Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood — An 'American Masters' Special This documentary tells a tale of epic personalities, with all the glamour and intrigue of a Hollywood film. For seven years, Alfred Hitchcock and David Selznick's relationship was as sensational as any of their collaborations, which included some of the greatest films of the 1940s: "Rebecca," "Spellbound" and "Notorious." This is the first program to explore their creative differences and to offer insight into how these three acclaimed pictures, as well as one unmitigated disaster ("The Paradine Case"), were born amid the chaos of their relationship. When's it on? Visit the Site What lessons, if any, are to be learned from the life stories of Hitchcock and Selznick? How do you think each man's personality/character traits contributed to the course his life took? Why do you think Hitchcock, at a time when he was England's most respected filmmaker, wanted to make movies in Hollywood? Which do you think was the better approach to get around the "rules:" as Hitchcock did with the kissing scene in Notorious, or as Selznick did with Duel in the Sun? Why? How important do you think the role of the producer/director/studio in the making of a film is? Which man would you rather have worked for and why? Do you consider cinema as an art form? The introduction of sound marked a major shift in moviemaking. What other major shifts have taken place since then? Do you think they have had a similar impact? Do you think there is a need for a new "moral code" for the movies? How did the ascendancy of television change the movies in your opinion? Some people rank Selznick's Gone With the Wind as the greatest movie of all time. What do you think is the greatest film ever made? What makes your favorite film great?
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