After the birth of their only child Patricia in 1928, Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville purchased a 16mm film camera and began to record their lives as parents, as so many young families did. Their home movies fall into the familiar tropes of most family films. At birthday parties, playing with their dogs, or posing in front of the Trevi Fountain, one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema, and his most trusted collaborator and confidant, reveal intimate portraits of themselves and offer a new perspective of The Master of Suspense. This program will include highlights from three newly restored home movie reels, ranging from ca. 1928 to 1936, that were donated to the Academy Film Archive by the Estate of Alfred Hitchcock. These elements truly bring the Hitchcocks and their friends and family to life. Showcasing a more playful version of the man known as “Hitch,” the camera captures the loving relationship between himself and his family, as well as notable figures such as screenwriters Benn Levy and actors Cyril Ritchard, Edna Best, Herbert Marshall, and more.

Tessa Idlewine