Hitchcock and Humor
Modes of Comedy in Twelve Defining Films
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Book Presentation:
Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery has been described as “a kind of Rear Window for retirees.” As this quote suggests, an analysis of Alfred Hitchcock’s methodical use of comedy in his films is past due.
One of Turner Classic Movies’ on-screen scholars for their summer 2017 online Hitchcock class, the author grew tired of misleading throwaway references to the director’s “comic relief.” This book examines what should be obvious: Hitchcock systematically incorporated assorted types of comedy—black humor, parody, farce/screwball comedy and romantic comedy—in his films to entertain his audience with “comic” thrillers.
About the Author:
Wes D. Gehring is a distinguished professor of film at Ball State University and associate media editor for USA Today magazine, for which he also writes the column “Reel World.” He is the author of 40 film books, including biographies of James Dean, Carole Lombard, Steve McQueen, Robert Wise, Red Skelton and Charlie Chaplin.
Press Reviews:
• "Gehring remains supreme in film comedy scholarship"—Choice
• "Just about anything with film historian and media writer Wes D. Gehring’s name on it will be of quality…."A unique take on perhaps the most analyzed film director of all time and the observations on North by Northwest alone merit adding this to your library."—Cinema Retro
• "Gehring delves into each film with assiduous detail…he’s clearly done his homework"—Yes! Weekly
• "The most sustained and thorough examination of humor in Hitchcock to date… Gehring has a breezy and playful writing style. I found myself chuckling aloud at times."Hitchcock Annual
See the publisher website: McFarland & Co
See the complete filmography of Alfred Hitchcock on the website: IMDB ...
> From the same author:
Billy Wilder and Some Like It Hot (2026)
The Genesis of America's Greatest Screen Comedy
Subject: One Film > Some Like It Hot
Kinds of American Film Comedy (2024)
Six Core Genres and Their Literary Roots
Subject: Genre > Comedy/Humor
Charlie Chaplin and A Woman of Paris (2021)
The Genesis of a Misunderstood Masterpiece
Subject: One Film > A Woman of Paris
Buster Keaton in His Own Time (2018)
What the Responses of 1920s Critics Reveal
Subject: Director > Buster Keaton
Movie Comedians of the 1950s (2016)
Defining a New Era of Big Screen Comedy
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Chaplin's War Trilogy (2014)
An Evolving Lens in Three Dark Comedies, 1918–1947
Subject: One Film > Shoulder Arms, The Great Dictator, Monsieur Verdoux
Forties Film Funnymen (2010)
The Decade's Great Comedians at Work in the Shadow of War
Subject: Genre > Comedy/Humor
Mr. Deeds Goes to Yankee Stadium (2004)
Baseball Films in the Capra Tradition
Subject: On Films > Film selections
> On a related topic:
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Hitchcock and Herrmann (2025)
The Friendship and Film Scores that Changed Cinema
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Hitchcocktails (2025)
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Alfred Hitchcock and Film Noir (2024)
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One Shot Hitchcock (2024)
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Alfred Hitchcock All the Films (2024)
The Story Behind Every Movie, Episode, and Short
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Subject: Director > Alfred Hitchcock
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