Noone could ever accuse Mark Cousins of resting on his laurels. Even by his relentless standards, the documentarian is in a prolific period, with two films showing at GFF. His examination of the roots of European fascism, The March on Rome screens later, but first up is My Name is Alfred Hitchcock. It’s a characteristically exhaustive film essay from the encyclopedic Cousins, but instead of his usual distinctive, lilting tones, we’re treated to a cheeky piece of cinematic necromancy. Hitch himself – portrayed by famed impressionist Alistair McGowan – is on hand to talk us through the recurring themes of his films. For the most part, it’s a conceit that works very well.
Cousins-as-McGowan-as-Hitchcock tackles the entire career of the Master of Suspense; from the sepia crackle of 1925’s The Pleasure Garden to Barbara Harris‘ wink to camera at the end of Family Plot more than half a century later. But instead of a chronological journey, Hitch’s oeuvre is presented by theme: escape, desire, loneliness, time, fulfillment, and height. This allows Hitchcock (it’s easier to surrender to the illusion) to reach across time and tie lesser-known works to acknowledged classics, like Foreign Correspondent to Psycho in the escape section, or Sabotage to Vertigo when discussing desire. It’s film nerd ambrosia, with McGowan’s uncanny portrayal mashing with Cousins’ breakdown of technical minutiae and narrative symbolism. It only wobbles slightly when McGowan occasionally strives a little too eagerly for Hitchcock’s vocal tics and sounds distractingly like Zippy from Rainbow.
The array of clips is expertly presented by editor Timo Langer, perfectly matching the rhythm of “Hitchcock”‘s voice, and the gregarious, chummy commentary builds up a pleasing head of steam that is never broken, even in the cuts between themes. Cousins’ aim of making us fall in love with Hitchcock’s films all over again is undeniably successful. My Name Is… makes the viewer want to dive into The Paradine Case and Jamaica Inn for the first time as much as Rebecca and Rear Window for the umpteenth. The ebullience with which Hitch’s many innovations and narrative nous are presented is infectious, and that is recognisable as Cousins’ writing. The words may be spoken by an uncanny simulacrum of Hitchcock but anyone familiar with Cousins’ work will be familiar with his rhetorical flourishes and the poetic structuring of his sentences.
There is perhaps a small elephant in the room that isn’t addressed. The focus is on the films, but through the focus on theme, it’s inevitable that some focus on Hitchcock’s well-known predilections and obsessions come through. Yet Cousins stops short of having Hitchcock address the muddying of his posthumous reputation. If Cousins’ Hitch was speaking as if contemporaneous to his career it would be easier to gloss over, but Hitch comments on his death and various events from the subsequent 40 years. It could obviously be argued that the focus is solely on the films and that’s as it should be, but it’s hard to assess a troubling film like Marnie without a side-eye at its creator given what we know of the man.
Yet, whatever one thinks of the artist, it’s difficult to dismiss the art, particularly when discussed as engagingly and inventively as Mark Cousins does here. Accessible enough to pull in Hitchcock neophytes and comprehensive enough to tantalise completists, My Name is Alfred Hitchcock is a work of scholarly knowledge presented in the most accessible and entertaining way possible.
Screening as part of Glasgow Film Festival 2023 on Thu 2 and Sat 4 Mar 2023 at Glasgow Film Theatre 2