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About The Book

In his films, Alfred Hitchcock found the perfect expression for his fantasies, and he shared those fantasies with the world in such classics as The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Rebecca, Shadow of a Doubt, Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, The Man Who Knew Too Much, To Catch a Thief, North by Northwest, Vertigo, Psycho, and The Birds. In It's Only a Movie, Charlotte Chandler draws from her extensive conversations with Hitchcock, frequently revealing unknown facts and unexpected insights into the man, the director, and his films.
Author of acclaimed biographies of Groucho Marx, Federico Fellini, and Billy Wilder, Charlotte Chandler spent several years with Hitchcock discussing his life and his amazing career. She also talked with his wife, Alma, and daughter, Pat, as well as many of the screen legends who appeared in his films, including Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, Michael Redgrave, John Gielgud, Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda, Tippi Hedren, James Mason, Eva Marie Saint, Kim Novak, Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, and others. The result is an intimate yet expansive portrait of a unique artist who, from the 1920s through the 1970s, created many of history's most memorable films.
A quarter-century after his death, Hitchcock's distinctive profile remains an instantly recognizable icon to millions, while his films continue to grow in popular appeal and critical esteem. Chandler introduces us to the real Hitchcock: a devoted family man, practical joker, and Englishman of Edwardian sensibilities who was one of the great masters of cinematic art.

About The Author

Photo Credit: Charles William Bush

Charlotte Chandler is the author of several biographies of actors and directors, including Groucho Marx, Federico Fellini, Billy Wilder, Alfred Hitchcock, Bette Davis, Ingrid Bergman, Joan Crawford, and Mae West, all of whom she interviewed extensively. She is a member of the board of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and lives in New York City.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster (March 2, 2005)
  • Length: 368 pages
  • ISBN13: 9780743279734

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Raves and Reviews

"A perfect murder? It's only a movie. A perfect book."
-- Michelangelo Antonioni

"Hitchcock came from south London, like me, and I really liked this book, so I figure he would as well."
-- Michael Caine

"It's Only a Movie is a uniquely personal view of Alfred Hitchcock, filled with the kind of detail Hitchcock himself employed in his films."
-- David Brown

"A wonderful book full of recollections by Hitchcock, his family, his friends, and those who worked with him. I was touched by the quiet love story between Hitch and Alma."
-- Frank Oz

"It's Only a Movie is Charlotte Chandler's intimate biography of the great Alfred Hitchcock. A wonderful study of Hitchcock the man and Hitchcock the filmmaker."
-- John Landis

"It's Only a Movie is not only a book, but a vivid experience, a real page-turner. Through Charlotte Chandler's books, we've come to know Groucho Marx, Federico Fellini, and Billy Wilder -- and now we know Alfred Hitchcock."
-- Sidney Sheldon

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