Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series) [Paperback]

Tony Lee Moral (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0810856840 | ISBN-13: 978-0810856844

This extensive look into the making of Alfred Hitchcock's most controversial film, Marnie, investigates the causes of the film's critical and commercial failure, the cultural and political factors governing the film's production, and the relevance the film has for today's artists and filmmakers. Hitchcock's style, motivation, and fears regarding the film are well-documented in this probing look at one of his most undervalued efforts. Author Tony Lee Moral uses extensive research, including personal interviews with Tippi Hedren, author Winston Graham, and Psycho screenwriter Joseph Stefano - as well as unpublished excerpts from interviews with Hitchcock himself - to delve into the issues surrounding the film's production and release. Moral gives readers an invaluable look behind the scenes at a film that is only now being recognized for its influence and vision.

Contains more than thirty photos, including a story board sequence for the film.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Moral's research is impressive....he relies extensively on the special collection of Hitchcock materials deposited at the Margaret Herrick Library of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences after the director's death. He has supplemented this material with a series of interviews he conducted with many of those who worked on the film including...Diane Baker, Robert Boyle, Sean Connery, Winston Graham...and Tippi Hedren....a firstrate history of the development of Marnie... (Cineaste )

Documentary filmmaker Moral chronicles the progress of the movie Marnie from its conception, writing, phases of production, and release in 1964, to critical interpretation and assimilation within the art film world. The film's feminist and political themes are examined and glossy black and white photographs are provided. Originally published in hardback in 2002. (Reference & Research Book News )

A superior work of production history reasonable in scope and supported by ample evidence, both textual and otherwise. Ultimately, Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie is an engaging - and sorely needed - case study of how a film is made, and will satisfy students of cinema and scholars of Hitchcock, alike. (Scope )

This book should be read by anyone interested in Marnie and in Hitchcock. (Hitchcock Annual )

Impeccably researched and consistently fascinating in its accumulation of anecdotes and minutiae, this is unquestionably one of the best books ever written about the Master of Suspense. Outstanding. Five Stars>>>> (Film Review )

Tony Lee Moral has conducted a definitive investigation into the making and meaning of Marnie, which, for fans and scholars of Hitchcock, remains the suspense master's most enigmatic, controversial film. (Patrick McGilligan )

Who better than a film lover trained in zoology as well as psychology to write a book on Hitchcock's great, if controversial, Marnie? Tony Lee Moral fits the bill perfectly. (Ken Mogg )

Tony Moral's meticulous research is the foundation of this fascinating book on the creative life of Hitchcock the filmmaker. The behind the scenes look at this famous director is full of insight and intelligence. It is an invaluable book and should be read by every film student and anyone who is the least bit interested in film. A very rewarding read. (Diane Baker )

Tony Lee Moral is the perfect guide to the creative process that produces this fascinating movie. (Crime Time )

Impeccably researched and consistently fascinating in its accumulation of anecdotes and minutiae, this is unquestionably one of the best books ever written about the Master of Suspense. Outstanding. Five Stars (Film Review )

About the Author

Tony Lee Moral is a documentary filmmaker and writer who has produced a number of award winning films around the world. His work includes behind the scenes profiles of film and television dramas, science fiction and animation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press (September 20, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810856840
• ISBN-13: 978-0810856844
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #370,876 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost all you'd want to know about MARNIE, February 5, 2003

By 

Kevin M. Randall (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie (Scarecrow Filmmakers) (Hardcover)

If you're a fan of the film MARNIE, or a fan of Hitchcock, or are just interested in what's all involved in the development and production of a movie, this book is definitely recommended. It is really chock-full of details and helped me gain a deeper appreciation of a film that I already was fond of.

The only reason I didn't give the book four stars was that I think it could have benefitted from some careful editing. While there are a few typographical errors, those aren't the problem. Rather, there are several very awkward phrases throughout the book. And of more concern is a very frequent tendency to have seemingly unrelated topics or thoughts put together into a single paragraph, and to have sudden shifts in topic between paragraphs. If I had been the editor, I would have also suggested that the author provide a timeline, because sometimes the chronology of events is a little difficult to follow.

But don't let stylistic/grammatical matters keep you from enjoying this book!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the Truth About Marnie, August 7, 2004

By 

Nick Anez (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie (Scarecrow Filmmakers) (Hardcover)

This thoroughly-researched book on Hitchcock's most controversial film is invaluable for anyone who has been entertained, intrigued , confused or even angered by MARNIE. As Mr. Moral illustrates, though it was dismissed by critics who didn't understand Hitchcock's expressionistic techniques and shunned by audiences who were disturbed by the film's themes, MARNIE is revealed to be one of the director' most personal works and one of his finest achievements. The author documents the film's history, from publication of the source novel through filming, release and current re-evaluation. The book reveals that Hitchcock's characteristic immersion into virtually every facet of the film's production reflected his intentions and aspirations concering this very personal - and partly autobiographical - project. Concerning the salacious rumors reported in the 1983 biography by Donald Spoto, Mr. Moral objectively presents the facts and allows readers to draw their own conclusions, the inescapable one being that Hitchcock may have been a frustrated Svengali but not a lecherous ogre. The author's interviews with numerous personnel associated with the film, on both sides of the camera, are all informative and create a balanced portrait of the director and his film. This book should supplant Spoto's book as the definitive reference work on the subject, particularly in conjuction with the recent biography of the director by Patrick McGilligan, an author who, like Mr. Moral, doesn't have a personal agenda. However, the book is primarily a documentation of all of the elements that Hitchcock utilized to create a film that has received so much belated but deserved attention in recent years and that continues to fascinate an increasing number of viewers four decades after its release. The commercial disappointment of MARNIE had a profound effect upon Hitchcock and his subsequent career but, as Mr. Moral illustrates, it has survived and emerged as one of the director's greatest works. This book is required reading for Hitchcock fans, film scholars and movie lovers.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For "Marnie" & Hitchcock buffs, August 15, 2007

By 

Dave "Davelandweb" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series) (Paperback)

Definitely the most complete record of "Marnie," Hitchcock's 1964 film about a frigid kleptomaniac. Having gained an almost cult status over the years, it was labeled a flop when it was first released. Misunderstood and underappreciated, many have written about it over the years and helped elevate it into the category of flawed classic. This book does a very thorough and well documented job of addressing many of the criticisms that stuck to it (unfairly) over the years, especially the controversy over the use of rear projection and backdrops. Although Donald Spoto's book, "The Dark Side of Genius" gives an exciting and salacious account of Hitchcock being obsessed with Tippi Hedren, it is nowhere near as twisted as Spoto asserts. Fans of this film should definitely read this book for a deeper appreciation. This author actually has access to people and records from the film that nobody else has tapped into.