Suspense and Psychology in Hitchcock's Notorious (1946)

If you love classic cinema and masterful storytelling, Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious is a film that should not be missed. This entry explores how Hitchcock expertly uses camera

motion, framing, lighting, and sound to create tension and deepen the psychological complexity of the characters. By analyzing key scenes and techniques, we will uncover how the director immerses the audience in an atmosphere of suspense and intrigue.

A quick warning: this analysis contains spoilers! If you haven't seen Notorious yet and want to experience its twists and turns firsthand, you might want to watch it before reading further.

In Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious, through active camera motion, framing, light and contrast in light, sound expression, the director articulately conveys the hidden intentions, emotions, and psychological conflicts of Alicia, Alex, and Devlin. The combination of these elements creates tension and suspense throughout the film to keep the audience involved in the unfolding intrigue.

From the very beginning of the movie, Hitchcock establishes a sense of secrecy and deception. Alicia, a woman with a troubled past, is enlisted by a government agent named Devlin to infiltrate a Nazi group led by Alex. Hitchcock uses very choreographed camera movements along with low-key lighting to reflect Alicia's conflicted emotions about her assignment. Most noticeably, the tracking shots, such as those which follow Alicia through moments of decision, place the viewer in her point of view, instantaneously eliciting empathy for her character as she pursues a treacherous double life.

Through the entire length of the movie, Hitchcock uses camera technique to distinguish how Alicia feels compared to Devlin and Alex. While Devlin is a seasoned agent who can remain composed and methodical, Alicia consistently appears tense and vulnerable. Hitchcock reinforces this contrast through framing choices; for instance, Devlin is often in steady medium or long shots, which serves to underscore his deliberateness, while Alicia is frequently captured in close-ups that emphasize her inner turmoil. The visual distinction allows the audience to feel the crescendo of anxiety in Alicia as the stakes get higher.

Zooming in to Alicia and her stressful expression

One of the hallmarks of Hitchcock's direction in Notorious is the use of suspensive pacing and what is called the "ticking bomb" approach. Objects and apparently minor events throughout the movie become foilers of imminent danger: a key, a locked door, or a glass of wine. Hitchcock uses point-of-view shots very often to show something to the viewer while the character does not have that knowledge; this makes for dramatic irony and heightens the suspense.

Hitchcock's use of authorial point-of-view that hints at a tampered beverage.

A great example to this is the bottle-breaking sequence where Devlin accidentally knocks over a bottle while investigating the wine cellar. Leading up to this, Hitchcock has provided successive authorial point-of-view shots of the precariously placed bottle, so the audience is well aware that an accident is imminent. The audience knows what is likely to happen, so there is an aspect of dramatic irony and almost a "ticking bomb" effect, as one waits for the bottle to fall. When it finally does, shattering on the floor, Alicia's anxiety peaks, and the camera's rapid pans punctuate her increasing panic. By contrast, Devlin is composed, and his calmness is further enhanced by smooth camera movements while he quickly tries to clean up the mess. The tension in this moment heightens the difference in how each character copes with the high-stakes situation and further immerses the viewer in the perilous nature of their mission.

Moments before the wine bottle fell down

Lighting also plays an important role in the development of the moral ambiguity and hidden agendas of the characters. The brightly lit, glamorous settings of the social gatherings versus the shadowy, low-lit spaces where secrets are kept are reflections of the dual nature of Alicia's world. In this respect, high-key lighting is often used in the public spaces where Alicia must keep up appearances, while low-key lighting dominates the clandestine moments in which she carries out her mission. It is especially prominent in the scenes where Alex is featured; his face is always shadowed, foreshadowing his questionable moral standing and his inner battles.

The shadow on half of Alex's face when he catches Alicia and Devlin being intimate.

Sound design further enhances the tension in the film. The cacophony of high-society parties contrasts with eerie silence or muffled noises in moments of secrecy, reinforcing the idea that danger lurks just beneath the surface of Alicia's seemingly glamorous life. Hitchcock's careful manipulation of sound, particularly the use of off-screen noise to suggest unseen threats, adds to the film's suspenseful atmosphere.

Ultimately, it is Hitchcock's masterly use of camera movement, framing, lighting, and sound throughout Notorious that raises suspense and the psychological depth of its characters. By separating visually and audibly their facades with struggles internally, Hitchcock will not let the audience be unsuspicious of the unfolding drama, thereby making Notorious a prominent example in cinematic storytelling and suspense.