Details
Alfred Hitchcock/Sir Michael Balcon
Three typescript letters, signed, from Alfred Hitchcock to Sir Michael Balcon, various dates 1957-1977, each on Alfred Hitchcock personalised stationery:
- The earliest letter, April 10th, 1957, addressed in Hitchcock's hand in blue ink My dear Mick thanking Balcon for his recent solicitous note regarding Hitchcock's spell in hospital ...For one who has always boasted of never having been sick, I really hit the jackpot this time - Hernia, Jaundice, Gall Bladder removed, and two internal hemorrhages - all in 12 weeks... and describing his desire to return to work ...I am now busily restoring my blood count, in order that I may resume at least in three weeks in more lucrative 'operations' such as two feature films [probably Vertigo 1958 and North By Northwest 1959], 30 one-half hour television shows and 10 one-hour shows!... signing off Yours Hitch..;
-- The second letter, February 20th, 1975, addressed in Hitchcock's hand in blue ink Dear Mick, telling Balcon about his current work ..I'm just preparing another picture which will go about the middle of April... [probably Family Plot] and acknowledging Balcon's hand in the launch of Hitchcock's career ....Whoever would have thought, after that day you called me into your office in 1925 and asked me if I would like to be a director, that I would still be doing it at the age of 75... Hitchcock complains about the escalation in costs for actors and technicians in Hollywood adding ruefully ...The prices have gone up so much that I find myself a very lowly paid individual on this lot... citing several examples to illustrate his point, adding that one of the reasons for the increase in costs is the incredible grosses of some films, he gives a breakdown of figures for his recent film Frenzy...that modest little picture I made in England.. which he informs Balcon will gross $16,000,000; Hitchcock blames the stress he underwent whilst working on this film for the reason he recently had to have a pacemaker fitted, giving an detailed description of the operation for fitting the pacemaker and its workings; Hitchcock also gives an indication of the nostalgia he feels for his British roots by describing how he avidly reads English newspapers, receiving weekend and daily broadsheets to keep him abreast of news from home, signing off ...Love to Aileen, yours Hitch 5pp.; accompanied by two carbon copies of Balcon's associated correspondence, one which initiated Hitchcock's response, dated 6th January 1974, the other which was sent in reply to this letter, dated 20th March 1975, the latter opens with Balcon's comparison of Hitchcock to Chaplin ....I agree it is most remarkable that you are going strong at 75, and what is more, maintaining your unique position and great international reputation. Certainly you and Chaplin are the best known figures in the film world, the only difference being that he talks about directing films, whilst you actually do it!... 3pp.;
-- The third letter, June 10th, 1977, addressed in Hitchcock's hand in blue ink My dear Mick, gives a detailed description of the problems Hitchcock is having with the writer of the latest script he is developing about the spy George Blake, and the difficulties his sick wife Alma is suffering following her second stroke, adding rather poignantly ... Little did I believe that after all these years and the accumulation of a little wealth that I should approach my 78th year being a cook in the kitchen!, Hitchcock proceeds to provide Balcon with some topical film industry tidbits informing him that ...MCA Inc. has $150,000,000 in the bank, which they don't know what to do with. The shares stand at $40 higher than anyone else. All of this...has been given a lift by the film JAWS Hitchcock also remarks on the phenomenal success of Fox's new film STAR WARS explaining that their shares ..have jumped 5 or 6 points... following its release, adding ...They are selling 'standing room only'. In fact, one of our nurses, on her day off, when (sic) to a theatre in Westwood showing the film and had to wait for over four hours to get in... philosophizing about the changes in the film industry how making films now is as risky as gambling when multi-million dollar films are made that don't even open ...It seems like in making pictures we have to play a kind of roulette and hope that the ball falls in #35 instead of Zero, because that's how chancy the whole business has become... signing off Yours etc. Hitch 6pp.; and eleven black and white press stills, the majority taken at a gala film industry dinner showing Hitchcock listening to speeches, seated at a table with Sir Michael Balcon and several Rank and MGM officials, and engaged in animated conversation with another guest, probably Elizabeth Bergner at the function, each -- 6 5/8x8 5/8in. (6.8x21.7cm.) circa 1960s (a lot) (3)
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