Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores that Changed Cinema

by Steven C. Smith

This is the story of the game-changing collaboration between director Alfred Hitchcock and composer Bernard Herrmann, who channelled their inner fears and desires into films that would become the nightmarish narratives and soundtracks of our lives.

The 11-year collaboration between Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann is often called the greatest director-composer partnership in cinema history. Their eight films together include such classic thrillers as Vertigo, The Man Who Knew Too Much, North by Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds. In Hitchcock and The Friendship and Film Scores that Changed Cinema, Steven C. Smith delivers an intimate account of how the reserved, but deeply anxious, Hitchcock found his ideal creative partner in the cantankerous, but deeply romantic, Herrmann. Smith draws on four decades of research, including previously unpublished documents and new interviews, to deliver a riveting account of what made the teaming of "Benny and Hitch" so memorable and influential -- and why it came to a bitter end.

Their story involves the tumultuous changes in Hollywood from the mid-1950s to mid-1960s, as the collapsing studio system gave way to independent, counterculture filmmaking. It also involves the key figures in Hitchcock and Herrmann's inner circle including the director's gifted wife and most valued critic, Alma Reville; Herrmann's beautiful, put-upon spouse, Lucy Anderson; and talent agent-turned-studio mogul Lew Wasserman. Wasserman's negotiations made Hitchcock's greatest filmmaking period possible, but over time Lew's commercial instincts as head of Universal Studios clashed with Herrmann's pure artistic vision.

Hitchcock and Herrmann is both a deeply researched historical study and a fast-moving, cinematic narrative -- one that puts readers on the film sets and scoring stages of Hitchcock masterworks. Their collaboration ended in a bitter break; but today Herrmann's pulse-quickening music has become the soundtrack of our own anxious times. The music from their movies is more popular than ever, heard in Quentin Tarantino blockbusters and Lady Gaga music videos. In Smith's expert telling, readers get an an intimate look at two legendary creators who, despite seemingly opposite personalities, found in each other artistic completion.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, History, Film

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2025

About the author

Indie Author, hailing from the not so sunny United Kingdom.

I have always considered myself a creative zany person, expressing my idea's through writing and art. This led me on a journey to release my first ever self-published book late September 2016. The Dragon's Reclaim series is set to be an 8-part Fantasy saga, and as I edge closer to the series end, I know that new chapters will open out for me to create a diverse range of e-books and paperbacks in the years to come.

I find myself fascinated by dragons and all thing's fantasy fiction, so, was only a matter of time before I wrote my own idea's down.

As time passed by my ideas were combined, thus creating a whole world for my character's to live in, and soon I had an entire saga spinning round in my head.

I continue to tell my fairy tale adventure, and each and every day I become more and more inspired as the adventure grows.

More recently I have delved into publishing a Crime Novel, and a double-header Fantasy set of books, which are ten times more brutal and hard-hitting than any of my previous works. (18+)

Future works will include sequels to the above, and of course the conclusion of Dragon's Reclaim. Not to mention some other fantasy genre's including Vampires, Werewolves & Zombies. Stay tuned.

Reviews

[S.W. Capps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Award-winning author Steven C. Smith has delivered again, this time with a detailed study of two Hollywood heavyweights and their complicated relationship. ‘Hitchcock & Herrmann: The Friendship & Film Scores That Changed Cinema’ not only chronicles that wobbly relationship—from its genesis on ‘The Trouble With Harry’ to its dissolution on ‘Torn Curtain’—but dissects it, giving the reader a behind-the-scenes look at the perfection-driven pursuits that brought them together, the consequent clash of two massive egos, and the industry pressures that ultimately tore them apart.

In the process, Smith not only weaves an entertaining story but provides deep insights into film making, specifically the marriage of picture & sound. There are comprehensive references to instrumentation, underscoring, tempo, and theme, but the writing doesn’t bog down with technical jargon. Instead, it inspires the reader to access these iconic scenes & title sequences (via YouTube) and experience them firsthand, using Smith’s narrative as a road map.

In so doing, the author exhibits the rare ability to write for the expert and the layman alike—without alienating either—while painting vivid pictures at every turn: “Just as a black and white image contains an uncountable range of gray-scale tones, Herrmann’s ‘black and white’ sound offers infinite varieties of orchestral color.”

As a reader of biography, I desire two things: (1) to gain a deeper knowledge of the subject matter; and (2) to feel a pronounced intimacy with the subjects. Smith expertly checks both boxes but also takes it a step further. As I closed the book, I had a deeper grasp of cinema, a stronger sense of Hitchcock & Herrmann as human beings, and an insatiable desire to watch their films—‘Psycho’, ‘North by Northwest’, ‘Vertigo’, etc.—again and again.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is truly so wonderful to have another serious, book-length study of the great Bernard Herrmann -- from the man who has written the only other book, to date, about Herrmann. The fact that Smith went back, after 35 years, to elaborate on the history that Herrmann had with his most famous collaborator (now that more archival records and recordings and papers are available) is to be applauded. This book goes into a lot more detail about the decade or so of the Hitchcock and Herrmann partnership -- we follow along with the pre-production, production, and post-production process of each of the eight films that Herrmann scored for Hitchcock. The context given into the filmmaking process of these classic films -- along with the context of the studio system of the era and how it impacted the work of these two creative titans -- makes for both a compelling read and an important, thorough document of this partnership, including its legendary end.

If I have a criticism, it's that Smith appears to maybe be more deferential to Hitchcock than he should be. It's helpful to have Hitchcock's perspective but it feels at times as if the power dynamics of the relationship (they were not peers -- Hitchcock was the boss) are being forgotten. This is, after all, the most famous director in the world summarily firing one of his key collaborators, in a hostile and antagonistic way. It's a little surprising to see the author present the ugly breakdown of this famous partnership as so inevitable. One can imagine Hitchcock having a more conciliatory approach to Herrmann's controversial Torn Curtain score and instructing him to do it over. I expected the book to grapple with the brutal finality (callousness, even) of Hitchcock's actions here -- firing Herrmann, cutting him off, and never speaking to him again. Smith kind of does, but he also kind of does a "both sides" (Herrmann did not sufficiently heed Hitchcock's somewhat vague instructions, and so brought this upon himself, it would seem).

I admire Mr. Smith's work but I'm wondering if he wants to see Hitchcock in idealized terms (i.e. everything brilliant that Hitchcock did was Hitchcock's doing, and all the bad decisions were Lew Wasserman's fault and only Lew Wasserman's fault). Still -- this is an excellent book!

[Mandy Lehti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Mr. Smith,
Your book Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores That Changed Cinema is a captivating and beautifully detailed account of one of the most fascinating collaborations in film history. You’ve managed to turn exhaustive research into a narrative that reads with the energy and tension of a great Hitchcock film itself.
What I found especially striking was the emotional depth you bring to both men the way you reveal Hitchcock’s meticulous control and Herrmann’s fierce artistic spirit as two sides of the same creative coin. Through your storytelling, readers gain a deeper appreciation of how their partnership not only transformed cinematic sound but also redefined the relationship between image and emotion.
Hitchcock and Herrmann has strong potential to reach audiences beyond film historians and scholars. Its mix of artistry, psychology, and human drama could engage readers passionate about music, creativity, and the behind the scenes forces that shape cultural history.
I would love to discuss ways to help position Hitchcock and Herrmann for broader recognition among film enthusiasts, musicians, and readers drawn to the intersection of art and storytelling.
Would you be open to a brief conversation about expanding the book’s reach and connecting it with new audiences who would appreciate its rich insight and timeless relevance?
Best regards,
Mandy L.
BOOK MARKETING CONSULTANT

[Robert Bollinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining and instructional novel that details the working relationship and the friendship of Alfred Hitchcock ( we all know him and his seminal works in film and Tv) and the less known Bernard Herrmann ( one of the most innovative score writers in film history). If you have never jumped to the shower scene in Psycho or been emotionally invested in movies ranging from Citizen Kane to Taxi Driver you are a different man than I . This subtle history of two mammoths in the film industry from the 30s to the 70s captures the fall of the old school studio controlled hierarchy and the growth of both independent filmmakers and the brand spanking new TV industry. Each of these men played a huge role in the transfer from the early talkies to the score laden heavily enthusiastic films of the post war years.' Hitch and Bennie' were both stars in the industry and purveyors of the new and bold to the world at large. Anyone who has felt the terror and suspense of Hitchcock's stories (films and tv series) or chilled to the intense nearly spectral emotional scores of Herrmann ( considered to this day as some of the best movie scores ever written) has experienced the mastery of these artists. What this book adds to the picture is the story of two friends and collaborators who together put out such pioneering films and TV series. Well worth the read and a shining new co-biography of the period.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book I’ve been waiting for as this is one of the great collaborations in cinema history. One the one hand, this is excellent and in chronicling and understanding both Hitch and Benny and was everything I wanted. On the other, this was really poorly edited and padded way the fuck out. It keeps getting interrupted by quotes about Herrmann that just slow it down. I’d add a full star if this was just edited with more common sense.