:29:01
And Madame Blanche
had real psychic powers.
:29:04
But most importantly, the overall tone
of the book was very dark.
:29:12
The film was carefully
designed and prepared,
:29:15
and Ernest Lehman, who worked on
North by Northwest, was brought in.
:29:21
Everything was important
in a Hitchcock picture.
:29:24
He paid attention to all the details.
:29:27
That's why he liked to work
with the same people on his films.
:29:31
I think we're gonna have to jump cut...
:29:35
to him up there.
:29:39
(Man) I was the assistant director
to Alfred Hitchcock on Family Plot.
:29:43
Hitchcock, in the past,
had only worked with one or two
:29:46
assistant directors
that he was very familiar with.
:29:49
Hilton Green, who was head
of production at Universal,
:29:52
knew my talent and asked
if I would like to work with Hitchcock.
:29:58
Of course, the answer was yes,
and I was basically assigned to the picture
:30:02
after I met several people
and they gave their blessing.
:30:08
The very first meeting was five weeks
:30:10
after I started working with him.
:30:12
And we went into production,
:30:14
and the first thing you do
were scout locations,
:30:17
and do a budget
and break down the script,
:30:19
but I needed to meet with the director.
:30:21
So every morning,
either through the production manager
:30:25
or even talking to Hilton Green
at times,
:30:28
but especially going to his assistant,
who was Sue Gauthier,
:30:32
I couldn't get to see Hitchcock.
:30:35
And I think the reason was
they were basically afraid
:30:39
to tell Hitchcock that somebody
wanted to meet with him
:30:41
and ask him questions about the film.
:30:44
Also, they were concerned
:30:46
that I was a very young
assistant director
:30:49
and that he might rebuke that.
:30:52
So, five weeks after
a great deal of frustration,
:30:55
I knew that every morning
when he arrived about 9:00,
:30:59
he had a cup of coffee
in his outer office