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Hitchcock Chronology: 1971

Overview

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Month by Month

January

  • Anthony Shaffer meets with the Hitchcocks in London to discuss Frenzy and to scout potential locations for the film.[1]
  • 14th - The French government makes Hitchcock a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour at a ceremony in Paris. The medal is awarded by Henri Langlois, co-founder of the Cinémathèque Français. Following the ceremony, the Hitchcocks return to America.[2]
  • 15th - Actor John Dall, who starred in Rope, dies aged 52.
  • 21st - Anthony Shaffer arrives in California to begin regular Frenzy script meetings with Hitchcock.[1]

February

  • By late February, Anthony Shaffer and Hitchcock have produced a 55 page treatment for Frenzy, which drops several parts of Arthur La Bern's novel to help streamline the plot.[3]
  • 27th - Pleased with the progress so far, Hitchcock allows Anthony Shaffer to return to New York in order to complete the first-draft screenplay with dialogue for Frenzy.[4]

March

  • With Anthony Shaffer working on the Frenzy screenplay in New York, Hitchcock storyboards key sequences for the film during March.[4]
  • 4th - Hitchcock receives the Academy Fellowship Award from the Society of Film and Television Arts during a ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
  • 15th - Hitchcock's friend Hume Cronyn writes to the director asking if he could be considered for a role in Frenzy. Hitchcock replies a few days later to Cronyn with a tactful letter saying that he doesn't think any of the bit-part roles would suit an actor of his stature. [5]
  • 17th - Hitchcock has a lunch meeting with actor Michael Caine to discuss the possibility of him playing the role of Bob Rusk, the serial killer in Frenzy. Caine will eventually decline the role.[6]
  • 31st - Hitchcock comes up with the "Mr. Rusk, you haven't got your tie on" ending for Frenzy.[7]

April

  • 9th - Hitchcock receives Anthony Shaffer's first draft of the Frenzy screenplay and spends the weekend reading it.[7]
  • 17th - Film editor Charles Rees places two personal adverts in The Times in the hope of being hired as the editor for Frenzy (1972) — they read "MR. HITCHCOCK. May we assist Charles Rees. Phone Roger Wilson, David Gowing, Shepperton." and "DEAR MR. HITCHCOCK. I want to cut your next film. Charles Rees. London. 01-937 9490."[8]
  • 19th - Having flown in from New York, Anthony Shaffer meets with Hitchcock to discuss further revisions to the Frenzy screenplay. By now, the screenplay has become 160 pages long.[7]
  • 30th - Alma reads the Frenzy screenplay and provides a number of script and continuity issues for Anthony Shaffer to address.[9]

May

  • Preparations begin to move the Frenzy production to London.[6]
  • 9th - Peggy Robertson arrives in London and spends the following week setting up a Frenzy production office in London, ready for Hitchcock's arrival.[6]
  • 15th Alma and Alfred Hitchcock arrive into London to begin production on Frenzy. As usual, they stay at Claridge's hotel in Mayfair.[6]
  • 16th - Hitchcock begins a series of meetings to gather together the cast and crew for Frenzy.[10]
  • 23rd - The Hitchcocks dine with Anthony Shaffer and his wife at their home on the Sunday evening. The following week will be spent discussing casting options for Frenzy.[11]
  • 26th - Actor John Longden, who starred in Blackmail and has smaller roles in 4 other Hitchcock films, dies aged 70.

June

  • 3rd - Anthony Shaffer submits his first revision of the Frenzy screenplay.[11]
  • 9th - Alma Reville suffers a serious and debilitating stroke. Fortunately her husband's personal physician, Dr. Walter Flieg, is on hand and tends to her immediately. Rather than be admitted to hospital and be separated from her husband, she insists on being treated at the Claridge's hotel and she receives round-the-clock medical care for the next few weeks. She eventually makes an almost full recovery — although her speech will remain affected and she loses the movement in 3 of her fingers — and this allows her to make contributions to on-going the Frenzy production.[12][13]
  • 10th-15th - Following Alma's stroke, Hitchcock reschedules all his Frenzy cast and crew meetings to be held at Claridge's so that he can be close to his wife.[13]

July

  • 1st - Hitchcock meets with actor Jon Finch to interview him for the lead role of Richard Blaney in Frenzy.[14]
  • 6th - Hitchcock puts together a preliminary cast list for Frenzy. Amongst the actors who don't end up being cast in the film are Lynn Redgrave (Babs), Glenda Jackson (Mrs. Blaney) and Max Bygraves (Inspector Oxford)[15]
  • With the start of principal photography looming, Hitchcock increases the frequency of meetings and interviews for casting Frenzy. By the time the cameras start rolling on the 26th, only the role of Mrs. Blaney's secretary, Monica Barling, remains uncast.[15]
  • 26th - Principal photography begins on Frenzy, which will last 13 weeks, with location scenes filmed at Covent Garden Market. Mid-afternoon, Hitchcock interviews actresses Patsy Byrne and Jean Marsh for the one remaining uncast role of Monica Barling — Marsh is selected. The first day of filming wraps at 6:15pm.[16]
  • 30th - The first week of filming on Frenzy concludes with the long continuous tracking shot (lasting 75 seconds) of Rusk leading Babs through Covent Garden Market and back to his flat. Nine takes are required before Hitchcock is satisfied.[17]

August

  • 2nd - The second week of filming on Frenzy begins with shooting the film's opening sequence — the 2 minute helicopter shot of the River Thames followed by the politician's speech, which was filmed at London County Hall. Much of the sequence was subsequently reshot after Hitchcock watched the dailies.[18]
  • 3rd - Attempts to reshoot the opening sequence of Frenzy are abandoned due to heavy rain. Instead, the crew returns to Pinewood and shoots "weather cover"[19] studio based scenes of Chief Inspector Oxford discussing the case with his wife.[20]
  • 4th - The scene of Blaney telephoning Babs is filmed in Soho Square using a prop telephone box.[21]
  • 7th-8th - As Hitchcock is only able to film scenes at the Old Bailey at weekends, Richard Blaney's trail is rehearsed on the 7th and shot on the 8th.[22]
  • 9th-13th - The 3rd week of filming on Frenzy includes reshoots of the opening helicopter sequence, dialogue scenes between Chief Inspector Oxford and his wife, introductory scenes of Richard Blaney, and various pub scenes set in The Globe.[23]
  • 14th - The Hitchcocks celebrate their 72nd birthdays with an evening meal at the Carriers Inn Restaurant in Cheshire.[24][25]
  • 16th-20th - The 4th week of filming on Frenzy is centered around shooting Jon Finch's scenes, including the two pub scenes (The Globe and Nell of Old Drury) and his escape from the prison hospital ward.[26]
  • 23rd-27th - The 5th week of filming on Frenzy includes shooting the film's ending, along with various retakes of previously filmed scenes. On-set tensions rise between Hitchcock and Jon Finch. The shooting schedule also includes alternative takes for the television print of the film — for example, the final murder victim is filmed with breasts exposed for the theatrical release and then covered for the television print.[27]
  • 28th - A Monday bank holiday means that the following week is a 4 day shoot, so the Hitchcocks spend a long weekend holidaying in Scotland.[28]
  • 31st-3rd Sep - The 6th week of filming on Frenzy includes various pick up shots and an alternative ending which wasn't used — after arresting Rush, Blaney is invited to dine with Chief Inspector Oxford and his wife. Scenes filmed towards the end of the week include Blaney visiting his wife at her matrimonial agency.[27]

September

  • 6th-12th - The 6th week of filming on Frenzy begins with the rape/murder of Mrs. Blaney and ends with the studio filmed sequence of Rusk leading Babs up the stairs to his flat, before she is killed off-screen. The weekend is spent filming sequences at the Coburg Hotel, along with various retakes.[29]
  • 13th-17th - The 7th week of filming on Frenzy includes shots of Blaney and Babs in the park, after escaping from the Coburg Hotel, the dinner scene between Blaney and his ex-wife, and several night-shoots, including a woman escaping from Rusk's flat (which was unused in the final cut) and exterior shots of Blaney's escape from the prison.[30]
  • 14th - The Hitchcocks spend the evening dining with Princess Grace of Monaco and her husband, who are visiting London.[30]
  • 15th - The evening is spent at Ennismore Gardens Mews shooting the scene of Brenda Blaney returning to her flat.[31]
  • 17th - Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco visit Hitchcock during location filming on Frenzy in Covent Garden Market.
  • 20th-24th - The 8th week of filming on Frenzy begins with Hitchcock feeling unwell, leading to some sequences to be shot by the assistant director, Colin M. Brewer. Sequences scheduled for the week include scenes at Scotland Yard, Chief Inspector Oxford pondering in the empty courtroom, Blaney's night at the Salvation Army and sequences at the Hilton Hotel. The week ends with Jon Finch being reprimanded for frequently arriving late on set each morning.[32]
  • 27th-1st Oct - The 9th week of filming on Frenzy again sees Hitchcock suffering from a sore throat. More sequences are filmed at the Coburg Hotel, at the prison (Wormwood Scrubs), Rusk carrying the body of Babs to the potato truck, and for the opening sequence.[33]

October

  • 4th-21st - The remainder of the filming on Frenzy is mostly taken up with shooting the sequences on the potato truck, although Hitchcock is again unwell on Monday 4th.[34]
  • 5th - Alma flies back to America, accompanied by office secretary Sue Gauthier. She returns to their Bel Air home to rest and recuperate.[35]
  • 26th - Hitchcock leaves London to return to America aboard TWA flight #761.[36]
  • 29th - Now back in America and reunited with Alma, Hitchcock sends the following memo to Universal Studios: "Principal photography has been completed on FRENZY"[36]

November

  • 5th - Composer Henry Mancini is sent a copy of the Frenzy script and he begins working on his score for the film.[37][38]
  • 10th - Hitchcock's trusted assistant Peggy Robertson leaves London to fly back to Los Angeles. Also safely stowed on the plane are the camera negatives of Frenzy.[39]
  • 11th - Hitchcock begins work with editor John Jympson to create a work print of Frenzy that can be sent to composer Henry Mancini. Whilst overseeing the editing, Hitchcock begins conducts several interviews with journalists and film critics.[40]
  • 29th - Editor John Jympson flies out to London with the film to prepare for the recording sessions with Henry Mancini. Hitchcock has supplied him with copious notes on further refinements to both the film and it's soundtrack.[41]

December

  • 12th - Henry Mancini's score for Frenzy is recorded in London over four days. [42]
  • 14th - Hitchcock arrives in London, accompanied by Alma, to attend the remainder of Henry Mancini's Frenzy recording sessions. After hearing the completed score, Hitchcock decides to reject it and subsequently hires Ron Goodwin to compose a new one. As usual, Hitchcock, who hated confrontations of any kind, asks a studio executive to convey the news to Mancini.[42]
  • 17th - The Hitchcocks fly out of London to spend the rest of December holidaying in Marrakech.[43]
  • 18th - Henry Mancini flies back to Los Angeles.[43]

See Also...

Notes & References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 19
  2. ↑ Variety (20/Jan/1971)
  3. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 22-23
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 26
  5. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 39-40
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 38
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 27
  8. ↑ Internet Movie Database: Charles Rees
  9. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 28
  10. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 40-41
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 41
  12. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 708
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 42-43
  14. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 43
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 44
  16. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 49-50
  17. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 51-53
  18. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 54
  19. ↑ When location filming might be affected by the weather, alternate studio based scenes are usually scheduled as a backup.
  20. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 54-55
  21. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's London: A Reference Guide to Locations (2009) by Gary Giblin, page 167
  22. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 56
  23. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 56-59
  24. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 59
  25. ↑ Carrier's Inn, est. 1637
  26. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 61
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 61-62
  28. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 62
  29. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 63
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 63-64
  31. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's London: A Reference Guide to Locations (2009) by Gary Giblin, page 178-79
  32. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 64-65
  33. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 65-66
  34. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 76-80
  35. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 77
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 97
  37. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 104 & 106
  38. ↑ Hitchcock Annual (2011) - "Murder Can Be Fun": The Lost Music of Frenzy
  39. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 103
  40. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 104-6
  41. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 106
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, pages 106-7
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy: The Last Masterpiece (2012) by Raymond Foery, page 108

Hitchcock Chronology
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