This was an incredibly interesting read! Would give it five stars if Hitchcock wasn’t a complete ass to every single woman he interacted with.

I enjoyed the writing style, telling Hitchcock’s professional career in a linear way. Leamer does a good job at pointing out that, though Hitchcock thought he was crafting the perfect blonde bombshell, he was actually playing out fantasies of power dynamics. The blondes run the gamut from emotionally (and physically) abused to supported and allowed to flourish, but they all did something unforgivable in Hitchcock’s eyes: remained their own person.

I like that the author commends Hitchcock’s obvious talent without glorifying it. He gets a bit sidetracked at times, diving into secondary & tertiary characters, but overall this was a great overview of Hitchcock and the women who gave him his success. Even if he’d never admit it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Laurence Leamer, and Putnam Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I just couldn't get into this book. The premise is interesting, but everybody, especially Hitchcock himself, come across as pretty unlikable. I stopped reading at around 30%.

I don’t read a ton of nonfiction, but I am a big fan of old movies, and I especially love Hitchcock’s films (Rear Window and North by Northwest are favorites of mine) so I decided to give this one a try.

I was surprised by the dark tone of the book. Leamer doesn’t shy away from the darkness of Hollywood and Hitch himself. I was also surprised by how little I ended up liking most of the actresses. The shining light of this book for me was Eva Marie Saint and the North by Northwest section. I love Cary Grant, and he was mentioned a lot in that section as well.

For those wanting to read the book - just be aware that the author spoils all of the movies discussed so if you haven’t seen any of the films, you might want to do that before picking up the book.

Overall it was a really interesting analysis of the leading ladies and the movies that brought them to fame.

Now for some tidbits I learned:

— Cary Grant didn’t like the script for N by NW and thought it would be a flop (What?!?)
— the script for N by NW started with nothing more than the idea of having characters hang off one of the statues on Mt Rushmore
— Cary Grant chose what is character would wear each day and always got it right.

I just realized they’re all from the North by Northwest section. Well, that was the best part of the book so I guess it makes sense. Oh, and go and watch the movie too. It’s fantastic.

I loved it! A great combination of film history, aesthetic/critical analysis and classic Hollywood gossip. The structure was remarkable, it's almost meant to be made into a mini-series or documentary.

"Bestselling author of Capote's Women Laurence Leamer shares an engrossing account of the enigmatic director Alfred Hitchcock that finally puts the dazzling actresses he cast in his legendary movies at the center of the story.

Alfred Hitchcock was fixated - not just on the dark, twisty stories that became his hallmark, but also by the blond actresses who starred in many of his iconic movies. The director of North by Northwest, Rear Window, and other classic films didn't much care if they wore wigs, got their hair coloring out of a bottle, or were the rarest human specimen - a natural blonde - as long as they shone with a golden veneer on camera. The lengths he went to in order to showcase (and often manipulate) these women would become the stuff of movie legend. But the women themselves have rarely been at the center of the story, until now.

In Hitchcock's Blondes, bestselling biographer Laurence Leamer offers an intimate journey into the lives of eight legendary actresses whose stories helped chart the course of the troubled, talented director's career - from his early days in the British film industry, to his triumphant American debut, to his Hollywood heyday and beyond. Through the stories of June Howard-Tripp, Madeleine Carroll, Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh, Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, and Tippi Hedren - who starred in fourteen of Hitchcock's most notable films and who bore the brunt of his fondness and sometimes fixation - we can finally start to see the enigmatic man himself. After all, "his" blondes (as he thought of them) knew the truths of his art, his obsessions and desires, as well as anyone.

From the acclaimed author of Capote's Women comes an intimate, revealing, and thoroughly modern look at both the enduring art created by a man obsessed...and the private toll that fixation took on the women in his orbit."

Yes, but still trying to understand him through them makes it about him not them...

So much has been written about Alfred Hitchcock and Leamer’s book is a welcomed addition.
From a young age, blondes were the epitome of beauty and sexual desire for Hitchcock. He was obsessed and this was passed through to the actresses that brought his films to life.
Ingrid Bergman (although a brunette) was cast in ‘Spellbound’ and was considered by Hitchcock his ‘ultimate woman’. He was enraptured by her and wanted her star to shine. It was ‘Hitchcock’s Blondes’; Hedren, Leigh, Saint, Carroll and Novak that experienced the tortuous demands and intentional, calculated cruelty.
Leaker shares the directors creation of his ‘blondes’ and the shaping of their characters based on his imaginations desires. He brought Kim Novak to an emotional breakdown and Tippi Hedren’s suffered winged assailant trauma during the shooting of the birds.
This look into this very controversial director sheds a new light on what it was like to live, breath and experience the making of his thrillers.
Recommended with thanks to NetGalley, the author and Putnam for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced copy of this book focusing on the works of famed director and his treatment of the actresses who starred in many of his most famous films.

Alfred Hitchcock is considered one of the best film directors in history, one who created a new language in film, the use of the word Macguffin for the plot that moves the story, camera angles, story and much more. Hitchcock's films still have that power to hold one's attention, to try and peek around the corners and see what is there, be it presented in black and white, silent, or in color, no matter their age. Hitchcock could titilate, scare, and make uncomfortable film watchers, sometimes in the same scene. And that went for the actresses in is movie. For Sir Alfred Hitchcock had a type, blondes and a need to not only control them on film, but to shape them in a way that he saw was perfection. No matter how they might have felt about the situation. Hitchcock's Blondes: The Unforgettable Women Behind the Legendary Director's Dark Obsession by historian and journalist Laurence Leamer is the look at the women directed in fourteen of his films, their lives before, during and after the shadow of Hitchcock passed by.

Alfred Hitchcock grew up in a middle income family of Irish descent, in England, which in many ways made him more British in manner and ideas. A quite lad, Hitchcock came to life late working in a bank before entering into films writing captions for silent movies. Hitchcock met Alma Reville with a promising film career who gave it all up to be Alfred's assistant, story editor, and quiet companion to his obsessions. Blonde actresses. To Hitchcock blondes were the Nordic ideal, and Hitchcock could not get enough of them, hiring blonde women as assistants, and of course as actresses. Once hired, these women were subject to his rude jokes, his control of their speech, wardrobe, and put quite a few in danger some with birds, some with stunts that could easily have gone wrong. Some were strong enough to ignore Hitchcock, some were left with careers that could have gone better. And one became a princess, but didn't get a fairy tale ending.

A very well-written and well-researched history not only of Hitchcock and his films but of the women who acted in many of his classics. Leamer does a very good job of telling their stories, from stars Ingrid Bergman, Kim Novak and Grace Kelly, to early actresses like Madeline Carroll. Besides the color of hair it is amazing that many of them seemed to have the same issues, either family issues, or problems with self-respect, even if they were actresses or in some cases models. Which makes Hitchcock even creepier as if this was also something he was looking for, and wished to exploit. There is plenty behind the scene information, with stories about the creation of the movies, their reception and a little bit of gossip. Cary Grant sounds even more amazing than I thought, coming to the set in his own clothing for the days shooting. Leamer also looks at the life of the actresses after either leaving Hitchcock, or being passed over, and some of these stories are a little rough to read. Hollywood for all its glitz and glamour sounds like a horrible place, though I still enjoy the movies from this era.

That is a problem in reading books like this. Can one still enjoy the art despite the antics, and some of these antics were pretty bad. I'm not sure. As I get older I find more and more of the things that I enjoyed and still do were made by very problematic people, who did things that I kind of deplore. I'm still working on that, and books like this help in making my decision.

A very good book on film and about a director who really had a lot of issues. I enjoyed the biographies about the actresses as I found that though I knew the names, I knew very little about their lives, and enjoyed learning more, though a lot of times, they lived in very hard times. Recommended for film buffs, and Hitchcock fans, though some might not enjoy it in the same way.

A look at the legendary director's penchant for natural blondes-through the stories of June Howard-Tripp, Madeleine Carroll, Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh, Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, and Tippi Hedren. These women caught his eye and his ire, in ways that are unacceptable to us now but tolerated in the golden age of Hollywood.

I was disappointed by this book. It was written in a sensational tabloid gossip manner with a sprinkle of what felt like misogyny. It's a shame because I think it would have been great for a Hitchcock fan, but I found it difficult to get through. I do not recommend this book.

I just did not enjoy this book though it is the kind of book I generally like. I don’t think it was particularly well written and Leamer seems to assume things that Hitchcock thought that do not have a firm basis in the research. If you are a Hitchcock completist you should read this book - if not-not so much.

Exquisitely researched, and so smart. I love that this book veered away from the usual cliche and weak summaries, delighting with just the kind of inside stories we wanted it to be. A full-force outdoing of expectations, stellar personas, true surprises and time very well spent with this book. I highly recommend it.

3.5 stars

Alfred Hitchcock is fascinating to film lovers, and I've read several books that feature the director, his life, and his movies. In this book, Laurence Leamer approaches the subject from the perspective of the blonde actresses that captivated Hitchcock and played leading roles in his pictures.

For each featured actress, Leamer provides a mini-biography as well as an overview of the woman's experience working with Hitchcock. Along the way Leamer describes the plot(s) of each actress's Hitchcock movie(s), so if this would be a spoiler for you, you should probably see the movies before you read the book.

I want to say up front that - for the most part - I enjoyed the narratives about the actress's lives, which include anecdotes about their families, boyfriends, husbands, children, jobs, travel, film careers, etc. I do think Leamer took too much delight describing the women's sexual peccadilloes, and for me there was a whiff of misogyny in Leamer's attitude to the ladies.

This is especially clear in the author's chapters about Tippi Hedren, whom Leamer seems to dislike. Hedren has been very open about Hitchcock sexually harassing her, and Leamer becomes an apologist for the director. In fact, the author dismisses most of Hedren's accusations as 'misunderstanding' things Hitchcock said and did (How would Leamer know?) and consistently suggests she's a sub-par actress.

Leamer also appears to know what's in people's minds, and he writes that Hedren didn't love her husband Noel Marshall, and Noel didn't love her, and they were using each other, and so on. Leamer goes on to denigrate their work together on films, to criticize their animal preserve, etc. For the record, I've read Hedren's book "Tippi: A Memoir" and I believe her about Hitchcock's behavior.

I'm actually shocked that some of Leamer's more outrageous passages passed muster with an editor. That said, most of the book is quite interesting, and I (mostly) enjoyed the overview of Hitchcock, the blonde actresses, and the movies they made with the famous director.

In addition to the stories about the performers, I liked the snippets about Hitchcock's life, personality, and career. The author mentions Hitchcock's love of pranks; his penchant for telling raunchy stories; his outsize appetite for good food and fine wine; his and his wife's home, filled with beautiful art; his compulsion to make one movie after another; his dismay when a favorite leading lady took up with a suitor; the screenwriters he worked with; and more.

*****

Alfred Hitchcock grew up in a devout Catholic family and seems to have been sexually repressed. Considering himself overweight and homely, Hitchcock was self-conscious about his appearance and timid in relationships with women. However, at the age of 27, Hitchcock married feisty Alma Reville - a screenwriter and film editor - who was a loyal partner for Hitchcock's entire life. Hitchcock was devoted to his wife, but was fascinated by the beautiful blonde women he put in his films.

Hitchcock had a rather odd attitude towards his leading ladies. He often felt the need to take them down a peg, and "would turn on the actress in measures both deliberately cruel and casually thoughtless." Hitchcock also had a reputation for regaling his leading ladies with smutty stories and dirty jokes, in a seemingly blatant attempt to make them uncomfortable.

Leamer highlights eight actresses that intrigued the director. I'm just going to mention the movies each woman made with Hitchcock. To learn more of their fascinating histories, you can read Leamer's book.

⦿ June Howard-Tripp

June Howard-Tripp was brought to Hitchcock's attention by screen idol Ivor Novello, who suggested the director cast June in a film.

June starred in Hitchcock's 1927 movie 'The Lodger', about a serial killer who was murdering blonde women in London. The lead actor in the movie was Ivor Novello, and June played the role of Daisy Bunting, a working class model who lived with her family. The Bunting family took in a lodger......and the movie goes on from there. This was the only film June made with Hitchcock.

⦿ Madeleine Carroll

Madeleine Carroll was in a film co-written by Hitchcock's wife Alma Reville before she was cast in a movie by the director.

Madeleine's first movie with Hitchcock was the 1935 film 'The 39 Steps', about a man (played by Robert Donat) who's falsely accused of murder. To keep the suspect from fleeing, the police handcuff him to a witness called Pamela (played by Madeleine Carroll), and the twosome escape and go on the run. According to Leamer, "Hitchcock understood that the linking together relates more to sex than anything else", and it seems sex is a theme in all Hitchcock movies.

Madeleine also starred in Hitchcock's 1936 film, 'The Secret Agent', in which Madeleine plays Elsa Carrington, a woman asked to help kill a German spy.

⦿ Ingrid Bergman

When Hitchcock first saw Bergman, he was taken with her beauty and sexuality, and decided he had to cast her in a film. In all, Ingrid starred in three Hitchcock movies.

In 1945's 'Spellbound', Ingrid plays a psychoanalyst named Dr. Constance Peterson, who works at Green Manors mental sanatorium in Vermont. Constance falls in love with the new head of the institute, Dr. Anthony Edwardes (played by Gregory Peck). Dr. Edwardes is a troubled man, and Constance helps him "reach deep within his psyche to retrieve the truths that save him."

In 1946's 'Notorious', Ingrid's role is Alicia Huberman, a woman of loose morals whose father is a convicted Nazi spy. FBI agent T. R. Devlin (played by Cary Grant) convinces Alicia to spy on her father's Nazi comrades.

In 1949's 'Under Capricorn', Ingrid plays Lady Henrietta, an alcoholic aristocrat who has come to live in early nineteenth-century Australia. The story is a mystery involving a love triangle.

⦿ Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly, renowned for her beauty, was sure to catch Hitchcock's eye. Grace made three movies with Hitchcock.

In 1954's 'Dial M for Murder', Grace plays Margo Wendice, a woman having an affair with an American writer (played by Robert Cummings). Margo's husband (played by Ray Milland) finds out, and arranges to have Margo murdered, but Margo manages to kill her attacker. She's then arrested for murder.

In 1954's 'Rear Window', a photojournalist called Jeff Jeffries (played by James Stewart) - hobbled by a broken leg - sits at his window peeping into the apartments of his neighbors. Grace plays Jeff's girlfriend, fashion executive Lisa Fremont. Jeff believes he sees a murder across the way, and he and Lisa investigate the incident.

In 1955's 'To Catch a Thief', Grace plays Francie Stevens, an American heiress who's come to Cannes with her mother, in pursuit of a husband. The potential husband is John Robie (played by Cary Grant), a retired jewel thief. Meanwhile, there's a new cat burglar in town, who's copying Robie's methods, and the police suspect Robie's at work again.

⦿ Kim Novak

When Hitchcock began working with Kim Novak, she was already a celebrity, with her throaty voice, provocative figure, and girl-next-door appeal.

The only movie Kim made with Hitchcock was 1957's 'Vertigo.' In this movie, a retired police detective called Scottie Ferguson (played by James Stewart) has an intense fear of heights. An old college buddy hires Scottie to follow his heiress wife Madeleine (played by Kim Novak), who's behaving strangely. Scottie falls in love with Madeleine, who later jumps from a church tower while acrophobic Scottie is helpless to stop her. Once Scottie recovers from the terrible experience he happens to see a factory worker named Judy (played by Kim Novak) who seems to be Madeleine's double.....and the rest is history.

⦿ Eva Marie Saint

Eva Marie Saint made one movie with Hitchcock. In 1959's 'North by Northwest', Eva Marie played Eve Kendall, the girlfriend of a communist spy named Philip Vandamm (played by James Mason). Vandamm mistakes businessman Roger Thornhill (played by Cary Grant) for a government agent, and frames him for murder. As Thornhill is on the run from the police he meets Eve Kendall on a train, and she tries to help him.'

⦿ Janet Leigh

Janet Leigh was a well-known movie star when she filmed the 1960 movie 'Psycho', her only film with Hitchcock. In 'Psycho' Janet's character is Marion Crane, an office worker in Phoenix. When Marion gets the chance, she steals $40,000 from her boss and takes off to join her boyfriend Sam Loomis (played by John Gavin) in California. Along the way, Marion stops at a motel for the night, and meets motel owner Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins). That evening, Marion is stabbed to death in the shower (this is one of the most famous scenes in movie history).

⦿ Tippi Hedren

Hitchcock discovered Tippi Hedren in an ad for a diet drink, where he was struck by her beauty and jaunty stride. Tippi made two films with Hitchcock, the first being 1963's 'The Birds.'

In 'The Birds', Tippi plays spoiled socialite Melanie Daniels, who happens to meet Mitch Brenner (played by Rod Taylor) in a pet store, where he's looking for a gift for his sister. On a whim, Melanie purchases two lovebirds and delivers them to Mitch's family home in Bodega Bay. While Melanie's in town, vicious birds start to attack the residents.

In 1964's movie 'Marnie', Tippi plays a compulsive thief named Marnie who "moves from employer to employer, stealing from them and moving on." Marnie's new boss, Mark Rutland (played by Sean Connery) decides to marry Marnie and help her find the psychological reason for her thievery, so she can mend her ways.

*****

In March, 1979 Hitchcock received the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award, where he received tributes from many members of the film industry. Leamer writes, "The most profound tribute to Hitchcock came not from spoken words but from film clips......one after another they appeared interspersed throughout the evening." Leamer goes on, "These shots from films made over the course of five decades in England and Hollywood testified to the compelling entertainment Hitchcock created and the unprecedented longevity of his career."

Hitchcock's blondes - and their eventful lives - are an interesting subject and I recommend the book to film fans.

Thanks to Netgalley, Laurence Leamer, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for a copy of the manuscript.

A disappointment -- a bit too salacious and tabloidish in tone, especially in regards to Tippi Hedren (did the author have some sort of personal beef against her?). Would not recommend.

Alfred Hitchcock was a brilliant director whose films still count at the top of the lists as the best of all time.. But he was also an extremely flawed human being whose mental issues sometimes drove him to extreme cruelty.

This is the story of the actresses he worked with. The book includes the issues that the actresses brought with them. And it delves into the relationship between the director and each of his stars. There are also quite a few surprises; tidbits that the public may not have been aware of until now.

Well researched, well written, and very interesting in its delivery, this is a book well worth reading.

In many of his films, Hitchcock featured a blond woman as a flawed object of desire. Eight women agreed to subject themselves to his direction and his often harsh and even cruel treatment. They were:

June Howard-Tripp: The Lodger
Madeleine Carroll: The 39 Steps, Secret Agent
Ingrid Bergman: Spellbound, Under Capricorn, Notorious
Grace Kelly: Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief
Kim Novak: Vertigo
Eva Marie Saint: North By Northwest
Janet Leigh: Psycho
Tippi Hedren: The Birds, Marnie

Leamer describes each woman’s life that brought her to Hitchcock (and, later, illustrates each one’s later life and career). Some, like Bergman and Saint, he treated mostly respectfully; some he treated like lumps of clay he attempted to mold into his vision of what a woman should be; some he tormented, physically and emotionally.

I’ve read enough about Hitchcock to know he had some real psychological issues. It’s hard to read about how his issues played out in his treatment of women. The man had a great talent, and his direction helped these eight women—and many other actors—produce unforgettable films, but it may be equally possible that he could have created great films by treating his actors with respect.

As a classic movie fan, I thought I knew a lot about most of these women, but Leamer reveals a good deal about some of them that I was unaware of, particularly in the cases of Kim Novak and Janet Leigh. It’s also nice to know that three of them are still alive (Kim Novak, 90; Tippi Hedren, 93; Eva Marie Saint, 99!). It was particularly pleasant for me to learn more about Eva Marie Saint, who had a long and happy marriage, comes across as a down-to-earth and good-humored person, and is today the oldest surviving Academy Award winner.

In "Hitchcock's Blondes," author Laurence Leamer embarks on a captivating and intimate journey into the enigmatic relationship between the legendary director Alfred Hitchcock and the dazzling actresses who graced his iconic films. With meticulous research and a keen eye for storytelling, Leamer deftly places these talented women at the center of the narrative, illuminating the enthralling world of Hitchcock and shedding light on the mastermind behind the camera.

While Hitchcock's fascination with blondes is a well-documented aspect of his career, Leamer delves deeper into this allure, offering a nuanced understanding of the director's relentless efforts to showcase and, at times, manipulate these actresses. From the lesser-known June Howard-Tripp to the renowned Tippi Hedren, the book presents the lives of eight iconic actresses who played pivotal roles in Hitchcock's cinematic repertoire. Leamer expertly guides readers through their trials and triumphs, tracing their trajectories from the British film industry to their significant contributions to Hitchcock's American films and revealing their profound impact on the director's artistic vision and their own lives.

The author's storytelling prowess is evident as he weaves together these actresses' personal and professional lives, celebrating their resilience in the face of challenges and unraveling the intricate dynamics of their relationships with the enigmatic director. Through their stories, we gain a profound understanding of Hitchcock himself—the man behind the camera, his obsessions, desires, and the powerful influence these women held over his work.

Leamer's impeccable research provides a rich tapestry of historical context and insightful anecdotes, breathing life into the era and its charismatic characters. His writing style is engaging and accessible, appealing to die-hard Hitchcock enthusiasts and those less familiar with his films. The narrative flows seamlessly, drawing readers deep into the lives of these captivating women and the complex dynamics they navigated within the tumultuous world of cinema.

"Hitchcock's Blondes" is a thoroughly modern examination of the enduring artistry and legacy crafted by an iconic director while also unearthing the toll it took on the women who played pivotal roles in his films. Leamer's approach is thoughtful and respectful, affording these actresses the recognition they deserve, often overshadowed by Hitchcock's towering reputation. The book offers a nuanced exploration of power dynamics, artistic vision, and the prevailing challenges faced by women in the film industry during that era.

In conclusion, "Hitchcock's Blondes" is a fascinating and revealing portrait, exquisitely highlighting the contributions and experiences of these remarkably talented actresses. With his dedication to storytelling and meticulous research, Leamer has crafted a must-read for anyone enthralled by cinema history, the world of Hitchcock, or the extraordinary lives of these women who left an indelible mark on the silver screen.

Currently working on a review for Cineaste...have not been accepted yet, but if not accepted I will continue to send the review out to movie magazines...and if not then, a review will come up on my blog, Cobleskill Commentaries. https://greatbutunknownperformances.wordpress.com/

DOUG

Anyone familiar with Alfred Hitchcock knows about his obsession with blonde actresses. All of the actresses who appeared in his most famous movies are highlighted here, with some background information that I was unfamiliar with. As a fan of classic cinema and in particular Hitch's movies, I found this to be a riveting read, its focus more on the leading ladies than on Hitch himself, though his proclivities and issues with his stars is also highlighted. A must read for any classic film fan. 5 stars. Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

There must be more books about Hitchcock than just about anyone in film history. As hard as it may be to believe, Laurence Leamer has found a novel approach. In Hitchcock's Blondes, he describes Hitchcock as experienced by eight different actresses in the context of their careers and lives. Leamer is a super engaging writer and his very fluid prose interlaced with plenty of humor propelled me through the book. Despite being a Hitchcock super fan, I learned a lot especially when the focus was on the actresses. The book has perfunctory chapters about June Howard-Tripp (The Lodger) and Madeline Carrol (The Thirty-nine Steps and Secret Agent), an in-depth chapter about Ingrid Bergman (who is not quite blonde), and then goes deep on the very blonde stars of Hitchcock's amazing streak of the 50s and early 60s (Grace Kelly, Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, Janet Leigh, and Tippi Hedren).

While one doesn't need prior knowledge about Hitchcock or the actresses to enjoy this book, having seen the movies will be a big help (I'm not sure why you'd be picking this title up if you haven't seen some of the movies). If there is a movie you haven't seen or you've simply forgotten, plot descriptions are provided - spoilers included.

I do have some quibbles. The actress biographies seem inordinately focused on sex-lives, especially in the cases of Bergman and Kelly. But I have to admit that it makes for some enjoyably salacious reading. The Tippi Hedren piece borders on a hatchet job, and is very dismissive of some of her claims of severe ill-treatment without real evidence. Having seen Hedren speak at the TCM festival, I'd say that Hedren is more generous to Hitchcock than Leamer is to Hedren. Although Leamer doesn't name drop the title, he seems a bit contemptuous towards Donald Spoto's Dark Side of Genius and the jaw-dropping revelations therein. But both authors fundamentally agree that Hitchcock's bizarre obsessions and the secret sauce that makes his movies agelessly fascinating are inextricably linked.

Having done a great deal of research on Hitchcock myself, I can truthfully say that Hitchcock Blondes is a fresh approach to unmasking the man behind the caricature. Laurence Leamer does a deep dive into 8 of Hitchcock's leading ladies ; individual stories-June Howard-Tripp, Madeleine Carroll, Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh, Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, and Tippi Hedren - the "Hitchcock Blondes". It is through their stories that Hitch's is revealed.
A man of many fears, peccadilloes and outright fetishes, he was, none the less, a master of his craft.
The methodology and treatment of his cast and crew, in particular these leading ladies could be cruel and leave lasting scars. Some could forgive them after seeing themselves in his work, others would not. And what of his wife, Alma, who was a major talent in her own right, although never truly given her proper due for the work she did on his films? All this and much more is covered in Hitchcock Blondes.
A fabulous read for any film aficionado or those with interest in the old Hollywood system.