No, I am not accusing the late Alfred Hitchcock of claiming the many quotations to be by him.
Of course, he is not guilty of the misquotations, attributed to Hitchcock.
There is a big list of so-called Alfred Hitchcock quotations out there that are unverified and suspicious found in quotation sites, books and magazines.
In other words, those quotes are probably NOT by Hitchcock, the British filmmaker.
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was an English film director and producer. He is better known as “The Master of Suspense”.
This British film-maker pioneered many elements of the suspense and psychological thriller genres.
His first American film, titled “Rebecca” won an an Academy Awards, for Best Picture in 1940.
This award-winning black and white movie is ad adaptation of Daphne du Maurier‘s 1938 novel of the same name.
It starred Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine and Judith Anderson. (Watch the movie below).
In his life time, Hitchcock created more than 50 films, including the classics “Rear Window”, “The 39 Steps” and “Psycho”.
Hitchcock received the AFI’s Life Achievement Award in 1979. He died in 1980.
Anyway, below are my selected authentic Alfred Hitchcock quotes on various issues like women, fear, villains, mysteries, pun and others.
“Some films are slices of life, mine are slices of cake.” – Albert Hitchcock
“To me, murder by a babbling brook drenched in sunshine is more interesting than murder in the dark and noisome alley littered Willi dead cats and offal.” – Albert Hitchcock
“I have never cared for women with sex hanging all over them like baubles. I prefer the icy-looking, schoolteacher type. After all, when she makes her move, then it’s really exciting.” – Albert Hitchcock
“Dialogue should simply be a sound among other sounds, just something that comes out of the mouths of people whose eyes tell the story in visual terms.” – Albert Hitchcock
“I don’t make mysteries…I tell the audience everything, and then I make them sweat over how it will all come out.” – Albert Hitchcock
“Melodrama is the most highly colored form of storytelling.” – Albert Hitchcock
“But if I make Cinderella, people will start looking for the corpse.” – Albert Hitchcock
“The more successful the villain, the more successful the picture.” – Albert Hitchcock
“Man does not live by murder alone. He needs affection, approval, encouragement and, occasionally, a hearty meal.” – Albert Hitchcock
“… drama is life with the dull bits cut out.” – Albert Hitchcock
“To me, suspense is immeasurably more potent than mystery, and having to read a fiction murder story through in order to find out what happened bores me.” – Albert Hitchcock
“Puns are the highest form of literature.” – Albert Hitchcock
“Nothing is more revolting to my sense of decency than the underworld thug is able to murder anyone, even people to whom he has not been properly introduced.” – Albert Hitchcock
“Really, the novelist has the best casting since he doesn’t have to cope with the actors and all the rest.” – Albert Hitchcock
“They tell me that murder is committed every minute, so I don’t want to waste any more of your time. I know you want to get to work.” – Albert Hitchcock
“Suspense can be introduced in a simple love story as well as the mystery or ‘whodunit’ picture. Make the audience suffer as much as possible.” – Albert Hitchcock
“I always make my villains charming and polite. It’s a mistake to think that if you put a villain on the screen, he must sneer nastily, stroke his black moustache or kick a dog in the stomach.” – Albert Hitchcock