Reel People: Helen Mirren is Alma Reville

Helen Mirren & Anthony Hopkins, Hitchcock

The film is Hitchcock. Hitchcock is directed by Sacha Gervasi. The screenplay is written by John J. McLauglin based on the book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello.

Alma Reville

Alma Lucy Reville was born in Nottingham, England on August 14, 1899 (one day after the birth of her future husband Alfred Hitchcock . Alma's father Matthew Reville worked at a lace firm, but later got a job at Twickerham Film Studios. She would visit her father there, an would get a job as a tea girl.

From tea girl, she found herself getting the chance to be a cutter, assisting in editing. She also helped with scripts and assisted in directing.

In 1919, Twickerham closed, but Alma was able to secure a job with the American film studio Famous Players-Lasky. It was at this studio that she would work alongside Alfred Hitchcock who was hired as a graphic designer. They did not date or even talk at this time, but both were working there way up in the company at the same time. In 1923, Reville lost her job, but was brought back onto the studio when Hitchcock requested her as an editor to his film Woman to Woman.

Hitchock and Reville would work together on a number of films in the following years. In 1924 Hitchcock proposed to Reville, and they married one another on December 2, 1926. This was the same year that the two had great success working together on their film The Lodger.

Alfred and Alma would have their first and only child, July 7, 1928. Patricia Hitchcock was born in Kennsington, London.

The Hitchock's moved to Hollywood in 1939.

Alma Reville and Hitchcock would work alongside one another in many films over the next sixty years, often with a film credit, but certainly not always, although largely credited fro her eye for detail. Her eye for detail was especially valuable in reviewing shots and plot for accuracy and consistency.

Alfred Hitchcock died in 1980, and Alma would die just a little over two years later on July 6, 1982 of natural causes.

Hitchcock

The film Hitchcock focuses on the relationship between Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville during the making of Psycho.

Alongside Helen Mirren as Alma Reville, Anthony Hopkins stars in the role of Alfred Hitchcock.

The film Psycho stared Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, and Vera Miles. Their roles are performed by Scarlett Johansson (as Janet Leigh as Marion Crane), James D'Arcy (as Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates), and Jessica Biel (as Vera Miles Lila Crane).

Michael Stuhlberg plays Lew Wasserman (talent agent), and Ralph Macchio plays Joseph Stefano (Psycho screenwriter). Danny Huston and Toni Collette also have roles in the film.

"Helen Mirren, again!"some may say. Mirren has won one Oscar, and been nominated for four, and Hollywood will surely be watching her portrayl of this behind the scenes lady. Will she receive her fifth Oscar nominee, and potential her second win for portraying this Real (Reel) Person?