Biography of Alfred Hitchcock told through 12 roles he played in his life. I liked how these chapters told he fulfilled those roles as a person and a movie maker. These chapters tell of his life as a family man, an auteur, a voyeur, a dandy, a murderer, a womanizer, the fat man, the entertainer, the pioneer, the Londoner, a man of God, and a boy who wouldn't grow up. The reality is told and the movies that fit those titles are examined and explained through those roles. Do not assume the titles mean what the dictionary tells you. He was a complicated multi-faceted man who admirably played these roles. I learned a lot about him. I also learned about his movies and the inspiration he had for some of his movies and some of his scenes.

This is an easy read. It is kept simple so anyone can understand it from 10-110. I enjoyed it. I was glad I read it because I haven't seen some of his biggest movies (or at least the ones that would have been on Chiller Theater when I was a kid.) I found him interesting in his life and in his movie making. This is worth the read. ( )

I love biographies of old Hollywood, before the acting became blue-screened and actors had to show their abilities or fall by the wayside. Directors were a huge part of their success: John Ford, William Wyler, King Vidor -- and especially Alfred Hitchcock, who made many important and thrilling pictures that spoke to me. I have seen them all; I have been fascinated by every one -- so much so, that I have made them a part of my film library. I limit myself to classic films; and you cannot do without Hitchcock.

In this biography, Mr. White parses the man down to his parts and counterparts, piecing each one to discover who exactly Alfred Hitchcock was. He draws upon his birth and early years, showing us what his parents were like, and how it molded Hitchcock in his earlier years -- some things never leaving him, such as some things never leave us. He moves onto his first years as a filmmaker, using both versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much to show us how he changed his script yet kept the heart of the film alive.

He speaks of Hitchcock's troubles with his weight; but the man loved food; he never ate to live, he lived to eat. I never looked at his physical appearance too much; I guessed he would put the energy into his meals as he would his films. Beauty is what it is, whether it is food, cinema, the world around us. It just is.

Mr. White talks about his films, and how they relate to Hitchcock's thinking. Hitchcock's favorite film is also my own, Shadow of a Doubt. It has the brilliant actor Joseph Cotton, who can slip from being charming in one moment to seamlessly threatening in another. I have always been mesmerized by this film, and watch it at least once per year. Don't ask me why; the film itself is so well-made that it almost puts you in Santa Rosa and you become part of the action. It's suspense at its best.

Hitchcock's films are nothing if they are not suspenseful. They are so enticing to watch, that even if you have seen them over and over and you know what it coming, you still feel that frisson of thrill when the final scene comes. It's the details, all the big and small ones, that make the film what it is. And Hitchcock planned them all, from the costumes to the pacing to the dialogue.

What more can I say about this book except that Mr. White is thorough in his parsing of Alfred Hitchcock. He shows him as the Man, and also as the Great Director. It is an interesting note on both cinema and the director. If you have not seen any of his films, I suggest you watch them. You will never be the same. Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from Amazon and the publisher but it in no way influenced my review. ( )

The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock: An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense by Edward White is a 2021 W.W. Norton Company publication.

Alfred Hitchcock has always been an enigma. There are so many layers to his films, and of course to the man. He was a genius, far ahead of his time, but also controversial and leaves behind a complicated legacy.

While this book qualifies as a biography, it doesn’t follow the usual format for this category. Because Hitchcock has already been the subject of several standard biographies and he and his work are studied and scrutinized continually, the author almost had no choice but to choose a fresher approach to keep from simply repeating the same arguments, psychology, or philosophies.

The form White chose to follow is certainly an interesting one and presents the usual information, wrapped in new and improved package, but it is also a very deep dive into the life and career of ‘The Master of Suspense’, examining the many dark corners and contradictions of his subject.

As a fan of many of Hitchcock’s films I enjoyed going over the nuances, allegory, and symbolism in his movies. Personally, though, hearing about some of his behavior towards people- especially women, puts a chink in his respectability- but on the other hand, several top actresses praised Hitch and spoke about him with warmth and admiration. This is just one of many areas where Hitchcock was unpredictable and conflicting.

This book highlights many such paradoxes, while wondering about the various ways Hitchcock’s complexities revealed themselves in his films.

While I have heard some of these same conjectures, the book is still thought-provoking- albeit a little dry. My mind did wander off on occasion and I felt it ran out of steam towards the end.

Still, though, if you are a fan of the cinema, pop culture, biographies and of course, Alfred Hitchcock, this a very solid examination of both the man and his work.

4 stars ( )

Very well done non-traditional biography told thematically in 12 chapters. I'm leery of biographies that are not chronological but White does a remarkable job in this form. The last chapter for example concerns Religion, Hitchcock was Catholic and how that influenced his films and outlook. White covers all ground including film and social history where relevant. He's a sharp and original observer and one feels smarter having spent time in his company. Hitchcock's career is essentially the history of film starting in the silent era and ending around the time of Star Wars. He influenced everyone. Some things I was surprised to learn is how gregarious he was, joking and making fun; he relied heavily on writers to create scripts built around sporadic visions he concocted such as blood dripping on a white rose, or a gun fight in front of Mt. Rushmore. Then he took all the credit - he was a kindly pig who wanted it all - and a literal foodie and well-dressed dandy. He came from lower middle-class East End London. Now I want to watch every film he made [unlikely]. We studied North by Northwest in a college film class decades ago and I'll never forget how much detail. The great observer also the greatest to observe. ( )

I've watched many productions of Alfred Hitchcock but had always considered them as suspenseful entertainment. I had no idea that the man who gave me chill bumps with his "good eveningggg" was almost as eerie as the shows and movies he scared the public. His childhood was plagued with trauma which led him into an extremely complicated adult. The harsh manner he treated child actors left scars on them that still surface over 50 years later. His entire life played out as emotional, out of balance, and as far from normal as most of his on screen works. The book is extremely well written, well researched, and leaves nothing to the reader's imagination. Some parts are quite disturbing, but so was the reality of Hitchcock. I think you will find it as fascinating as I did. ( )