Alfred Hitchcock’s Storyboards with author Tony Lee Moral

Podcast Episode

Alfred Hitchcock’s Storyboards with author Tony Lee Moral

Dan and Tom welcome author Tony Lee Moral and discuss his latest book, “Alfred Hitchcock’s Storyboards.” It's a great read and discussion.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Storyboards with author Tony Lee Moral

Dan and Tom bring back author Tony Lee Moral to discuss his latest book Alfred Hitchcock’s Storyboards. We focus on Hitchcock’s spy movies in today’s discussion. Unquestionably, Hitchcock was notorious for his use of storyboards and his practice has been emulated by many directors. 

We read an advance copy of the book prior to its February 6, 2024, release.  Tony’s book is an excellent look at why Hitchcock used storyboards. He also discusses how Hitchcock used them to set up the filming of the scenes in his movies. He drills into many of Hitchcock’s movies.  In addition, one great aspect of the book is the sheer number of storyboards he includes in the book that Hitchcock used. And the industry tricks of the trade including how those have changed over time with the use of technology.

Another thing we love about this book is that Tony teaches us about making movies. He does this by showing us how Hitchcock did it.  For example, in his discussion on THE 39 STEPS, Tony talks about how TikTok users can use a similar approach to what Hitchcock did to string together a bunch of shorts. We drill into this with Tony in this episode.  It’s a great and fun way to learn.

WHERE TO GET ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S STORYBOARDS

You can order Alfred Hitchcock’s Storyboards at the following links (These are non-affiliate links, SpyMovieNavigator receives no compensation if you use them):

Share your thoughts

So, take a listen – did this discussion help you decide to buy Tony Lee Moral’s book Alfred Hitchcock’s Storyboards? We highly recommend it if you are a movie fan.  Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode by dropping us a note at info@spymovienavigator.com.  The more we hear from you, the better the show will be!

You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. Additionally, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.

Webpage:  https://bit.ly/hitchcock-storyboards

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Hitchcock’s TOPAZ – Is it a Gem?

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Hitchcock’s TOPAZ – Is it a Gem?

Hitchcock's TOPAZ – is it a gem? Dan and Tom discuss what works and what doesn't in this Hitchcock's spy movie which received mixed reviews.

Hitchcock’s TOPAZ – is it a gem?

Hitchcock’s movie TOPAZ received mixed reviews when it was released.  Some people love it while others don’t like it at all.  Why is that?

Dan and Tom mine what works and what doesn’t in this Hitchcock spy movie.  And there is a bit of both here.

That said, TOPAZ is a spy movie with a lot of espionage.  It isn’t an action movie with some spy elements as we often get in today’s spy movies.

The setting for TOPAZ is 1962 at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis which brought the US and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war.  So, there is some historical background for this movie. 

Dan and Tom look for the hidden gems in this one.  What works best?  And what doesn’t?

So, take a listen – Hitchcock’s TOPAZ  – is it a gem?  Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode by dropping us a note at info@spymovienavigator.com.  The more we hear from you, the better the show will be!

You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website.   Check out our YouTube channel as well.  Subscribe!

Webpage:  https://bit.ly/hitchcocks-topaz

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10 Reasons to Watch SABOTAGE (1936)

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10 Reasons to Watch SABOTAGE (1936)

Dan and Tom look at 10 reasons to watch SABOTAGE, the 1936 Alfred Hitchcock classic. Listen to find out why you want to watch the movie.

Dan and Tom discuss 10 reasons to watch SABOTAGE, the 1936 Alfred Hitchcock spy movie. Sabotage was also released under the titles The Woman Alone and I Married A Murderer.

  1. The origin of the movie
  2. Spies living among regular people
  3. It’s hard to identify the enemy
  4. Stars one of our favorite spy movie stars
  5. Why Hitchcock didn’t like John Loder as the detective
  6. The influence of a 1935 Disney movie
  7. The opening of the movie
  8. Romance
  9. Exquisite camera and Foley work
  10. And of course, Sabotage”s influence on future spy movies.

So, listen to Dan and Tom to find out the details of their 10 reasons to watch SABOTAGE.

Ideas/Comment? info@spymovienavigator.com

Website Episode Page: https://bit.ly/3OB5Xl2

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Hitchcock spy movie techniques with Tony Lee Moral

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Hitchcock spy movie techniques with Tony Lee Moral

We talk with the author of the new book "The Young Alfred Hitchcock's Movie Making Masterclass" and discuss how Hitchcock made spy movies.

Do you want to understand the Alfred Hitchcock spy movie techniques? Tony Lee Moral returns to discuss his new book “The Young Alfred Hitchcock’s Movie Making Masterclass“. His book teaches you Hitchcock’s process of making a movie. We discuss these techniques with Tony and apply them to how Hitch used them in making his spy movies.

Some of the topics we examine are how Hitchcock pionered “the wrongfully accused man”, the double chase (or double pursuit), using exotic locations, suave villains, how action and fight scenes are filmed, and of course the MacGuffin, and more. As an example, we look at the Hitchcock quote about spies: “heroes in their own country and villains in the foreign country” and look at how he used this idea in his spy movies.

In addition to looking at where Hitchcock used these techniques, we also discuss where other spy movies have used some of these techniques.

It’s an interesting discussion looking at our favorite movie genre through the lens of the master director. Find out what movies use the Hitchcock spy movie techniques.

You can order Tony’s book here on Amazon or here on Barnes and Noble.

Ideas/Comments? Info@SpyMovieNavigator.com

Website Episode Page: https://bit.ly/3DO6Z9m

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Hitchcock Spy Movies from a Historical Perspective with Kim Putland!

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Hitchcock Spy Movies from a Historical Perspective with Kim Putland!

Hitchcock Spy Movies were the topic of a thesis by Kim Humphries Putland. We discuss how Hitchcock integrates world events into these movies.

Today we have with us, Kim Humphries Putland who has written a remarkable treatise on Alfred Hitchcock’s spy and espionage genre movies, integrating the current world events into the treatment and unfolding stories in these special movies – history affects the Hitchcock spy movies!

You can find Kim’s thesis here.

Kim’s podcast is called As Told By Hollywood.

Let’s go!

Ideas/Questions: info@SpyMovieNavigator.com

Website episode page: https://bit.ly/3MuQP7B

Be sure to check out our other episodes on our website.

In this episode, we discuss how Hitchcock used current events and wove them into each of his spy movies which are:

  • The Man Who Knew Too Much (both the 1934 and 1956 versions)
  • The 39 Steps
  • Secret Agent
  • Sabotage
  • The Lady Vanishes
  • Foreign Correspondent
  • Sabateur
  • Notorious
  • North by Northwest
  • Torn Curtain
  • Topaz

 


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Alfred Hitchcock’s THE LADY VANISHES Decoded

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Alfred Hitchcock’s THE LADY VANISHES Decoded

We decode the Hitchcock movie THE LADY VANISHES. What movies has this influenced? Did you know Hitchcock used this much humor? and more...

Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes was released in 1938 and is based, in part, on the book “The Wheel Spins”. It has been remade three times for the big screen and television.

As the title implies, a lady vanishes while on a train. This movie is full of intrigue and is a fantastic spy story. So, once again, a train is a key location for a spy movie and here, it is vital for the story. Music is also a key piece to this movie as well. Listen to find out more!

The Lady Vanishes has more humor than most Hitchcock movies. And, the characters Charters and Caldicott appear in this movie for comic relief. They were so successful that they appeared in other movies in the future.

An interesting trivia question is asked about one of the actors in this episode! See if you know the answer!

So, join Dan and Tom as they decode The Lady Vanishes: Plot and scene analysis, new discoveries, and what movies had this movie influenced or how it was influenced by other spy movies. It is a fun journey!

You can find all of our podcast episodes on our Podcast page.

If you haven’t seen this movie it is available at no cost on YouTube.

Among the topics we decode from The Lady Vanishes:

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  • Trains in spy movies
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  • The Hays Code and how Hitchock plays with it
  • The flowerpot
  • The use of music
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  • The conspiracy
  • and More …

 


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Alfred Hitchcock’s NOTORIOUS Decoded!

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Alfred Hitchcock’s NOTORIOUS Decoded!

Today we decode a Hitchcock classic, NOTORIOUS with our special co-host Bill Koenig of The Spy Command.

Dinner parties, cocktail parties, tuxedos, espionage, World War II war criminals, love, deception, murder, infiltration, and secret plans are all in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1946 spy movie, NOTORIOUS!

Today we decode this Hitchcock classic, NOTORIOUS with our special co-host, Bill Koenig of The Spy Command!  Bill joined us on our February 1st 2022 episode when we decoded The Man Who Knew Too Much.

This is a fun discussion on a fantastic spy movie.

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A NOTORIOUS interview with Tony Lee Moral

Dan and Tom talk about Hitchcock’s classic spy movie, NOTORIOUS, with Tony Lee Moral.  Tony is the author of three Alfred Hitchcock books, with a fourth, “Alfred Hitchcock: The Storyboards” available September 2022.

His previous books on Hitchcock are:

They can be ordered on Amazon by clicking on the title above.  Note: Spy Movie Navigator has no affiliation with Amazon or the author and receives no compensation if you click the above links.

Interview with author Tony Lee Moral on Hitchcock’s NOTORIOUS

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Interview with author Tony Lee Moral on Hitchcock’s NOTORIOUS

Dan and Tom talk about Hitchcock's classic spy movie, NOTORIOUS, with Tony Lee Moral, author of three Alfred Hitchcock books, with a fourth, "Alfred Hitchcock: The Storyboards" available September 2022.

Dan and Tom talk about Hitchcock’s classic spy movie, NOTORIOUS, with Tony Lee Moral.  Tony is the author of three Alfred Hitchcock books, with a fourth, “Alfred Hitchcock: The Storyboards” available September 2022.

His previous books on Hitchcock are:

They can be ordered on Amazon by clicking on the title above.  Note: Spy Movie Navigator has no affiliation with Amazon or the author and receives no compensation if you click the above links.

 

 

In this podcast, we discuss the following with Tony Lee Moral in regard to Notorious:

  • Tony’s background and upcoming book: “Alfred Hitchcock: The Storyboards”
  • The guilty woman, Hitchcock’s relationship with Ingrid Bergman
  • Hitchcock’s relationship with Cary Grant
  • The MacGuffin in Notorious
  • The domineering mother
  • Hitchcock’s famous shots from Notorious
  • and more …

 


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THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH – Decoded!

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THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH – Decoded!

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Mistaken identities! World travelers! Mystery in the middle east! Secrets told, murder plots, kidnappings, and more – all in THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH!

Join Dan and Tom as they are joined by Bill Koenig of The Spy Command website. We decode both the 1934 and the 1956 versions of this Alfred Hitchcock classic spy movie!

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North By Northwest – Part 2

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North By Northwest – Part 2

Join Dan and Tom as they are Cracking the Code of Spy Movies. Today they navigate through part 2 of the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock classic, NORTH BY NORTHWEST.

Join Dan and Tom as they dive deeply into Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 “monumental” spy thriller, North by Northwest.  Some have called this the first Bond movie!  From New York City to Chicago to Mount Rushmore, the thrill is on!

We look at scenes, comparisons to other spy movies, actors and insights into the key scenes and backstories!    Fun stuff for one of the best spy films ever created, with one iconic scene that everyone knows, the Crop Duster scene!

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This 1959 Alfred Hitchcock classic is one of the great spy movies.
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North By Northwest – Part 1

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North By Northwest – Part 1

Join Dan and Tom as they are Cracking the Code of Spy Movies. Today they navigate through part 1 of the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock classic, NORTH BY NORTHWEST.

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This 1959 Alfred Hitchcock classic, North by Northwest,  is one of the great spy movies of all time.

In part 1 of this podcast, we’ll examine:

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  • Roger’s unfortunate case of mistaken identity
  • How two early scenes may have influenced On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
    • Let’s all sit in the back seat and I’ll joke around
    • Is that how you hold a cigarette?
  • Where the line “Pay the 2 dollars” originated
  • How Hitchcock got the shot of the United Nations building
  • The sexual conversations Eve and Roger have on the train
    • Including one word that had to be overdubbed
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Secret Agent (1936) – A second spy movie by Alfred Hitchcock

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Secret Agent (1936) – A second spy movie by Alfred Hitchcock

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Secret Agent – 1936

Join us as we’re cracking the code of spy movies!

Here, Dan and Tom are taking a close look at the 1936 Hitchcock movie, Secret Agent, its influence on future spy movies, and how sometimes being a secret agent is not that secret!

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  • We dissect the key scenes in the epic spy film from 1936, Secret Agent.
  • We look at how this film has influenced spy movies to come, and the impact these early spy films have had on the genre.
  • We look at some scenes and how these scenes are the first time we see them but will see them again, lie the faked death of a person so he can spy incognito.
  • Early Hitchcock!

Note: You can watch the entire movie on YouTube: (here is the link)


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<em>The 39 Steps</em>

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The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps, directed by Alfred Hitchcock is considered by many to the first spy movie ever made! If you came to our site as a Bond, Bourne, Hunt, Smiley, or other spy movie fan, you might not have seen this film. Join Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato as they examine how The 39 Steps, considered by many to be the first spy movie, has influenced other spy movies that came after it. We'll also look at what happenings in the real world that influenced this spy movie.

The 39 Steps, directed by Alfred Hitchcock is considered by many to the first spy movie ever made!  If you came to our site as a Bond, Bourne, Hunt, Smiley, or other spy movie fan, you might not have seen this film.

Released in 1935, this movie sets the table for future spy movies to come. From helicopter chases and train chases to pursuit through unknown lands, this film is a must for all spy movie fans!

Join Dan Silvestri and Tom Pizzato as they examine how The 39 Steps, considered by many to be the first spy movie, has influenced other spy movies that came after it.  We’ll also look at what happenings in the real world that influenced this spy movie.

 

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The 39 Steps

Hannay – Robert Donat
Pamala – Madeleine Carrol
Miss Smith – Lucie Mannheim
Professor Jordan – Godfrey Tearle
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Summary on Wikipedia

The 39 Steps, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, released in 1935, is considered by many to be the first spy film. So, if you are a spy movie fan, then we must take a close look at The 39 Steps to see exactly what this film is about, how it may have influenced other spy films to come, and what happenings in the real world influenced this spy film. As in many Hitchcock movies, like North By Northwest, Notorious, The Man Who Knew Too Much – an innocent bystander is thrust into the world of espionage.

A woman agent who has no affiliation with any country is trying to stop England’s secrets of air defense from falling into the hands of some certain brilliant agent of a foreign power who wants these secrets. Not because she loves England, but because they will pay her better. This is what she tells Hannay – that at the theater where they had just come from, there were two men who wanted to kill her. She and Hannay went back to Hannay’s flat. And he looks to the street from his flat window, he sees two men – waiting. She tells Hannay that he is in just as much trouble as her now – and if he ever heard of The 39 Steps. Their chief has a dozen names and can look like a 100 people, but the one thing he cannot disguise is he has the top part of his right-hand little finger missing. She wants a map of Scotland because that is where the man she must visit next is.
This film stars Robert Donat and Madeleine Carrol.

If you are a spy movie fan, you can watch the entire 1935 film on YouTube.

More Details

The film opens in a theater, in London, where a man on stage is about to answer virtually any questions the audience may ask. He is, in a sense, Mr. Know-It-All, called in the film Mr. Memory, who every day commits to memory 50 facts in a variety of categories (science, history, geography, etc.). There is a haunting musical theme that is associated with Mr. Memory that sticks in Hannay’s head.

A man walks in in a trench coat and sits down. Later a woman is shown at the bar. The man in the trench coat, who turns out to be Hannay, asks how far Winnipeg is from Montreal – and Mr. Memory indicates that the gentleman is a Canadian. So, we see he is not a Brit. After a bunch of questions, an official-looking gentleman comes in (police) and there is a scuffle with a guy at the bar. During the commotion, Hannay finds himself face-to-face with a woman. After a while, she asks if she could go home with him. He says, “well, it’s your funeral.” Spoiler: He turns out to be correct.

They leave the music hall and go to his place, 122 (looks like) Portland Place: Portland Mansion. He has a furnished flat as he is from Canada here for only a few months. He asks her name: “Smith.” She looks Eastern European, has an accent – Smith? Ok, now we are a little suspicious of her and who she is.

The Death of the Spy

Hannay sees Smith come into his room in this flat, with a piece of paper, stumbling, and saying, “You’re next!” She falls, revealing a knife sunk halfway into her back. She collapses and dies. Hannay does not know what to do next. The local police think he has killed her – it was in his flat. And he flees, remembering what she said about Scotland.
Not so easy to get out of his flat. The men are still there waiting for him now.

Hannay’s Getaway from his Flat – the Milkman Scene

Because Hannay is now being watched – and he does not know who wants to get him – the police for the murder he did not commit, or the people who killed the spy – he must devise a clever way to get out of his flat. The milkman scene is a classic, and we see other bait and switch scenes in future spy moves too, like in James Bond’s The Living Daylights where the enemy spy kills the milkman, then disguises himself as the milkman so he can get into the safe house where a Russian agent is kept who are defecting to the West. Here, Hannay needs the milkman’s uniform as a disguise to try to escape the two guys waiting to kill him.

The Trains Scene, Flying Scotsman

He heads for the train, the Flying Scotsman. In this clip, we see the death scene, but cuts to the train scene – Hannay is aboard and two are in pursuit of him.
This is the first of many train scenes (chases, fights, key meetings) we will see in spy movies to come! (Just a few to think about: Secret Agent, From Russia With Love, Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me, Octopussy, Mission: Impossible 1, Casino Royale, Skyfall, and others). Here, for the first time, is the original chase scene on the train – with tense moments, intense drama, and a man, Hannay, trying to escape from the officials who are after him, who think he killed the woman spy in his flat.

Just pay attention to the clanging of the wheels, the lighting on the train, the bridge, the pursuit – all part of the blueprint for future spy movies. Two gentlemen read a newspaper across from him on the train about the murder and how Hannay is wanted by the police. The police are aboard the train after a stop and are looking for him. He enters a compartment and kisses a strange woman, who turns him in – but later becomes an ally after a while. The bridge in the movie is the Forth Bridge in Scotland, which opened in 1890, and it is still around and can be visited. The foot chase on the train creates tension and distress. Hannay, while innocent, is trying to escape. The chase is a foreshadowing of future chase scenes and fight scenes on trains as we will see in Spy Train, From Russia With Love, The Spy Who Loved Me, Octopussy, Mission Impossible 1 and others. His escape to the bridge, Forth Bridge, is electrifying and for the viewer, a relief. The train is stopped on the bridge as the police look for him. This somewhat foreshadows View to a Kill bridge scene in San Francisco for Roger Moore’s Bond. Here, the police re-board the train thinking Hannay got back on, but Hannay did not.

Wandering now around Scotland, he stops and talks to a man, and asks if there are any newcomers around – he says yes an Englishman, a professor, and yes, he is near the town that the spy was to go to. Hannay must stay the night at this farm, meets the man’s wife, who misses Glasgow where she is from. He flatters her. She seems to like him. This scene is important because, as Hannay reads the newspaper he sees that the murder has been traced to Scotland. He knows they are on him. The wife knows that he is the man they are after. In fact, she awakes in the middle of the night, her husband notices, and she tells Hannay the police are coming and he better hurry. The husband thinks they are making love, but he tells the husband the police are after him and pays the man 5 pounds. But when the police come to the door, the wife knows her husband will turn Hannay in. Margaret (she reveals her name) gives him her husband’s “Sunday” coat.

With police still in pursuit, he runs. A small helicopter is looking for him too – ah, remember we will see more helicopter pursuits in spy films, like in From Russia With Love! He runs and is running along a river – the Forth Bridge transverses the estuary (Firth) of the River Forth – so this is probably the River Forth, not far from Alt-Na-Shellach (now we think it is called Achnashellach) – a large estate that he was looking for.

Hannay finds the estate, rings the bell, asks for the Master, and says to ask him if he knows Miss Annabella Smith (the spy). He enters, the police show up, and the maid answering the door denies any strangers are there. Hannay introduces himself as Mr. Hammond and he is from Miss Smith. The people know about the murderer being in Scotland, so know he is Hannay and asks if Annabella was killed and why he is here in Scotland. He says she was coming to see you. That the foreign agent who killed her is headed up by a man who had part of his little finger missing. He reveals that part of his (Professor Jordan ) little finger is missing and that he is about to convey some very vital information out of the country.

He shoots Hannay, and he falls. Turns out the bullet hits the hymnbook that was in the farmer’s “Sunday” coat. Hannay escapes to the sheriff. He turns him into the police who have been after him. The other two men who killed Smith are outside the police station. Hannay escapes through the window. He loses himself in a parade and the woman on the train (Pamela) turns him in again and Hannay tells her to call England and Scotland Yard. She says no. She and Hannay are in a car being taken somewhere. It is a suspicious situation. Pamala and he are now wondering – and Hannay says I bet your Sherriff principal has the top joint of his little finger missing. Pamela overhears something that makes her believe Hannay is telling the truth.

Handcuffed together, Pamela and Hannay escape.

The police are still on his tracks as he stays at an inn with Pamela and they show up to ask the innkeeper about new travelers. But they are supposedly in the good graces of the wife and she sends off the police. Pamala now decides Hannay has been speaking the truth. Eventually, they make it back to England. The haunting Mr. Memory musical theme is still in Hannay’s head as he has been whistling it in various scenes. Is Pamela the first Spy Girl (ala “Bond Girl”)? If so, she is tough and self-sufficient, and a model for future spy women. Think Ursula Andres as Honey Rider in Dr. No.

For spy movie fans, this movie has continuous action – not the kind of special effects action scenes in modern spy films – but continuous action that creates tension onscreen and in the viewer’s mind.

The Theater Finale

Back in London, Pamela goes to Scotland Yard – she had phoned from Scotland (unbeknownst to us). Scotland Yard is not believing her. They want Hannay. She goes to the theater. They follow. Hannay is in the theater too. The tension is police are following her to get to Hannay. Hannay sees someone up in a box, borrows specs and sees a hand with the top knuckle of the little finger missing!

Mr. Memory is now on stage! Hannay figures it out – Mr. Memory has committed all the secret plans to memory and Hannay thinks Professor Jordan will get him out of the country after the show. Hannay is cornered by the police and he shouts out to Mr. Memory, ”What are the 39 Steps?” Mr. Memory starts to speak, “The 39 Steps is an organization of spies collecting information on behalf of the foreign office of . . .” and he is shot by Professor Jordan, who leaps from the box and eventually onto the stage (ala John Wilkes Booth) and is caught. Hannay: “Mr. Memory – what is the secret formula you were taking out of the country?” Mr. Memory: “The first feature of the engine is….renders the engine completely silent.” And he dies. The secret is safe! Hannay is innocent!


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