These surprises are now widely known, and yet “Psycho” continues to work as a frightening, insinuating thriller.
These surprises are now widely known, and yet “Psycho” continues to work as a frightening, insinuating thriller. That’s largely because of Hitchcock’s artistry in two areas that are not as obvious: The setup of the Marion Crane story, and the relationship between Marion and Norman ( Anthony Perkins). Both of these elements work because Hitchcock devotes his full attention and skill to treating them as if they will be developed for the entire picture.