for pushing aside. The comb is for
fiddling with. People are for bumping into each other. The flowers are for
dropping. The posters are to intimidate the priest. The gateposts are for
people to lean against. The trees cast shadows. The cigarettes emit smoke. The
reason for the acquittal is to have the real culprit's wife testify by being
surrounded by a crowd. The windows are to be broken. The car becomes a bed. The
department store kitchen becomes the scene of the shooting. The chairs are for
people to sit on. The detective tells his subordinate not to use the gun to get
a confession from the real culprit. The gun is to emit smoke and to be dropped.
The real culprit is shot so that he can beg the priest for forgiveness. The
banquet hall becomes the scene of the murder.
● "DIAL M FOR MURDER" (1954) 105 minutes 4/10
The wife's infidelity is to trigger the crime. The ornaments are to be knocked
over. The love letters are not burned to inform the husband of the infidelity.
The wall is to project a shadow. The car sale becomes a murder request. The
cane is to make it look like the person is disabled. The chair becomes a
clothes rack. The armrest is for people to sit on. The class reunion photo is
to photograph Hitchcock. The cane is to point at people. The love letter is
dropped to leave fingerprints and frame his wife. The fingerprints are to be
wiped away. The desk is for people to lean on and sit on. The wad of cash is to
be thrown. The stairs are to hide the keys. The bag is to be thrown down. The
curtains are to cast shadows. The lights are to be turned on and off. His wife
wants to go to the movies so he won't let her. He has his wife organize the
scrapbooks so she can put the scissors on the desk. The taxi fare bill is to
steal the keys. The stairs are for people to lean on. The message to his wife
is to hide the keys on the stairs. The handrail is to cast shadows. The
curtains are for people to hide. The cigarette is to exhale smoke. The clock is
slow. The old man in the phone booth is for suspense. Dialing M is a signal to
kill. The stockings are to strangle someone. The desk becomes a bed. The
scissors are to kill someone. The scissors are held in a reverse grip. The
stockings are to be dropped. The wife takes aspirin so her husband will put the
keys back in his bag. The fireplace is for burning the stockings. The tablecloth
is to hide the stockings. The tea is served so the stockings can be found. The
stockings are made to look like the wife's doing. The hat is for throwing. The
umbrella is used as a hat rack. The bars are for casting shadows. Turning one's
back to the window so one can be strangled from behind. The rain is to show
that the shoes are not muddy. The onlookers are for sending the husband to
unlock the back door and confront the wife and her lover about the affair. The
wrinkles in the carpet are for straightening them out. The clothes and hat are
for throwing down. The lover hides in the bedroom so the bag can be found. The
tweezers are for picking the lock. The pillar is for people to lean against.
The husband is sent to check on things so he can change his raincoat. The wife
is arrested so she can be brought back home and have the lock opened. The
building is for people to hide in. The sound of knocking on the wall is a
signal. The wife sends her husband to retrieve her belongings so that he can
unlock the house when he returns.
● "Rear Window" (1954) 112 min 3/22
The blinds become a curtain. The cat guides the camera. The cast immobilizes
the man, leading him to peep, and also serves as a notepad. The hot and humid
summer makes the immobile man lead him to peep, and also causes the blinds of
the apartment across the street to be raised so the man can peep. The balcony
becomes the bedroom. The bra is to be dropped and put on. The desk is to rest
one's feet on. The cast is a notepad. The broken camera indicates the man's
occupation and current situation. The editor's phone call informs the man that
he won't be able to answer the phone for another week, and also informs him of
his job and the accident. The ear is to hold a pencil. The newspaper is to be
slammed down. The nurse applies lotion to the man's body to get them to talk
about their lovers. The woman returns to the man's apartment multiple times to
change clothes. The newspaper serves as a sunshade. The face casts a shadow.
The man's nap is to make the woman's entrance more dramatic. The extinguished
lampshade is to be lit and turned around. The chair becomes a table. The window
frame is for people to sit on and for placing glasses. The railing is for
people to sit on. Filming the composer's room is to film Hitchcock. The alarm
clock is to be dropped and ring the bell. The window is for people to come and
go. The rain is to trigger the events. The sheet music is to be knocked down.
The nap is to miss the crucial moment. The cage becomes an elevator. The
newspaper is to wrap the knife. The lens becomes a mirror. The whistle becomes
a signal. The flowerbed is to hide and dig up dismembered bodies. The camera
becomes a portable peephole. The trunk is to put bodies in. Breakfast is to
make human flesh into bacon and blood into coffee to deter people from eating
it. The cigarette is to exhale smoke and to let people smoke in the dark to
indicate that someone is there. The chimney is to exhale smoke. The back
scratcher is for banging on the cast. The desk is for people to sit on. The
armrest is for people to sit on. The knees become a step stool. The presence of
the jewels is to strengthen the suspicion. The knees become a chair. The
clothes are for throwing down. The wall is for casting shadows. The woman stays
overnight so that the detective can argue that everyone has a right to privacy.
The detective is for proving the salesman's innocence. The wine is for
spilling. The blinds are lowered so that they can be raised again. The dog is
for sniffing out the flowerbed and for rekindling the man's doubts about the
case after he had almost given up on it after the murder. The pillar is for
people to lean on. The difference in the height of the flowers serves as
evidence. The threatening phone call is for luring the salesman out of the
apartment. The fence is for climbing over. Miss Lonely Heart attempts suicide
so that the man calls the police and it is misinterpreted as a report that his
girlfriend is under attack (the suicide attempt fails). The pianist is for
playing background music and for his music to prevent the woman from committing
suicide. The window is a mirror. The wedding ring is to confirm the crime. The
woman and the nurse are made to dig the flowerbed so that when the salesman
returns they will signal with a flash, and the flash that was taken out at that
time but left unused will later be accidentally discovered by the man and shone
on the salesman (nothing is buried in the flowerbed and the signal flash was
never used), and also so that the woman can enter illegally. The woman is made
to enter illegally so that she can be arrested, the nurse can take the bail
money, leaving the man alone in the house to confront the salesman one-on-one,
and so that the man can see the ring so that when the salesman sees it he will
know the man's location, and so that the nurse can turn off the lights in the
room at that time to make the room dark and later repel the attacker with a
flash. The telephone is to identify the person. The light under the door
disappears to indicate the salesman's arrival. The camera flash is to blind the
person. The chair is to knock over. The gun is to throw. The window is to make
someone fall out. The hat is to throw down. The man falls so that she ends up
with two casts on her leg. The man falls asleep so that the woman changes the
adventure magazine she's reading into a fashion magazine.
● "TO CATCH A THIEF" (1955) 106 minutes 4/26
Glass becomes a mirror. A thief becomes a black cat. A pillow is for hiding
jewels. A copycat killer is for triggering the crime. Scissors are for
throwing. Feet are for closing drawers. Gunshots are for attracting people.
Roofs are for walking on. Doors are for pushing down. Chairs are for tipping
over. A car getaway is a tour of the Riviera. A flock of sheep is for blocking
the car. A woman's car is for evading pursuers. A bus is for filming Hitchcock.
Champagne is for fizzing. A restaurant becomes a former resistance hideout.
Eggs are for throwing at glass. Armrests are for resting feet on. A work phone
call is for sending the cat to the kitchen. Carrots are for tearing apart.
Plates are for breaking. Bottles are for throwing to make plates fall. Glasses
are for throwing. Tables are for people to sit on. The trees are there to cast
swaying shadows. The blinds are there to cast shadows. The coins are markers.
The flowers are there to be scattered, to hide in, bury oneself in, or hit
people with. The sleeves are there to stretch. The woman's cleavage is open so
that she can drop and increase her chips and get closer to the wealthy mother
and daughter. The mother and daughter have separate rooms so that the daughter
can kiss the cat. The ground is there to cast shadows. The fried egg becomes an
ashtray. The backrest is for people to sit on. The daughter changes clothes.
The hotel guests turn around to look at the daughter. The parasol sways in the
wind. The woman becomes a used car. Swimming in the sea is to get the women in
their swimsuits and to get them to fight. The list is there to stain and to
hide things. The trees and scarves sway in the wind. The stones become soccer
balls. The pursuit car is there to make the daughter speed up and to let her
know what the cat is. The bus is there to avoid it. Pedestrians drop their
laundry to stop cars. They also go to pick up the dropped laundry to stop pursuing
cars. Hair blows in the wind. People lean. The ground rumbles. Chickens crash
cars. Food is put in the trunk so that the cat that goes to get it can sit on
the seat. A woman's breasts and thighs become chicken breast and thigh meat.
The cat didn't court the girl so that its true identity would be revealed.
Chicken and tissues are for throwing things down. Car seats become beds. Lights
are for turning off. Fireworks scatter. Curtains blow in the wind. Doors are
opened to project light. Feet close doors. Chairs become clothes racks.
Umbrellas are for swinging around and throwing things down. Books are turned
upside down. Tables and chairs are for people to circle around. Embankments are
for people to sit on and put their feet on. Wrenches are for hitting people
(overhand grip). People fall. Water ripples. Funerals are for beating women.
Cigarettes are for throwing away. Sending someone to get medicine is for
swapping a cat with an insurance agent. Stairs become beds. Dancing is for
attracting the police. Hats are for throwing away. Gutters are for people to
cling to. Jewels are for throwing away. People are for hanging.
● "THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY" (1956) 97 minutes 4/18
Trees sway in the wind. Trees are for people to lean on. Empty cans and signs
are for throwing away, and for leaving bullet holes. Corpses are for bringing
men and women together. Trees are for people to hide. Nearsighted people don't
notice corpses. Corpses are for tripping people. Paintings are upside down.
Cigarettes are for throwing away. Fallen trees are for people to sit on, and
for people to lean on. Painters sketch corpses and arouse suspicion from the
sheriff. Cigarettes are for exhaling smoke. The painter goes to ask the woman
if she will report him in order to bring the painter and the woman together.
The widow stops by the general store to change her hairstyle. The frog is to be
traded for the rabbit. The railing is for people to sit on. The shovel is for
throwing things down. The tree is for leaning the shovel against and also for
striking matches. The rabbit is for digging up the corpse. The woman's
confession is for reburying the corpse. The laundry is for putting away. The
doll is for people to lean on. The armrest is for people to sit on. The widow's
confession is for digging up the corpse and then reburying it. The wall is for
people to lean on. The ribbon is for playing with. The shoes are evidence of
the corpse. The painting sells so that the sheriff can see the painting of the
corpse. The telephone is for finding the painting of the corpse. The feet are
for turning over the painting. The marriage is so that the corpse will be dug
up again and found by the doctor. The skirt is for swaying in the wind. The
fallen tree is for people to hide. The wall is for casting shadows. Doors open
to surprise people. Bridge is used to feign calmness. Playing cards are used to
throw things down. Clotheslines are used to fall over. Bathtubs are used to
hide bodies. Horns are used to distract the sheriff. Sofa backs are for people
to sit on. Rocking chairs are used for rocking. Sofas and foreheads are used to
hide clothes. Children's exploration games are used to find bodies and to bring
back shot rabbits.
● "THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH" (1956) 119 minutes 4/22
The child walks down the aisle so that the bus is shaken and the child can rip
off the woman's veil, allowing the couple to meet a stranger. The crowd is to
be pushed through. The gloves are to hit people. The shoes are to be thrown.
The hitman visits the room so that the mother can remember his face. The sofa
is to sink. The dress is to be stepped on. The restaurant is to let the spy
couple meet and have the child kidnapped. They go to the market so that they
get information from the murdered spy, the child is kidnapped and they get
caught up in it. The bicycle is to fall over. The donkey's cargo is to fall.
The people are to be thrown at people and get paint on them. The knife is held
in a reverse grip. The makeup is to be removed. They go to the police so that
the child can be kidnapped in the meantime. The phone book is to be tampered
with. They send the man back to the hotel so that he can escape. They call a
typist to take a statement at the police station so that the kidnapper can
check out in the meantime. Door frames are for casting shadows. Hangers are for
throwing things down. Desks are for people to sit on. Frosted glass is for
casting silhouettes. Airplanes are for making engine noise. Hats are for
throwing things down. Armrests are for people to sit on. Footsteps are for
making noise. A taxidermy factory is for mistaking people for each other. Trees
are for casting shadows. Sawsharks are for saws. A stuffed tiger is for biting
people. Jokes are for not laughing at. Parties are not held. Walls are for
people to lean against. The two windows in the church door are for the eyes (a
similar effect is used in the newspaper car in "The Lodger" (1926)).
The church becomes the assassins' hideout. Songs become conversations.
Donations are so that people's faces are seen. Pillars are for people to hide
behind. The detective is sent to Albert Hall so that his wife will follow him
and inform him of the assassination plot. The kitchen is for people to pass
through. The embassy becomes the assassins' hideout. The church bells represent
the vibrations of a father escaping the church. The doors are for people to
lean against. The screams are to disrupt the shooting and to get the couple
invited to the embassy. The cymbals are to drown out the gunshots. The guns are
to be dropped. The upper deck is to fall. The Albert Hall becomes the
assassination site. Singing and whistling are to announce the presence of
people. The sofa becomes a bed. The doors are to be kicked down. The stairs are
to knock people down, causing guns to misfire and kill them.
● "THE WRONG MAN" (1957) 105 minutes 3/24
Hitchcock uses shadows to project onto the ground. The empty train and
restaurant indicate the man's morning return. The train passes by. Poverty and
horse racing are to raise suspicion of the crime. The wife's toothache is to
get the husband to go to the insurance company and frame him as a robber, and
also to drive the wife mad. The piano is for people to lean against. The piano
practice appointment is to highlight the man's absence from home. The
cigarettes are for throwing away. The liquor store and supermarket are for
lineups. The table is for people to lean on and sit on. The grid casts a
shadow. The lineup is for mistakes. The bonfire is for scattering smoke. The
car is for people to lean on. The train casts a shadow. The witness is for
dying. The conversation with the lawyer is to instruct the wife on her
behavior. The arm is for scratching. The brush is for hitting someone
(overhand). The mirror is for breaking. The chair is for resting feet on. The
lawyer asks boring questions to invalidate the trial. The real culprit commits
a robbery to get the man acquitted.
● "VERTIGO" (1958) 125 minutes 3/23
Eyes are for spinning. Roofs are for jumping. And for running and falling off
them. Gutters are for clinging on. The chase is for making his colleague fall
and causing him to get dizzy. The conversation with his ex-fiancée is for
talking about their relationship and old friends, and for demonstrating the
dizziness. The cane is for balancing and for bumping against walls. The pencil
is for holding in the mouth. The chair is for stepping on. Filming the factory
entrance is for filming Hitchcock. Desks are for people to sit on (and he sits
on them frequently). Object cases are for people to lean against. The
great-grandmother's story is for involving the man. The restaurant is for
bringing the man and woman together and involving the man. The road is a maze. Entering
through the back door of the flower shop is for putting the woman in the mirror
of the back door and the man at the doorway in the same frame. The trees are
for swaying in the wind and for casting shadows. The woman's swirling hair is
to draw the man in. The ground is to cast shadows. The hotel's frosted glass is
to cast silhouettes. The car is to identify the person. The flower shop,
cemetery, museum, hotel, sea, forest, and church are to deceive the man. The
glass becomes a mirror. They talk in front of the bookstore on their way out to
turn on the bookstore's lights, indicating that it's getting dark. The scarf is
to flutter in the wind. The flowers are to be thrown into the sea. The hat is
to be thrown aside. The sea is for people to jump into. The drowning is to make
the man believe the woman has a suicidal streak. The clothes drying in the
kitchen are to show that the man took them off. The fireplace is to make the
flames swirl. The cushion is to be thrown aside. The wall and table are for
people to lean against. The hairpins are removed to demonstrate how the woman
styles her hair in a swirling motion. The coffee cups are to make the man and
woman's hands touch (the coffee is never drunk). The phone calls in the bedroom
are to wake the sleeping woman, and to make her disappear. The woman's return
home is to be witnessed by the man's ex-fiancée. The woman brings a thank-you
note to get closer to the man. The railing is for people to lean on. The tree
rings are to deceive the man. The forest becomes a maze. The trees are for
people to lean against. The waves are to break apart. The painting by the
ex-fiancée is to anger the man. The brush is to be thrown. The carriage is for
people to sit on. The dizziness is to prevent climbing stairs. Climbing stairs
is to cause dizziness. The church spire is to make people fall. The windows are
to let the man see the woman fall. The roof becomes a morgue. Murder becomes
suicide. The two-story house near the church becomes a courthouse. The pillars
are to swap people. The restaurant and art museum are to help him meet a
similar woman. The flower shop is to help him find the woman. The woman walks
through the city without trying to run away so that the man can find her. The
confession letter is there to tell the audience the truth (the letter is torn
up and not used), and also to be torn up. The door frame is there for people to
lean on. The armrest is there for people to sit on. The flock of birds is there
for them to fly away. The chest of drawers is there for people to lean on. The
man comes home with her hair down so that she will come out of the bathroom
with her hair up. The woman is living in a hotel so that the room will be
bathed in green neon lights. The woman's father dies and her mother remarries
so that she runs away from home and lives alone in a hotel. The woman wears a
brooch so that the man will see through her disguise. The wall is there for
people to cling to. The stairs are there to cure vertigo. The spire is there so
that the woman will fall from it. The nun is there to make the woman fall, and
also to ring the bell in the final scene.
● "NORTH BY NORTHWEST" (1959) 135 minutes 3/29
The spy is there to set up the incident. The windowpane is a mirror. The window
frame of the building is the background for the opening titles. The bus is
there so Hitchcock can miss it. The man trying to get into a taxi is there so
someone cuts in front of him. Forgetting to tell the secretary where his mother
is is so the man can send a telegram and get kidnapped. The dinner with the
client at the hotel where the fictional man is staying is so the man can be
mistaken for a spy and be kidnapped. The inability to send the telegram is so
the man can get up and get kidnapped. The UN committee member's mansion becomes
the spy's hideout. The walking stick is there so someone can throw it down. The
lamp is there to light up. The alcohol is there to kill someone. The car is
there to avoid something. The ground is there to make noise. The bicycle is
there so the man can brake and crash into the police car. The police officer
cracking down on drunk driving is there to rescue the man. The person is there
to lean on. The table is there for the person to sit on. The man is drunk so
that his side of the story won't be heard. The desk becomes a bed. The liquor
cellar becomes a bookshelf. The spy becomes a gardener. The hotel room is used
to make it appear as if someone is staying there, to reinforce the enemy spy's
conviction that the man who answered the phone is a spy, and to inform the spy
of the man's location so that he can be tailed and made to appear as a suspect
in the murder of the ambassador at the UN, allowing him to escape. The suit is
used to indicate that the size is different. The elevator is filled with women
to allow the man to escape out of respect for the ladies. Passengers at the
taxi stand are used so that they can cut in line. The ambassador stands with
his back to the aisle so that he can be stabbed in the back with a knife. The
man's knife is held in a reverse grip. The cameraman on the UN tour is used to
film the man's murder. The nameplate becomes a mirror. Two FBI spies have
already been killed to prevent the man from being rescued. The passerby's
newspaper is used to make the man wear sunglasses. The narrow corridor is used
to make the man and woman meet and wander back and forth. The cigarette is used
to exhale smoke. The newspaper is used to fold up. The toilet is for hiding.
The matches are to make the man's and woman's hands touch. The pursuers are to
leave the man and woman alone in a private room. The bunk bed is for hiding.
The sunglasses are to break. The can opener is the key. The wall is for leaning
on. The bag is for throwing down. The porter comes in while they're kissing so
the man can hide in the bathroom and find the razor and brush. The red cap is
for borrowing clothes and disguising himself. The shaving cream is for hiding
his face. The man next to the toilet is for surprising him. The razor is small
so he can create a mustache. The car is for passing by and for emitting smoke.
The man arriving in the car is not the person they were waiting for. The pesticide
sprayer is for scattering bullets. The cornfield is for hiding. The tanker
truck is for exploding and emitting smoke. The truck with the refrigerator
passing by on the farm road is for being stolen. The woman buying a newspaper
is so the man can peek at her. The man is made to crawl on the farm road to get
dirty and take a shower. The shower is to make it look like he took a shower.
The memo paper is to leave a trace of his handwriting. The spy's hand on the
woman's shoulder is to be released. The pencil is to turn the dial. The auction
is to have the man arrested and protected, and to put the woman in danger. The
sound of the propeller is to drown out the voices. The gun is to make it look
like he killed someone with a blank. The clothes and comb are to be thrown
away. The bourbon is to help them escape. The chair is used as a stepping
stool. The windows are for people to come and go. The walls are for people to
climb over. The hotel room is to pass through. The woman on the bed is made to
wear glasses to make her say "Stop!". The runway is to make it flash.
The newspaper is to be thrown away. The coin? is to be thrown. The gun is to
emit smoke. The doll is to hide the microfilm. The peeping is to let the woman
know that her identity has been revealed. The man is made to run down the wall
so that his hand bleeds, he produces a handkerchief, and the initials written
on it evoke the image of a match. The match is for a memo, and also for
dropping. The television becomes a mirror. The stairs are for a person to sit
on. The housekeeper is made to fire a blank so that the woman can snag the doll
while she is startled by the sound. The tree is for clothes to get caught on.
The gate is to lead the man and woman into Mount Rushmore. Mount Rushmore
becomes an escape maze, and also for people to fall from it. The heels of the
high heels are to break. The enemy spy's knife is held in a reverse grip. The
woman is made to hold the doll so that the spy pushes her off and then she is
rescued. Her hands are to be stepped on. The doll is to be dropped and broken.
The bunk bed is for pulling the woman up. The train plunging into the tunnel
becomes a phallic symbol.
● "SYCHO" (1960) 106 minutes 4/13
Heat, poverty, desire for marriage, wads of cash, headaches—all to lead the
woman to crime. Windows for people to lean against. Shot of the office entrance
to film Hitchcock. Desks for people to sit on. Wads of cash for showing off and
for the woman to embezzle. Red light for pedestrians on the crosswalk to
witness the woman. Headlights for the woman to take a nap and get stopped by a
police car. Grass for swaying in the wind. Ground for scattering smoke. Car
seats as a bed. Used car center for making the woman rush to buy a car and look
suspicious, and for the police to witness her. Flags for swaying in the wind.
Cars for people to lean against. Bags and clothes for forgetting in the car.
Sunset, rain, headlights, and the police for driving the woman to a motel.
Horns for attracting people. Empty rooms for eliminating witnesses. The dining
hall is far away so that the mother will be furious when her son asks to eat at
home, and so that the woman and man can eat together and the woman will decide
to turn herself in. The newspaper is to wrap the bundles of cash. The clouds
are to gather. The wall is for people to lean against. The picture frame is to
hide the hole. The skirt is to be thrown down. The note is to be torn up, and
also as evidence of the woman's existence. The toilet is to flush the note
down. The shower is so that the victim will be killed while naked. The knife is
held in a reverse grip. The plastic curtain is to project a silhouette, to be
torn, and also to wrap the corpse. The shower is to spray vigorously. The drain
is to swirl the water. The picture frame is to be dropped. The pillar is for
people to lean against. The blood is to be wiped up. The trunk is the morgue.
The headlights are to project onto the hotel. The newspaper with the bundles of
cash is to be thrown down. The bundles of cash are to be sunk. The trees are to
cast shadows. The swamp is to sink the car. The car doesn't sink so it can be
sunk later. The display case is for people to lean against. The man stammers
when answering the detective's questions so the detective will become
suspicious and kill the man. The detective calls the sister, who isn't the
client, to lead the lover and sister to a motel. The man changes the sheets so
that the detective can sneak into the mansion while he's distracted. The stairs
are for people to tumble down. The knife is held in a reverse grip. The
cigarette is for exhaling smoke. The glass becomes a mirror. The mirror is for
startling people. The indentation and temperature of the bed indicate the presence
of a person. The ornament is for hitting people on the head. The man knocks out
his lover so that he goes to the mansion and the sister hides in the basement.
The bare light bulb shines and also flickers. The person becomes a skeleton.
The chair is for spinning. The wig is for dropping. The knife is held in a
reverse grip. The chest of drawers is for people to lean against. The blanket
is there to end the final scene with the mother. The fly is there so that it
won't be killed. The son becomes the mother. The car is there so that it can be
pulled out of the swamp.
● "THE BIRDS" (1963) 117 min 5/2
A child's whistle sounds like a seagull's cry. Birds are there to fly. The
entrance to the bird shop is there to film Hitchcock. The delivery of the myna
bird is delayed so the woman can write down the address to look like an
employee and tease the man, and also to let him know that she will give him a
Love Bird for her sister's birthday. The pencil is there to tuck behind the
ear. The canary is released so the man can catch it. The hat and ashtray are
there to catch birds. The pencil is there to make a phone call. The man goes to
the bay so the woman can follow him and the birds can attack him. The Love Bird
is there to tilt and to show the woman's legs as she drives. The ground is
there to rumble. He asks for the sister's name to introduce the woman to the
female teacher. The trees are there to cast shadows and to sway in the wind.
The mailbox is there for people to lean against. The hair is there to sway in
the wind. The hood is there to get crushed underneath. Men passing the woman
are there to make her turn around. The man's house is on the opposite bank so
that he can get the woman in a boat and have the birds attack her. The engine
is stopped. The man sees his mother and sister off and goes to the barn so that
the woman can deliver the Love Bird while they're gone. The letter is to be
torn up. The office is closed so that they can go to the restaurant. The
restaurant owner is there to tell the man what he does for a living. The
woman's injury is at her hairline so that she can press cotton wool against it
in an awkward position. The wall is there for people to lean against. The birds
are there to make noise. The chickens aren't eating so that the mother can find
a dead body at the farm, fall ill, have the woman nurse her back to health and
get closer to her, and also so that the woman can get the sister to come home
from school and have the birds attack her. The piano is played to divide people
into two groups: one in the kitchen and one in the piano. The newspaper is to
be thrown aside. The door is there to hit the birds. The balloon is there to
sway in the wind and to be popped. The blindfolded game is there to be birds
attacking them. The desk is for hiding underneath. The jacket is to scare away
the birds. The fireplace is for the birds to get in. The table is to block the
fireplace. The picture frame is tilted so that it will be surprised when it is
straightened. The mother clears the dishes so that the woman can witness it.
The glass is to break and be hung up. The bag is to be dropped. The ground is
to scatter smoke. The chair becomes a table. When the sister goes to pick up
her younger sister, class is in session so that the woman can smoke a cigarette
on the bench and witness the birds perched on the jungle gym. The jungle gym is
behind the bench so that the woman will turn around and be surprised. The
jungle gym is for the birds to perch on. The cigarette is to exhale smoke.
Crisis becomes training. Running is to make noise and attract birds. The
glasses are to break. The child falls so that they can take refuge in the car.
The horn is to scare away the birds. The woman makes a phone call in the
restaurant to inform the customers about the incident. The woman, who is
interested in ornithology, comes to buy cigarettes to talk about birds. The
woman with the child is there to keep the drunk man waiting in the car, and to
beat up the stranger woman. The birds attack the workers to blow up the gas
station. The warnings are dissonant to startle the drunk, make him drop the
match, and blow up the car. The gas station is there to burn and to emit smoke.
The telephone booth is there to take refuge. The glass is there to break. The
pillars are there to knock down. The hose is there to spray water. The carriage
is there to scatter the cargo. The sister takes refuge in the teacher's house
so that the birds will attack the teacher. The stairs become a morgue. Don't
throw stones. The clothes are there to cover the corpses. The boards are there
to block the windows. The armrests are there for people to sit on. The trays
are there to put away. The fireplace is there to keep the birds out. The sofa
is there for people to sit on. The windows are there to be broken and for birds
to get in. The doors are there to be pecked and to make holes in them. The
shutters are there so they won't close. The lamp cords are to be tied to the
windows. The desks are for people to sit on. The dressing tables are for
barricades. The nails are for chewing. The birdsong is to indicate distance.
The firewood is for collapsing. The sleeping is so that the woman can go to the
attic alone. The power outage is so that the flashlight beam can provoke the
birds into attacking. The roof is for making holes. People are for holding down
the doors. The clothes are for pulling. The woman gets injured so that everyone
can leave the house to take her to the hospital. People lean against the fence
so that they can be pecked by birds. The birds flap their wings and neigh, and
also attack people.
● "MANIE" (1964) 128 minutes 4/28
The president's facial description is to point to the woman's allure. Having
the woman walk down the hotel corridor is to film Hitchcock. The lid and
underwear are to be thrown aside. The mascot is to hide the forged
identification card. The brunette turns blonde. The vent is to discard the key.
The gladiolus is to reveal the red color and remind the woman of
"origin." The desk is for someone to lean on. The knee becomes a
pillow, and then a chair. The armrest is for someone to sit on. The argument is
to make the mother slap her daughter, scattering chestnuts in the process. The
blind buttons are to be hit against the window and remind the sleeping woman of
"origin." The sister-in-law comes to collect the money so that the
manager can open the safe and show the woman the procedure. The secretary opens
the drawers and safe for the woman to see. The red ink on the blouse is to make
the woman appear in her underwear. Overtime is to remind the woman of
"origin" with thunder and to get her to kiss him. The tree is to fall
into the office. The ornament is to be dropped and broken. The thunder is to
flash, to rumble, and to reveal the red. The radio is to urge the woman, who
loves horses, to go to the racetrack. The newspaper becomes a telescope. The
racetrack is to get her involved with an old acquaintance and to remind her of
"origin" by showing her red racing silks. The man gets up to buy a
betting ticket alone so that the woman left behind can be involved with an old
acquaintance. The sofa becomes a bed. The sister-in-law hurts her hand so that
the woman can make tea. The wall is for people to lean on. The toilet is for
people to hide in. She takes off her high heels so that she puts them in her
pocket and then drops them. The hard-of-hearing cleaning lady is so that she
doesn't hear the sounds. The clothes are for throwing down. The theft is to get
caught and get married. She is not allowed to touch up her makeup. The kiss is
to give the woman a seizure. The wall is to project shadows. The book is to be
thrown down. Attacking the woman is to drive her to suicide. The pool is for
suicide. Talking at the front door is to be overheard. The phone is to be
overheard. The fence is for the horse to climb over. The newspaper is to be
thrown. The window is to be knocked on to induce a seizure and perform
psychoanalysis. The medicine bottle is to be thrown down. The party is to
reunite the woman with her former employer. Her face is in the mirror. The
pillar is for people to cling to. The ditch is for the horse to jump over. The
hunt is to show the woman the red dress, make the horse bolt and throw her off,
euthanize the horse, cause the woman to have a seizure and run off to steal.
The tree is for shaking off the hat. The stone wall is for making the horse
stumble. Euthanasia is to give the woman the gun. Stealing is because it cannot
be stolen. The stairs are for people to cling to. The wall is for knocking. The
fire poker is for hitting people. The mother collapses to break her leg so her
daughter can save her. The blood is to reveal the color red. The child plays to
stop playing.
● "TORN CURTAIN" (1966) 125 minutes 4/29
The cancellation of the missile program is to trigger the incident. The water
in the glass turns into ice. The glass becomes a mirror. The heating
malfunction is to make the fiancés hot. The telegram is to not receive it. The
lobby is to film Hitchcock. The shower is to not answer the phone and to send
the secretary to the bookstore. Asking for directions is to lead the enemy to
the bookstore. The bookstore becomes a resistance hideout. The books become
codes. The toilet is to record codes. Having the stewardess called is to make
the woman notice. The man's greeting becomes a dancer's greeting. The flash is
to light up. The wall is for people to lean against. The crowd becomes a frame.
The desk is for people to lean against. The art museum is to shake off the
tail. Footsteps are to make a sound. The farmhouse becomes a resistance
hideout. The trees cast shadows. The ground becomes letters. The feet become
pens. The tractor is for secret meetings. The resistance is a relative. The
code isn't erased to arouse suspicion. The lighter won't light so someone can
throw a pot at it in the meantime. The cigarettes are for throwing away. The
gun is for throwing away. They arrive by taxi so they don't have to use a gun,
and so the driver can give testimony. The phone is for ripping off. The kitchen
knife is for switching from an overhand to an underhand grip, and for breaking
and dropping. The shovel is for hitting someone's leg. The oven is for killing
someone with gas. The clothes are for throwing away. The table is for people to
sit on. The feet are for tripping. The stairs are for people to tumble down.
The infirmary becomes a resistance hideout. The review meeting is for angering
the woman and forcing the man to tell the truth. The trees are for people to hide
behind. The dance is for secret meetings and to lure out the enemy. Killing the
enemy spy helps them escape. The motorcycle is for digging up. The mathematical
formula is for guiding the professor. People become walls. The getaway car
becomes a bus. The hat can be replaced with a hood. Lighting a cigarette is to
hide the man and woman. The hat is for putting money in. Having the robber's
bus escorted to the bus stop and allow the following vehicles to approach. Not
noting the post office is to introduce the woman who wants to leave the
country. Ignoring the post office clerk is to make them witnesses. The
fluttering paper will start a fire. The crowd is to help people escape. The
basket is for people to hide in, and also for chairs, and also for shooting down.
The dancer is to betray a different basket. The chair is for people to sit on.
The cameraman is to make the two turn around. Swimming is for the two to cover
themselves with a blanket.
● "TOPAZ" (1969) 125 minutes 4/5
The defection is to trigger the incident. The flag is to flutter in the wind.
The bus is to block people. The pottery is to drop to get closer to the clerk.
The pottery factory is to blend in. People and bicycles are barriers. The
documents are to throw down. The walls are for people to lean on. The airport
corridors are for filming Hitchcock. The informant is anti-American to involve
the French spy. The flower shop becomes a spy's hideout. The orange peels are
for throwing away. The photography is for stealing the bag. The hat is for
throwing down. The doors are for kicking down. The windows are for people to
come and go. The roof is for cushioning. People bump into each other to pass
the camera and to see each other's faces. The walls cast shadows. Nylon
products are spy tools. The bread is for hiding the camera. The picnic is for
secretly filming weapons. Wrapping the camera in bread is to attract birds to
reveal the resistance's location, have them tortured, and get them to reveal
the leader's name. The car breaking down is to shake off pursuers. The
"red" of blood is for identifying people. The guardrail is for hiding
the camera. The butcher shop becomes a resistance hideout. The roasted chicken
is for hiding the camera. Watching the parade is for revealing one's identity.
The typewriter is to hide information. The razor is to hide the film. The knee
is on the bed. The book is to hide the film. The newspapers scattered in the
doorway are to signal that the wife has left home. The newspaper is to be
thrown down. The fireplace is for people to lean against. The tryst is to
witness the spy. The reporter draws the portrait to show to the mother-in-law.
The roof of the car is a morgue. The meeting is to eliminate the spy.
● "FRENZY" (1972) 115 minutes 5/3
Boats and chimneys are for emitting smoke. Birds are for flying across. Murder
is for starting movement. Ties are for strangling people. Rivers are morgues.
Speeches are for discovering bodies and for filming Hitchcock. Alcohol is just
for firing a man, leaving him penniless and forcing him to go see his ex-wife.
Coins are for tossing. Bills are for crumpling. People are for crossing in
front of the camera. Going to the fruit stand is for giving the man information
about the winning lottery ticket and for giving him grapes. Newspapers are for
throwing down. Walls are for people to lean on. Money is not for taking. Buying
a newspaper is for informing him about the winning lottery ticket. The diner is
for spending all the money and for having the doctor and judge explain the
details of the case. Grapes are for trampling. Information about the winning
lottery ticket is for making the man angry. Clothes are for throwing down. The
loud arguing is to make the man suspicious. Hitting the table makes it look
like he was punched. Frosted glass makes it look like the events happened. The
glass is meant to be crushed. The restaurant is meant to make people witness
the ex-wife arguing. Leaving the coat is meant so the ex-wife can slip money
into the man's pocket. The ex-wife slips the money into his pocket so that he
can stay at a Salvation Army inn that night and spend the money the day after
she is killed, thus framing him as the killer. The thief at the Salvation Army
inn is meant to reveal where the money is. The drawer is meant to be opened and
then closed. The phone cannot be used to make a call. The table is meant for
someone to sit on (twice). The clothes are meant for rubbing fruit. The chair
becomes a bed. The fruit vendor steals the money to make it look like the man
stole it. The powder is meant to stick to the banknotes. The man goes to his
wife's office so that he is witnessed. Passersby are meant to hear the scream
and be startled. The towel is meant to be thrown down. The bird is meant to fly
away. The waitress kisses the man to remember the smell of lice. The wallet and
keys are to be thrown down. Staying in an expensive room, paying with large
bills, and having clothes dry-cleaned is to arouse suspicion. The coins are to
be thrown up. The chair is to hang socks on. The bottom of the door is the
mailbox. The jacket with patches is to attract attention. The ground creaks.
The lice are to convince people of the man's innocence. The newspaper is to be
slammed over the door. The divorce certificate stating abuse is to frame the
man. The armrest is for people to sit on. The waitress returns to the bar to be
killed. The noise of the city drowns out the crime. The meeting to depart for
Paris is the next day, not the same day, so that the waitress can stay the
night in the fruit shop's room. The waitress argues with the manager so that he
needs a place to stay for the night. The detective's meals are for organizing
information (he never actually eats any food). The detective eats alone so his
wife won't see him putting the food back in the pot. The corpse becomes a
potato. The hat is for throwing away. The railing is for casting a shadow. The
sofa becomes a bed. The pin is for the victim to grab and then take back.
Footsteps are for making a loud noise. The headlights are for illuminating the
truck bed. The corpse's feet are for kicking people. Passing objects are for
flashing lights. The truck bed door doesn't close so potatoes are thrown onto
the road. The sudden brakes are for accelerating suddenly and crashing the fruit
vendor into the potato bags. The knife and fingers are for breaking. The truck
bed is for people and corpses to fall out. The broken window becomes a
peephole. The trousers are for wiping shoes. The fruit vendor enters the
drive-in so potato mud gets on his brush and he's seen. He stays at his
comrades' house to eliminate his alibi for the time the waitress was killed.
The comrades-in-arms couple refuse to cooperate so that the man can be sent to
the fruit stand and arrested. The victims' belongings are there to let the man
know who the real killer is. The stairs are there so that people can fall down.
The sound of the candy sticks breaking is meant to sound like fingers breaking.
The wife's cooking is there to organize information and to vomit (not swallowed).
The dishcloth is there to throw things down. The chair is there so that people
can fall off. The white coat is to allow him to impersonate a doctor. The
coffee is meant to be a sleeping pill. The car keys are left unlocked so that
they can be stolen. The jack is there to throw things down and to beat the
corpses. The stairs are there to create suspense. The mirror is there to open
the door. The door is there for people to hide in. He's not wearing a tie. The
black trunk is there to be the background for the end credits.
● "FAMILY PLOT" (1976) 119 minutes 4/11
The search for the heir is to involve the protagonist. The car is for people to
lean on. Distracted driving is to create a scene change by nearly hitting the
kidnapper. The ground is to cast shadows. The jewels are to sparkle, and also
for the ransom. The windshield is to be shot at and have a hole blown in it.
The ground is to cast shadows. The golf course is to release the hostages. The
light is to flash. Blondes turn into brunettes. The headlights are to sparkle.
The trees are to cast shadows. The wall becomes a door. The chair becomes a
clothes rack. The refrigerator is to hold the wig. The chandelier is to hide
the jewels. The trees, stones, and car body are to knock off the pipe ash. The
fly swatter is to make the wind chimes ring. The grave is to cause tripping.
The tombstone is to fake death. The frosted glass in the government building is
to capture Hitchcock's silhouette. The flag is there to flutter in the wind.
The gas station is there to gather information (gasoline and oil are fine), and
to show the car's license plate to reveal its identity. The car body is there
to strike a match. The client being from a noble family is there so that the
man at the gas station doesn't get the information and the kidnappers get the
wrong idea. The jeweler is there to be a hideout for jewel thieves. The
cigarettes are there to be stolen. The dust on the clothes is there to remove.
The curtains are there to flutter in the wind. The windows are there for people
to go in and out. The hood is there to put shopping bags on. The feet are there
to close the car door. The cheeks are there to pinch. The church is there to
kidnap the priest. The pipe is there so it can't be held in the mouth. The
fainting is there to kidnap. Kidnapping a baptized bishop is there so that the
pipe-wielding man can go and meet the bishop, frightening the kidnappers and
making them want to kill the pipe-wielding man and the medium. The lettuce is
there to throw down. The car is there for people to hide in. The tires are
there to squeal. Waiting for someone is so that they can tamper with the brakes
and make the car run out of control. The restaurant where they meet is on top
of a mountain so that the car with malfunctioning brakes can be accelerated on
the downhill ride home. The oil is so that it can leak out. The tie is so that
it can be pulled. The ground is so that it can creak. Oncoming cars and
motorcycles are so that they can avoid them. The mud is so that it can be
scattered. The wire is so that it can be knocked down and crossed. The car is
overturned so that the medium's sneakers can flatten the pipe-pipe man's face.
The car is so that people can sit on it. The bag is so that people can be hit.
The ground is so that smoke can be scattered. The blue car is so that the green
car can be sunk into the valley and burst into flames, scattering black smoke.
The chairs are so that they can be knocked over. The man at the gas station is
killed so that information can be obtained from his wife at the funeral. The
cemetery is a maze. The tombstones are so that people can kick them. The walls
are so that people can lean on them. The pipe-wielding man uses the taxi for
personal purposes to anger his boss, forcing him to work the night shift and
sending the medium alone to the kidnapper's garage (the taxi never carries a
passenger). The phone book is to be thrown around and torn out pages. The
medium leans against the kitchen counter so the pipe-wielding man can hug her
from behind. The medium is made to visit the house multiple times so that she
is mistaken for someone else. The constellation is guessed so that it is wrong.
The railing is used as a coat rack. The book is borrowed so that it cannot be
borrowed. The wall is used to project a shadow. The car is used to block the
garage. The red suit is stuck in the door to signal the kidnapping. The medium
says, "Nobody knows I'm here," so that she will be killed. The
kidnapper hits the medium so that when she falls, she will knock over a can of
white liquid and spill it out of the garage. The injection given to the medium
is to mark the shoulder bag with "red" to let the driver know the
medium was in the garage, to put the medium to sleep and have him carried to a
hidden room where the kidnappers would be locked, and to have the medium
eavesdrop on the location of the jewels? The bag is to be thrown aside. The
medium is imprisoned on the day the hostages and jewels are exchanged so that
the pipe man can break into the garage house during the exchange. The note,
car, keys, and white liquid are to signal the presence of the medium. The
fallen leaves are to be blown around by the wind to signal the existence of the
back door. The knife becomes a key. The skylight is for people to come and go.
The shoes are for taking off. The stairs add suspense. The kidnappers go to the
basement to get the hose so that the pipe man can follow them (the hose is not
used). The pillar is for people to lean on. The jewels are hidden in the
chandelier so that the final scene ends on the stairs. The stairs are for
people to sit on.