Masturbatory

For fear of overusing this term, allow me to elaborate: It is a known fact that Alfred Hitchcock was sexually forward with his blonde leading ladies. He was unable to consummate his desires with any of them. The auteur therefore created in his male leads a series of “stand-ins,” many being unable to copulate, others being obsessive or ego-driven all being reflections of his desires. Through translating his actual obsession with real women into a fictional stand-in’s ability to have sex with fictional women similar to his fantasies, Hitchcock breaks the glass ceiling on desire, manipulating “himself” through the camera lens.

Being Provocative and Forward

Hitchcock joking with actress Anny Ondra during a sound check on the set of Blackmail.

• page one (Truffaut 66)
• page two (Truffaut 67)