Don't Make a Scene: Psycho

The Set-Up: Happy Mother's Day!

I must be a horrible person because when I think of doing a Mother's Day post, the first movie I think of is Psycho. Sure, I could do Terms of Endearment, but isn't it the same thing, but without cutlery?

So, I could do Mildred Pierce, or Stella Dallas, but those are pretty sad, so I don't "go" there. Now, I usually gravitate to Hitchcock, who had LOTS of mothers in his films—maybe next year, we'll have one of those hilarious Jesse Royce Landis scenes.

But, for now, Psycho, and the first appearance—close-up and without obfuscation —of Norma Bates, mother of Norman, who has been doing all sorts of invasive things to people at the Bates place. It is one of my favorite camera moves in a Hitchcock film, one of those directorial feints to keep the audience clueless, but still on the edge of their seats.

It's a fairly complex camera move (especially with heavy 1960's camera, and without the benefit of lightweight photography and CGI enhancement) up the stairs to hover over the conversation from an open door and, then, to look down on the two involved in argument, walk across the landing (a camera composition we've seen before, just a few moments ago) and down the stairs.

It's steady and fascinating to watch, if making one wonder why we're watching this rather ornate dolly shot. But, the fact that it's a dolly shot is less important (other to distract us), it's there so we can look down at Norman Bates carrying his crazy mother across the second story landing and down the stairs. Why, are we doing this? Well, that would be telling...except we had just learned (in the preceding scene) that Norma Bates is dead and buried, and has been for years.

 

So, what's going on here? Just a director doing more than directing actors, but directing the audience, as well.

 

The Story: It hasn't been "the busy season" at The Bates Motel, but business HAS picked up. Some people HAVE been checking in.

The problem is they don't seem to check out. It doesn't do anything for repeat business. There's amateur extortionist Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), and then there's the detective, Milt Arbogast, (Martin Balsam), who's been hired to find her. Things are starting to circle around The Bates, and loyal son Norman (Anthony Perkins) is taking some precautionary measures, moving his mother (Virginia Gregg and Jeanette Nolan)  before any more guests arrive.

 

Action.

 

EXT. MOTEL AND HOUSE - (NIGHT)

Norman comes off the porch, walks to the path 

and directly up to the house, opens the door and goes in. 

CUT TO: INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY AND STAIRWAY - (NIGHT) 

SHOOTING UP THE STAIRS 

Norman goes up, 

pauses one moment outside his mother's door, then opens it and goes in, leaving the door open. 

For a moment we hear only Norman's low, quiet voice, his words indistinguishable. Then we hear the cold shot of his mother's derisive laughter. 

MOTHER'S VOICE I am sorry, boy, but you do manage to look ludicrous when you give me orders! 

NORMAN'S VOICE Please, mother... 

MOTHER'S VOICE (Sharp, laughter all gone) No! I will not hide in the fruit cellar! (A shrill laugh) Think I'm fruity, huh? 

MOTHER'S VOICE (Hard, cold again) I'm staying right here! This is my room and no one will drag me out of it... 

MOTHER'S VOICE ...least of all my big bold son! 

NORMAN'S VOICE (Rising now, anxiously) They'll come now, Mother. He came after the girl and now someone will come after him! 

NORMAN'S VOICE How long do you think you can go on... Mother, please, just for a few days, just so they won't find you! 

MOTHER'S VOICE (Mimicking) Just for a few days... (Furious) In that dark, dank fruit cellar? 

MOTHER'S VOICE No! You hid me there once, boy, and you won't do it again! Not ever again! Now get out! (A pause, quiet) 

MOTHER'S VOICE I told you to get out, boy! (A longer pause) 

NORMAN'S Voice  I'll carry you, mother...

MOTHER'S VOICE Norman! What do you think you're going to do doing? Don't you touch me! Don't! 

MOTHER'S VOICE Norman! (A pause, then cajolingly) All right, son, put me down and I'll go. I'll go on my own two feet. I can go on my own two feet, can't I? 

During all this the CAMERA has been slowly creeping up the stairs. It does not stop at the top however, but continues on the same high angle that we had in Scene 57. 

She starts to laugh, a terrible sound like an obscene melody. 

NORMAN'S VOICE I'll carry you, mother. 

Norman comes out of the room, 

his mother held in his arms, her head leaning against his shoulder.

MOTHER'S VOICE Put me down!

MOTHER'S VOICE Put me down! I can walk on my own!

He carries her down the stairs, along the lower landing to the cellar stairs, and then down those stairs to the basement. 

DISSOLVE TO:

 

Psycho

 

Words by Joseph Stefano and Robert Bloch

 

Pictures by John L. Russell and Alfred Hitchcock

 

Psycho is available on DVD and Blu-Ray on Universal Home Video.

 

I couldn't find the actual scene from the 1960 version
But, here's Gus Van Sant's recreation—using the original script—from 1998.