Writing With Hitchcock: The Collaboration of Alfred Hitchcock and John Michael Hayes

by Steven DeRosa

An entertaining, in-depth look at the films, including Rear Window, made by Alfred Hitchcock with screenwriter John Michael Hayes.

In spring 1953, the great director Alfred Hitchcock decided to take a chance and work with a young writer, John Michael Hayes. The decision turned out to be a pivotal one, for the four films that Hitchcock made with Hayes over the next several years -- Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, The Trouble with Harry, and The Man Who Knew Too Much -- represented an extraordinarily successful change of style. Each of the movies was distinguished by a combination of glamorous stars, sophisticated dialogue, and inventive plots -- James Stewart and Grace Kelly trading barbs in the tensely plotted Rear Window, Cary Grant and Grace Kelly engaging in witty repartee in To Catch a Thief -- and resulted in some of Hitchcock's most distinctive and intimate work, based in large part on Hayes's exceptional scripts.

Exploring for the first time the details of this collaboration, Steven DeRosa follows Hitchcock and Hayes through each film from initial discussions to completed picture and presents an analysis of each screenplay. He also reveals the personal story -- filled with inspiration and humor, jealousy and frustration -- of the initial synergy between the two very different men before their relationship fell apart. Writing with Hitchcock not only provides new insight into four films from a master but also sheds light on the process through which classic motion pictures are created.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Writing, Media Tie In

336 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2001

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Michael Hayes came along to four films for Alfred Hitchcock at a time when the legendary Master of Suspense had just had a run of flops (including Under Capricorn, Stage Fright, I Confess). This came to an end when Hayes became the director's writer of choice as they collaborated on Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, The Trouble with Harry and The Man Who Knew Too Much.

Author Steven DeRosa offers a fascinating insight into how this relationship worked, with analysis of how the scripts were developed and refined, and later in the book, how Hitch directed passages of the films. For anyone interested in scriptwriting, the book has terrific lessons and observations.

Its other value is as an account of how these two men met, worked and produced, for a time, a run of cinematic magic. Sadly, Hitchcock was something of a jealous mentor and the partnership ended badly. But it was sweet, and produced sizzling thrillers while it lasted.

[Anthony McGill · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Russio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating but flawed summary of the partnership between John Michael Hayes and Alfred Hitchcock, including a wonderfully geekishly-complete analysis of the four films they collaborated on: Rear Windown, To Catch a Thief, The Trouble With Harry and The Man Who Knew Too Much(1956). The behind the scenes detail is the fascinating part, along with many nuances of how Hayes writes. The zooming in and out of each man's biography also works well in creating a simultaneity. In this regards, this is a must for any serious Hitchcock fans.

The flaws are twofold: 1) In positing the relationship as an incredibly creative one, nee, a zenith for Hitchcock, the book draws upon The Wrong Man as evidence of a creative slump following the partnership, yet fails, in doing so, to explain away the even giddier heights of NBNW, Psycho, etc. It then draws upon other disgruntled writers in order to score points for Hayes off of Hitch. Now, what Hayes says is probably partly true but you don't get a canon like Hitchcock's without being something very special in yourself, as Hayes's subsequent career shows indelibly. 2) It treats all four films as if they are masterpieces. Now, few who have seen Rear Window who disagree with it's status as such, but the others are much more open to question, with To Catch a Thief being turgid (in my opinion), Harry zany and well worth watching and TMWKTM being a fun remake of an originally classic movie. So, at best 2 1/2 masterpieces!

Nonetheless, between the odd spur grimace, a fun read.

[Justice Kali Di Quartuccio · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you think you'll read this to obtain firsthand information about the writer John Michael Hayes, his writing techniques, or the writing compromises and collaborations between him and Hitchcock, you will be sorely disappointed. Like many other books on Hitchcock and his work, this book contains little substance (most of the text is redundant and has already been repeated elsewhere). The book does however contain ample gossipy and trite comments the author uses to insinuate Hitchcock was gay or held homosexual feelings and that his relationship with his wife was frigid. The author makes a point to discuss the sex life of Grace Kelly and the number of sex partners she allegedly had on one of the sets. Note: The author only recounts the number of sex partners for heterosexual women, not heterosexual men. If this antiquated and misogynistic topic interests you, or you still live in the 1920s and not the 2020s, then by all means read the book and go bangers. I didn't buy the book to read hearsay and gossip on the private lives of Hitchcock or Kelly, and I have zero interest in their bedroom affairs. What I did buy the book for was information on the writer, John Michael Hayes. Which, this book lacks. If you are a Hitchcock fan, I recommend buying the book Hitchcock at Work by Bill Krohn. Krohn is no BS. It's about the work.

[Joseph Longo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book about the collaboration of Alfred Hitchcock and John Michael Hayes. They collaborate on four films: Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, The Trouble with Harry and The Man Who Knew Too Much. Very detailed. If you are interested in Hitchcock and the screenwriting process, you'll find this book informative, and if you are interested in scriptwriting this is a must-read.

[Andréa Lechner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting read for anyone curious about Hitchcock's working ethos - not always easy reading, as the master of suspense cinema was a real tyrant, with a gigantic ego. The relationship with John Michael Hayes was productive and successful, yet hinged entirely on Hayes complying with Hitchcock's whims. This didn't always work, as is blindingly obvious towards the end of the book.

[Roseann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up this book when I learned screenplays for major Alfred Hitchcock films were written by Worcester native John Michael Hayes. Interesting read and much detail about how Hayes and Hitchcock adapted books to screenplays. I very much enjoyed the play by play in the making of It Takes A Thief starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.

[Jack McCormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-researched historical account of the relationship between Hayes and Hitchcock; part film-history, part biography, and part script-analysis.

[Mediaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This interesting book about a writer of four of Alfred Hitchcock's films is a good idea but falls short of success. It focuses on only certain aspects of each movie and doesn't offer a complete analysis of the screenwriting process.

John Michael Hayes may be an interesting person but we learn little about him in this book--we know he wrote four of the better Hitchcock movies, but only Rear Window is a classic. It gets the largest portion of the book and is the best section. After reading the book I immediately watched the movie and found the book helpful in some aspects but deeply lacking in others, coming up short in a detailed analysis of why certain choices were made in making the movie.

The others (To Catch a Thief, Trouble With Harry, Man Who Knew Too Much) range dramatically in quality. This book provides some interesting behind-the-scenes information about each but doesn't give you enough to satisfy your curiosity. Trouble With Harry gets very little space here, which reflects the weakness of the film. Most disappointing is how the Man Who Knew Too Much section basically gives dozens of repetitive unused plot possibilities that were tossed out while spending less time dealing with how the final choices were made for what appears on the screen.

The book does give some great insight into how movies are made: the "writer" is only one of many contributors to the final screenplay with Hitchcock changing scripts at will. And some of the things he is best known for were really not his ideas at all. There probably is an interesting story here about how Hayes and Hitchcock worked together but it doesn't get fully told here. Worth reading for Rear Window fans but those that expect a more detailed analysis may be disappointed.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book on my shelf for a while along with about a dozen others but some more non-fiction seemed in order. John Michael Hayes wrote four consecutive movies with Hitchcock, more than any other writer. This book shows the process and how different making movies was in the 1950s. It's fascinating to see first hand memos from the Hayes office on what was unacceptable for movie audiences back then. Hitchcock knew these people were ridiculous pests and outsmarted them at every turn until they were eventually and much deservedly obsolete. The MPAA also needs to go but that's another matter. The book paints Hitchcock as a bit more controlling and with a bigger ego than his biography did. Hitch got all the credit for his films but got irked when Hayes got adulation of his own including an Oscar nomination for Rear Window. Their falling out is a real shame even though Hitchcock went on the make the greatest movies of his career without Hayes. On the debit side, I could give a shit about The Trouble With Harry, the third movie they made together. When Hitchcock branched out too much, he fell on his face so let that be lesson to you directors (I'm looking at you Mr. Spielberg and Mr. Scorsese). But Rear Window, To Catch A Thief and The Man Who Knew Too Much are great movies so the good outnumbers the bad here.

[mitchell Belacone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Int. Night. Luxury Hotel NYC

DeRosa is walking down a hallway adjoining the Hotel's largest conference room. Steven has just finished giving a lecture on Hitchcock and Hayes. A newly minted rabid fan of DeRosa runs up behind him to give him a pat on the back in appreciation for his great book. The fan, the hardly selling writer Mitchell Belacone unintentionally ends up rattling DeRosa's molars as his overt enthusiasm turns his pat into a hard slap.

DeRosa- What the %&*# dude?

Belacone- Sorry, your dealing with a wack job that watches "To Catch a Thief" roughly once every couple of months. Yours, like every great book I read, I feel was written especially for me.

DeRosa- Thanks

Belacone- Now kindly get back on your computer and give me another book soon or another pat of encouragement is coming your way!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an interesting look at Hitchcock's collaborative writing efforts-specifically the work he did with the screenwriter John Michael Hayes. I was attracted to it because of my love of Hitchcock's work in general and of the movies being discussed in particular. I took this with me to Berlin in 2007 while I was collaborating on a film with the Director Thomas Jahn and found the common experience detailed in the book to be quite comforting. In the film business history ALWAYS repeats itself.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be more interesting that it was. There are some good tidbits though, but the author gets bogged down in LOTS of dates of when pages were turned in to the Paramount typing pool. I wish the info in the "The Screenplays - An Analysis" chapter was incorporated into the narrative of each film early in the book. By the time I reached them, I was uninterested thanks to all the dates. But the book is interesting enough for Hitchcock fans.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent inquiry into the collaborative process in filmmaking, using the legendary pairing of Hitchcock with John Michael Hayes on "Rear Window," "To Catch a Thief," "The Trouble with Harry" and the remake of "The Man Who Knew Too Much." Shows how a seeming match made in heaven can quickly sour under the pressures of great success, unavoidable egotism, and generational differences.

[Gary Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Nice investigation of the Hitchcock/Hayes collaboration, giving proper credit where credit for Hitchcock masterpieces isn't always given. The two worked together of four films: "Rear Window" "To Catch a Thief" "The Trouble with Harry" and "The Man Who Knew Too Much."

[Sallie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of THE best books on Hitchcock. Great pictures and it's a great easy read. Steven Derosa really knows his stuff.

[R2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent insight into the pysche and inner workings of a world-class auteur!

[Adam Philips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely captivating...enthralling. A must-read for anyone who cares about Hitchcock or great cinema.